Job Discussion Forums

[homersimpson]

[melirae]

Gotta go with the racial profiling too. When I came to Japan initially I was loaded down with luggage and had no trouble at customs. Again when I went home for a visit I was loaded down coming back into Japan and no troubles. I did get a lot of odd stares as well as helpful suggestions that I was in the wrong line at immigration (them: 'you are foriegner, you should be in green line'. me: 'no buddy, I'm a resident, got my ARC right here. I am in the correct line').
I think they let some people through with no concerns, as I have the oddest story about an experience flying domestically over the holidays in Japan. I don't know how common this actually is, but I was very shocked....
I get to Itami/Osaka International and check in with 2 other girlfriends. I hand them my tickets- no one asked for any type of ID. We then go to the baggage counter to check our luggage, again with no request for ID, so I'm thinking they will ask for it when I go through security. Didn't happen! Maybe they will do it before I board the aircraft... didn't happen there either! So here are three gajin that have not been checked for ID on an airplane full of Japanese people- we could be terrorists for all they know. But since we're 3 nice looking white girls, I guess they thought we were safe and wouldn't cause trouble.
The same experience was had at the airport in Sapporo. No ID check at any point, we just hopped on the plane and went on our way back to Osaka. How do they get away with just putting people on a plane like that? I will reconsider before flying domestic in Japan again.

[Sage]

Common... Everyone knows there are no white female terrorists.

(Note the sarcasm)

[taikibansei]

In Nagoya airport one time (five years ago?), I was accosted and almost arrested in a public bathroom. The incident started when a security guy followed me into the restroom (I had already checked in and gone through security, by the way), waited until I had started my, uh, business there, then demanded to see my passport, id card, etc.

Well, as I was busy doing what people usually do in restrooms, it was a bit impossible to stop suddenly and give him the darn cards. Though I thought this pretty obvious, I did say to him "Mada tochuu desu ke do, chotto matte itadakenai ka na?" His response? He called for back-up (I'm 6'4'' and about 185) and preceded to try to take me down. (A pretty bizarre situation--I remember trying to hold him off while, at the same time, doing my best not to pee on him.)

Things only cleared up when I was able to get out my passport and id to give to the by now three guards. As I was both an American and an associate professor at a national university, they realized that, just perhaps, the whole thing had been a misunderstanding...on their part. As one guy said to me, "Sorry, we thought you were Iranian. They are very dangerous, and we've been told by the government to look for them." A complaint later to their higher-ups confirmed this--they had been ordered to stop people who seemed to come from a particular national group.

Now, I'm an Italian, Irish, and Argentinian mix--I guess I could look Iranian, in the right light. The point, though, is that yes, periodically, the authorities apparently do stop people based on some sort of profiling. However, it's not just one group, and it's not all the time. One week, Japanese coming from especially Thailand will get stopped. Mainland Chinese (and sometimes just people confused for them), Brazilians with multiple bags, etc.--I've seen them stopped too, or not. One flight, they stopped a bunch of noisy white kids (probably JETs) from the States and looked in their bags as well.

Yes, it sucks. Still, instead of whining about it (the US has their profiles as well, by the way--as I found out once myself), a more constructive response would be to figure out ways to beat their profiling and not be harassed. First, I'd suggest dressing up, shaving, removing any facial piercings, etc. Second, I'd volunteer immediately--without being asked--that you work in Japan and, if applicable, have a Japanese spouse and family. Get that out of the way first--things will become a lot easier afterward. Finally, no matter how angry you get, try your best to remember that they are just doing their jobs and not to let your anger show. Few people realize how much power these guys have--e.g., they don't have to let you go, period (true of the States as well, by the way). Amnesty International has documented numerous incidents of abuse in Japan:

http://www.amnesty.ca/realsecurity/japan.php
http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=1&id=216028
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/nyukan/englis/report-3.htm
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/05/10/MNGT16IQK81.DTL

And just for fairness, an example of abuses in the US:

http://www.pulitzer.org/year/2001/public-service/works/oregonian13.html
http://www.pulitzer.org/year/2001/public-service/works/oregonian14.html
http://www.pulitzer.org/year/2001/public-service/works/oregonian19.html

So, be careful.

[TDCS]

I'm a white female and they searched all of my luggage--and this was leaving Japan [KIX]

[jg]

I flew through Tokyo on my way out of China to the US, and I and the only other black guy on the flight were the only ones searched. I don't dispute that it happens to all, but I am sure that it happens to certain people at a higher degree; how much higher, I don't know.

The other guy was a businessman, neatly dressed, flying solo. I was dressed neatly, clean shaven, in no way flashy. He told me it was rare for him to not receive some extra attention when flying in/out of Japan, and even when others were stopped on the same flight, he was always the constant.

Airlines/governments use a VERY wide list of travelers that fall under the category of those to be stopped, and within this list they can do as they please, more or less. Security agencies are adept at selective screening without being explicit about who to stop, this way they skirt anti-discrimination laws but still get their way.

