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hentaigaijin · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 104

just how racist are the japanese? a mate reckons that some of them won't buy stuff in supermarkets if it's from china and that the mayor of tokyo referred to the chinese as "chinks" in a newspaper. is this true?

the prime-minister voted in favour of patriotism being taught in schools; the defence force wants more of a mandate to get involved in peace-keeping operations around the world.

does this bode ill or well?

nonsmoker · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject:

The Japanese are as racist as everyone else. That shouldn't matter anyway if you are able to cope with negativity. Carpe Diem.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

Sour Grape · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 241

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Japan is not the only country that teaches patriotism in schools- do American children still pledge allegiance to the flag at school every morning? To a New Zealander, many Americans with all their flag-waving and hand-on-heart anthem singing come across as quite nationalist.

Is Japan not allowed to do the same thing?

hentaigaijin · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 104

hentaigaijin · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 104

hentaigaijin · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 104

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

I have argued on another forum that the Japanese are not necessarily more racist than anyone else, but they seem to be somewhat unaware of what discrimination is as well as pretty xenophobic for a developed country. As to Ishihara, it's alarming that he consistently makes comments like that one about the Chinese and other foreigners and he is not alone among right-wing politicians, just more open about his views.

Abe himself is not a lot better, with his recent gaffes about the evidence concerning the so called 'comfort' women. Considering his background with relatives that ran slave labor mining during WWII, he hardly represents a new and better Japan. As to teaching people to love their country, wouldn't be better to have them respect the country and learn that on their own? How do you teach patriotism?

Finally, remember that Chinese products made for export generally have to meet much higher quality standards than those manufactured for domestic consumption. As to the mad cow incidents, remember that the Japanese didn't stop eating Japanese beef when the diease was discovered here. Not that I don't disagree with them when they want to refuse meat that was not cut according to the agreement that they had made with the US, but it's interesting that a perceived danger of some things that are foreign seems arbitrary at best.

jademonkey · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 180

Ishihara is a racist asshat. That doesn't mean Japanese are. In Australia, Pauline Hanson has said far worse things than him. In the US you have George W. Bush, and while he's not necessarily a racist, he's an ignorant and dangerous fool. Every country has its bigots and its racists and in an ideal world, they'd all be lined up and shot, but it's not and we have to put up with them and the vitriol they vomit forth.
The reason most (white) people in Japan notice that they're 'racist' is because it's sometimes directed at you, i.e., the racial minority. Yes, it's terrible when someone moves to another seat on the train when a white guy sits next to them, but that's life.

hentaigaijin · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 104

hentaigaijin · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 104

jademonkey · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 180

hentaigaijin · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 104