My views on Japan: Part 1 Racism

Here's some of my personal views regarding life in Japan. Stay tuned for more; I will be talking about issues with immigration, employment, banking, housing and other matters aimed a t those living in or contemplating a move or visit to Japan.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Japan
• Racism

[wakarai09]

@twomps730 I'm now in the U.S.A. and have found some parts of America that absolutely suck and should better be changed. But as long as American people find no problem with them, I think that they have every right to keep them as they are.

Americans like Arudou Debido will stay outsiders in Japan forever, because they continue to interpret everything that the Japanese do from the American cultural values and criticize only Japan when America or Americans are doing the same or worse.

[wakarai09]

@AdamAdmaAdam The Japanese consider "gaijin" offensive only because they heard foreigners claiming that it is offensive.

If some people in America started to claim that the word "foreigners" is offensive, as it can be translated to "strangers" or "outsiders," then most American people would probably stop using the word, fearing that they would be seen ignorant. The same thing.

[wakarai09]

@Drayman94

The word "gaijin" is a neutral term and doesn't mean "outsiders." However, many foreigners who understand little or some Japanese literally translate the word and complain that the word is offensive. But those people do not seem to find the English words such as "aliens" and "foreigners" offensive.

[sometiminger]

Zainishi kill, rape, swindle, put us into a mixer. On the other hand, China, Korea, Jewish are more racist than us. What can we do for it? We hate war. We can't afford for compasation anymore.

[twomps730]

I'm so tired of the "Well if you don't like it, why don't you go back to your country" baseless remark. I love Japan, absolutely love it for so many reasons. I wouldn't want to go back. Doesn't mean that there aren't parts that absolutely suck and need changing. When will people realize that exposing the ugly side of things is what actually creates change? We need to be able to at first accept that there are problems.

Thanks for being an honest Flip, and saying what needs to be said =)

[superguizi]

@Drayman94

Perhaps, posh behaving middle aged women would never use Gaikokujin in front of you or other foreigners. They would use Gaikokunokata.

[Drayman94]

I am an exchange student in Japan and have been for quite some time, and my Japanese friends would never say it to a foreigner as they (Friends) think it is offensive towards foreigners. Gaikokujin is more accepted when referring to foreigners. Japan does have an enormous issue with "Outsiders" there is not a day that goes by where I am not stared at at least 10 times a day, or a stereotype made. I don't get offended by the word Gaijin as much as I do by the ignorance of some Japanese people.

[superguizi]

One more thing.

If you interview Japanese people for TV, posh looking middle aged Japanese women will use Gaikokunokata. They perhaps dont use gaijin and gaikokujin in front of TV cameras.

[superguizi]

@AdamAdmaAdam

I am Japanese, and I dont think "Gaijin" is offensive, and I have been using it thinking its a neutral word. But strangely, I learned later that some foreigners think its offensive.

Yeah, if I compare Gaijin and Gaikokujin, the latter sounds a bit more polite, but that does not mean Gaijin is an offensive word.

Then again if I compare Gaikokujin and Gaikokunokata, the latter sounds more polite without a bit. Why dont you oppose Gaikokujin and promote Gaikokunokata?

[kanadajin3]

@AdamAdmaAdam . Thats not true at all. Is used everyday, everywhere, only ignorant people who can't speak Japanese get offended. Just because its not done in the west it doesnt mean its offencive.