Yamato Damacy Episode 15: Interview with Arudou Debito 2

[Daviysoh]

日本人である私がアメリカに行ってこれだけ逐一政府や企業に対し­ての非難をしてたらフルボッコにされるだろうね。

先進国で唯一人種差別を撤廃する法律がない日本？そんなもん初め­から存在しないから法律にするまでも無いんだよっ

[vapsuhvvaowih]

Arudou is neonazi

[yukiss5525]

それにね、日本社会や日本人から「信頼」を勝ち得ている外国人は

何かにつけていちいち「排他的」「差別」と騒ぎ立てたりしません­。

逆にArudouさんのような人が公でこのような発言をすること­によって、

他の外国人の迷惑になっている場合があるということも忘れないで­下さい。

[yukiss5525]

温泉や公衆浴場について話したいならば、

少なくとも「外国人の客」「経営者」「日本人の客」という３つの­視点で

物事を語るのが筋であって、「経営者」と「日本人の客」という視­点を一切考察すらしないで語るのは、ご都合主義者がすることです­よ。

ましてや大学の教授（助教授？）がこうであってはいけない。

[yukiss5525]

Arudouさんの話には説得力が全くない。

この手の「排他的」「差別」と騒ぎ立てる人の話し方には一つ特徴­があって、

視点が一方的で自分目線でしか話せないし、そういう視点でしか話­さない。

１つの事象を見るときには、最低でも２つ以上の視点から物事を見­なければいけない。

これって基本ですよね？

[delitachan]

All this guy does is further widen the gap between Japanese and foreigners with his twisted information. I venture to say he might even be prejudiced against Japanese people. Why? Because the wife left him?

I doubt he's reading this but I wish someone would tell him you dont fight prejudice with prejudice.

This hateful man needs to go home to America.

[dreamboy316]

David Christopher Aldwinckle is a known troublemaker, me nor no other American I know living in Japan takes that whiny loser seriously.

He looks like he was a failure in America and he's angry he's a failure in Japan too.

[delitachan]

@dreamboy316 I absolutely agree. As a foreigner who visits twice a year for weeks at a time, I have NEVER faced discrimination like he says. I'm not even white or black, but Hispanic. Even in the rural areas, where my fiance lives, have treated me with respect. Arudou needs to go home if he really thinks Japan is a problem - he is no advocate for foreigners!

[aaaaaaaaooooooo]

I honestly think Japanese people have less emotionally rooted Racism, probably less than many states in the US. There's lots of stereotypes but not emotionally charged ones.

At the same time, they can be stupidly insensitive to equality and rights, and bar a whole class of people just for convenience in running a business. It's not the same as saying "we don't want your kind around here" but the effect for the foreigner might as well be the same.

It's not hatred but extreme laziness to adapt.

[aaaaaaaaooooooo]

Some kind of membership system for baths would make it possible to revoke the membership of drunken sailors who cause trouble while accepting others regardless of nationality or looks. That's the kind of slight extra effort the Japanese are not putting in for equality.

Also, the supreme court in Japan sucks. There is a very skewered tendency in its rulings. In any case of injustice in the status quo or the establishment, the supreme court is the last to make the correct judgement.

[aaaaaaaaooooooo]

Finally, it irritates me how simply showing that something is right in principle often carries no force or effect in Japanese society.

I don't hate Japan, I think the world would be missing out on a lot if Japan didn't exist, and the people in Japan can have a different variety of niceness than other countries I've lived in.

But the parts I don't like piss me off a lot.

[YamFrie]

dont be newbish.

YELLOWs, WHITEs, BLACKs (etc) are different. this is obvious. Japan is the country of yellow ppl!

And he should not blame japanese ppl for being like racists. This is totally OK and normal and natural!

[sinjaeba]

To insult the Japanese, he was naturalized in Japan.

The means is not asked so that he may insult Japan.

What he says is all exaggerated things, and the one to hold the Japanese in

derision.

His site has described the picture book that consolidates his "little yellow jap"

idea.

The Japanese is "Monkey that insulted me of Caucasian" for him, and the person where

hatred doesn't disappear even if it kills.