Perhaps some readers of this board feel that since it has happened to them to, it happens to everyone at the same rate? I don't think so. Every cry you hear is not "wolf".

[chixdiggit]

My 2 cents. I've been in Japan almost 5 years and travelled in and out of the country about 20 times. I'm white , about 6'3 240 and have never been searched coming or going. I wear very casual clothes when travelling first class and very nice clothes when hoping for the upgrade. It has never made a difference. I speak fairly fluent Japanese but never reveal this when re-entering the country. I speak English only at customs, and THAT IMHO is then major factor for me. Black or white, Japan is one of the most racist countries on Earth. Get used to it, it spans much further than the airport.
Cheers,
Chix

[Travel Zen]

I expect to be stopped and have a full body cavity search when I get there. That's why I'll hide the drugs somewhere else.....

Seriously, there is blatant racism against black people ( or any foreigners) all over the world, why do you think Japan is exempt from it?

[homersimpson]

[Zzonkmiles]

I've settled down now, although I REALLY did not like the way those agents were rifling through my suitcase and holding up all of its contents item by item so I could identify them.

It's just very frustrating because this is not something that has ever happened to me before (not to this degree), and I have traveled internationally many, many times. Also, this country is so beautiful, efficient, peaceful, and advanced, and yet, so prehistoric and so crude at the same time.

Reading the various reactions has been quite interesting. There is no real way to know why I in particular was singled out for interrogation. Race is the easiest thing to think of, but there could be other factors. Some people have suggested that I change my clothes to be less conspicuous or less suspicious, which would seem to further support my origial supposition because they're suggesting that some people (who look "correct") can dress any way they want while others must take steps to compensate for something that isn't even their fault. I, for one, am not about to wear a suit and tie for a 15-hour plane ride, for example.

I am also not about to challenge a customs official and tell him to kiss my butt and stay away from my suitcases because, like it or not, that person has the power to put me right back on that airplane. I obviously had nothing illegal with me, so I knew their "searches" would yield nothing incriminating. But it was still a very disconcerting experience, and quite humiliating as well. Those of you who don't mind having a stranger holding up your underwear while other passengers walk by obviously have a much higher tolerance for BS than I do.

Interestingly enough, for those of you who don't think racial profiling is an issue with respect to customs in Japan, would you not argue that gaijin (of any race) are more likely to be interrogated and/or searched than a Japanese? That's racial profiling, isn't it? Among gaijin there may (or may not) be differences that intensify or lessen this (you can see this in some job ads that specifically request applicants of a certain race, thus leading one to believe that not all gaijin are created equal). But it sounds like the ones who are in the "get over it" crowd seem a bit defensive, almost as if I am accusing THEM of discrimination when no accusation exists.

Oh, and racism is obviously an issue in EVERY country. Being an American, I am quite familiar with it. It just seems a bit more salient when it happens in Japan because of the (false) image it enjoys as being this "mystical land of beauty, peace, respect, kindness, and [ insert positive noun here ]". It's not. And I was reminded of that last week.

[Gordon]

[Glenski]

[Zzonkmiles]

[nawlinsgurl]

I dunno whay this happened to you, but I am sorry that you had such a crap time.

I am black and hispanic and wore a "John Kerry is a Rockstar" t-shirt, cargo pants and Nikes when I came to Japan. It was Nov.2 and I knowing I had a 17hr plane flight, I did not dress up. I had no problem whatsoever in Kansai airport, but then again I wasn't searched leaving from Atlanta...

I do think racial profiling is alive and well not just here in Japan but everywhere.

I had a student once ask me "Do I own a gun" after I said I was from
America. To which I replied "Do you have a samarai sword?"

Another reason they might have bothered you, is that they were thinking you are military personnel. There are a lot of bases in Japan and I have heard stories of some guys causing problems and so forth, so maybe that's what they thought was going on.

But who knows, a lot of things that happen in Japan don't make sense.

[kimo]

Coming back to Tokyo from the U.S., I had the third degree search way back in 1991, everything but the body search. The OP's original sentiments echoed mine about being embarrassed watching underwear and socks fly all over the place. Each time he held something up, the inspector would watch my reaction. He said nothing the whole time, not a single word. Of course, I had nothing worth looking for, and thought he seemed a little disappointed.

Again that same year, I watched immigration or customs pull a well-dressed, business type out of line and cart him away. As I recall from seeing his passport he was Australian. I remember thinking that they would beat me up again and let that guy pass without a word. Don't know why they got him.

And about five years ago before I left Japan for other parts, I took a vacation to Thailand and Hong Kong. Travellers from Thailand are always suspect so the female inspector at Kansai rifled through everything asking me a lot of questions. When she found out where I worked, she asked me if I knew so and so at my company and said she had been his student. I didn't know him, but she was satisfied and let me go.

I am lilly white by the way.