Job Discussion Forums

[campestre]

I usually say わかるよ。。。。

[Akula the shark]

I have had this in the past, and last time it happened I hit the person with a barrage of bougen (abusive language), embarrassing him in front of his mates by talking about his puny phisique, uniqlo clothing and ridiculous glasses.

[mandrake]

I experienced abusive language when I told a man off for being rude to a coffee shop clerk. He went on and on and on...but I just ignored him and apologized to the sales clerk for the customers rudeness (in Japanese).

Another time a man had a pop at me for kissing my girlfriend on the Shinkansen...which led to a great conversation over the Japanese constitution and why he thought that his wearing a bright pink shirt was any less offensive to me than me kissing my girlfriend was to him.

Secretly, though, I think he just wanted the challenge and so I don't think these kind of things count as overt racism. It's just a knee jerk, lash out reaction.

As I said before, the other side is ignorance. Do I take the comments like, "you won't like this because your a foreigner" as racism? or ignorance? To many Japanese the word racism is too strong and if we really stop and ask people, or question their thoughts, it perhaps is more the case of ignorance rather than an overt dislike of foreigners that we will find.

I guess you can look at it whatever way you wish. But my preference is for educating rather than berating people for being ignorant. Do we berate students in the classroom for being ignorant? Nah...it just doesn't do it for me. There's enough people shouting and having a go at people as it is...I think a little more latitude and kindness is in order if we are not to react with the same roots and causes of racism. Intolerance and hatred.

[Sherri]

Has anyone seen these articles on the planned changes to the treatment of non-Japanese in Japan? It looks like among other things, we can expect fingerprinting at the airport!
Sherri


Gov't plans to require all foreigners to carry IC cards for crime control

Thursday, June 9, 2005 at 07:29 JST
TOKYO 窶・The Japanese government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party plan
to require all foreigners staying in Japan for more than 90 days to carry
identification cards equipped with integrated circuit chips, with all data
to be kept at an "intelligence center," party lawmakers said Tuesday.

The LDP and the government claim the new policy is aimed at keeping track of
foreigners as part of measures to prevent terrorism and crimes.

But the new system, intended to replace the current Certificate of Alien
Registration that foreigners have to carry, is likely to raise concerns over
the sharing of information between the immigration and police authorities,
as well as protests from foreigners that it unfairly discriminates against
them.

Under the plan, foreigners will have to carry with them at all times IC
cards that contain information such as their name, nationality, address,
birth date, passport number, visa status and place of employment or study.
Holders will be required to report any change of address and obtain
permission to change jobs.

The data of all card holders will be kept at the intelligence center that
the Justice Ministry plans to set up to gather and analyze information on
suspicious foreigners. The information will be shared between immigration
and police authorities when foreigners are involved in crimes.

Currently, foreigners' registrations are kept at the municipality of their
residence. The municipal governments, which issue the alien registration
cards, are required to send a copy of the registrations to the Justice
Ministry.

Under the new policy, companies and schools where foreigners work or study
will also be required to report to the authorities about when the foreigners
move or change jobs, and will be subject to penalties for any falsified
information.

The government is aiming to submit budget requests as early as for next
fiscal year, beginning next April, and to have related law revisions as well
as new legislation made in two years.

Short-term visitors in Japan for up to 90 days and those with special
permanent residency, including Korean residents in Japan, will be exempt.

Japanese nationals are not required to carry any form of identification, but
foreigners aged over 16 who fail to carry their alien registration cards
with them at all times currently face a maximum penalty of one year in
prison or a 200,000 yen fine. The maximum penalty for special permanent
residents is 100,000 yen.

The current alien registration card contains the holder's name, nationality,
date of birth, place of birth, address, passport information, visa status,
occupation and company or school.

Japan's treatment of foreigners has often been criticized as being
discriminatory, especially with the fingerprinting system it introduced in
1952. After decades of protests, Japan finally stopped requiring the
fingerprinting of permanent foreign residents in 1992 and of those with
nonpermanent status in 2000. (Kyodo News)

Gov't plans to expand fingerprinting requirement for foreigners

Friday, June 10, 2005 at 07:41 JST
TOKYO 窶・Japan plans to expand fingerprinting requirements for foreigners not
only upon entry into the country but upon departure as well, as part of
crime prevention measures, ruling party lawmakers said Wednesday. The
government and the Liberal Democratic Party reached the agreement at a
session of the party's panel on foreigners staying illegally in Japan.

Lawmakers said those with special permanent residency, including Korean
residents in Japan, will be exempt from the measure. The latest move is
aimed at preventing foreigners who are suspects in criminal cases in Japan
from fleeing to a third country under an assumed identity, the lawmakers
said. (Kyodo News)

[Brooks]

I actually posted something about that, a month ago.
I wonder when people will start getting fingerprinted at Narita.
I have a spouse visa, but I guess that isn`t good enough for the government.

[Doglover]

[Mtnkiwi]

Yip, just a guest.

I'm on a spousal visa and if I ever got divorced I'd lose this and potentially the right to ever see my daughter again. On the other hand my wife has PR in NZ, so even if we broke up she could live in NZ indefinitely.

The fingerprint thing is scary, both JimDunlop2 and I have mentioned being asked for fingerprints for minor traffic violations in another thread. The micro-chip thing is taking it to a whole new level. Maybe they should sort out a nationwide standard ID for Japanese nationals first.

[travelasia]

im guessing the people that have posted this thread..are generally caucasian and have never experienced racism in their life. ive lived in vancouver , canada for the last 10 years..and i think this is heaven for me. i dont have to deal with quack questions..where are you from..wow you can speak english..shit . in japan...i dont have to deal with condesending statements from white people ..what a breathe of fresh air. i love asia.

[JimDunlop2]

[travelasia]

yes its not right..but imagine what the rest of the non caucasians have to go through on a daily basis. life is unfair. to the white folks..who cant handle this..i say go back.

[Gordon]

[Lister100]

And to you travelasia, I say stay here

Its fun to become what you hate isn't it?

[Nicedog777]

Whew.....this thread has brought out some serious bad vibes....

Call this an old chestnut if you must, but, can't we all just get along?

[Akula the shark]

[travelasia]

sigh..yes what akula said is true...but like i said i think being a non caucasian ive endured far more racism than any caucasian ever has...so there. if you were in my shoes you would know. so excuse me if i have no patience for listen to white people complain about racism in japan..this is asia...