[kmah88]

oooh ~ what is debito-san drinking? that looks yummy!!

[Epblueyes]

That's really disappointing to hear about the Japanese discrimination. I didn't realize it was such a large problem. This person seems very knowledgeable and proud to be Japanese. I really envy Arudou Debito.

on a side note: does he look a little like mike meyers to anyone else?

[moncheej1974]

Interesting to hear him say "this is for white people only, this is for foreign visitors" when the translation says "gaikokujinn" (foreigner), the word which perhaps most accurately reflects the situation.  One would think he would be more careful of his words.

[sabu85]

I NEVER had that kind of problems at onsen baths or elsewhere even if I'm half italian. Debito(which means debt in italian) is only trying to get some media attention and to sell books.

[Lebennin]

Just because you're half Italian doesn't automatically mean you look foreign. Those who look Japanese aren't normally getting denied service, as Debito said (assuming you're implying you're half Japanese). Besides, just because it hasn't happened to you, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It DOES happen and it IS wrong. Why anyone wouldn't want to support Debito in his efforts to make Japan (and as a result; the world) a better place, is beyond me.

[Se1sai]

Also, large cities [Tokyo, Osaka, etc] tend to be more internationalized than country towns, so these kind of issues are not very common in these cities.

[Miyagi900]

I'm Japanese.

When I was child I lived in Okinawa,then I moved to Tokyo.

In both places,I never have seen "Japanese only"

Maybe there are some those sighn,but you can

take legal action,and basically you will win.

There are precedents.

Sorry to may bad English...

[intechracing]

daijobu daijobu eigo ga desu ne the way you write at least but anyways is just like any contry racism still exist and yes is sad but i guess people like us should stick together is funny because i am hispanic and i get all kinds of descrimination all do i am usa citizen hahah lol funny huh

[intechracing]

well maybe his trying too spread the word and not only spread the word gots too look at it in the bright side two but you could be right do hehe

[moncheej1974]

It depends on where you go. You either didn't go to the "right" place, or perhaps "look" Japanese enough for them not to notice. People with tattoos also face similar discrimination in japan, an issue which he fails to address.

[nippononna]

Nice interview.

I understood Arudou Debito is of high social standing (Kachigumi) in japan.

He looks so sexy as well as smart.

But I was disappointed at hearing he is already taken.

I'd like to thank all of you as a japanese for being respectful to such a tiny island country people.

ARIGATOU.

[Se1sai]

He got divorced a year or so ago

[yamadayamada3]

Good video! There are many discriminations for foreigners live in japan in japanese society. I think all japanese people should see this video, and consider those matters.

[dappomb6523]

In Nippon, if ya insist your rights without consensus-building process you'd be rejected. As for Onsen issue, if he really wanted to take a bath at that Onsen, he should show understanding over the fact that Russians did the great damage to Onsens' operations at first. As a Nipponish Debito-san should learn Nipponish civility and adjust himself to community. Is he sure he's getting a helping hand for gaining the ill feeling of the others toward foreigners? He's also a racist in a way.

[Se1sai]

though I understand your point, and I agree to a some extent, the fact is that there IS a problem with discrimination in Japan, even government people [a.k.a Tokyo governor] insults them and blames them entirely for the rise in crimes.

Truth be told, Arudo Debito's ways might seem to reinforce Japanese myth that "foreigners are difficult to deal with", but staying quiet and taking in everything the Japanese decide to puke upon the gaijins is no solution either

[moncheej1974]

I couldn't agree more!!

[ruinedbyidiots]

Cheers lads.

Champion. Keep rocking the boat, sir.

[umiumil]

You guys live in japan, you guys are wicked cool.

[beatdragon]

aradou debito

where can I get that book from?is he selling it?

i want to read and understand more

[Solidusjr]

Very interesting

this video opened my eyes

[moncheej1974]

One thing he isn't so open about is his job and how he got it. He rants on his web page about the discrimination in the Japanese academic world but neglects to teach people how to get tenure in a Japanese university.

[Sazuko]

Nice Job~! good interview.

[SeijiMuto]

Very interesting topic.

Thank you for sharing.