Job Discussion Forums

[RM1983]

Well if we relate it back to the original, Id quite like to be able to rent somewhere without a decent chance of being ripped off on account of not being Japanese. Especially seeing as my partner and I are paying our way in taxes etc, seems that it would be fair.

I agree that Japan should be run the Japan way, but then as you point out bigotry is bigotry.

Foreigners ARE here for a reason. Whether it is to help Japanese Eikawa businesses or to be exploited by a black company or whatnot.

Actually I dont think it all effects me much whatsoever day to day, I rather like it here, but in the particular housing area I do have a bone to pick.

[water rat]

[RM1983]

I just want to not get ripped off when Im renting a flat

[water rat]

[nightsintodreams]

Well, that changes things entirely then. If the French do it then I guess it's OK.

When we use the term"Japanese", let's not forget what it actually means; a person of Japanese blood born in Japan whose parents were also born in Japan.

Brazilians born in Japan with parents of Japanese ancestry who happened to be born in Brazil are not thought of as Japanese and I've met some who haven't been able to get a passport in Japan despite living here all their lives and having never been to Brazil.

So now we've got the OK from France, I may as well put an advert out in the paper for an apartment, "White ethnic English who were born in England only! We will not rent out to non white English or those who were not born in England"

I'm sorry mate, I love Japan, want to stay here for the long term and generally think that Japanese people treat me well, but let's not pretend it's perfect or defend things that are quite blatantly wrong.

Do I want to force Japan to change? No. Do I want western nations to put pressure on Japan to make more laws on equality of all races and equal rights? No. But you can't deny that refusing to do business with someone because of their race is immoral and wrong.

My parents once owned a hotel and a Pakistani family once stayed there and ruined the place, no permanent damage, but there were pooh stains on the wall of the toilet afterwards and they left the place in a right mess. Does this mean they should have refused to serve any more Pakistani guests? I don't believe so.

If you let people into/ bring people to your country for whatever reason (it doesn't matter if you deem them essential to the inner workings of Japan or not, England could quite easily lose all of it's Albanians and the country wouldn't fall apart, but that doesn't mean Albanians should be treated poorly discriminated against), then you should treat them well and not refuse them service, especially for essential things like a roof over one's head.

I see it all over the news and hear it at school, "Omotenashi, omotenashi, omotenashi". The government has proposed changing the word 'dooro' on street signs to 'street' so that foreigners don't get confused. WIFI is being installed into urban areas so foreigners can use the internet, English is being promoted for the benefit of communication with foreigners. Well, if Japan is so concerned about making foreigners feel welcome, a good place to start would be to simply stop publicly discriminating against non-Japanese people who are just looking for an apartment to rent.

Despite Japan being called a 'homogeneous society', according to the Japanese census there are 2.5 million foreigners living in Japan as well as 1.9 million naturalised citizens and that doesn't even include mixed race Japanese or tourists. Now call me crazy, but I think it would be better for everyone (including Japanese), if those people were made to feel part of society rather than constantly being reminded of there gaijiness, and given equal opportunities to progress in life, start their own businesses and follow whatever dreams they may have.

BTW, I don't think ATMs should spew out free money for anyone who wants it, for obvious reasons, that wouldn't be a good thing.

[RM1983]

[timothypfox]

Signs are not put out in Canada or the States, but I'm sure what goes on in gated communities, for example, would make multi-cultural advocates reel..

[nightsintodreams]

[steki47]

[water rat]

[nightsintodreams]

This topic is about why Japanese people often don't like to live with foreigners. No one has said that they can't deal with the prejudices, only that they don't like them.

I think many of us probably know 'how to deal with Japanese' and have lived here and learnt the language and customs to a higher level that you have.

Once you went to a hotel for Japanese only and a the landlord let you stay there, well good for you. Well done! That doesn't mean that that is the case for every business in Japan that refuses to deal with foreigners.

It doesn't matter how Japanese you become and how politely you ask, if you go to rent a property and there is a clear rule "No renting to foreigners" then the estate agent is not going to allow you to rent the property.

No one has said that they can't deal with it, only that it sucks, is wrong and should be changed. You on the other hand are trying to claim that it's all the foreigner's fault, doesn't exist, does exist in other countries and is morally OK because Japan is for Japanese people.

[mitsui]

People who don't even live in Japan, telling us how to live.
People who don't live here daily and never had to get a guarantor or pay key money.

Only in Kawasaki can you fight housing discrimination, and be backed by the city.

I have a Japanese spouse. So I have to live in America only then?
Pathetic.

[nightsintodreams]

BTW, what's the name of this Japanese hotel that advertises itself as 'for Japanese guests only'. I only ask because in all my time living in Japan, I have never seen or heard of a Japanese only hotel.

[nightsintodreams]

OK, I just went back and looked at the post. He was talking about a hotel designed for Japanese in L.A., not a hotel in Japan that advertises itself as only for Japanese.

That's quite a bigt different from anything we're discussing here.

[water rat]