ive heard that there's racism in japan, is this true or is it just travellars ignorance?

Answer 1

i think there is ethnocentricism all over the orient. they are the sun!

Answer 2

I have never been to Japan; however, I did experience racism from a Japanese company here in the U.S. I had four telephone interviews totaling approximately six hours with various managers and the owner of a company. They were really impressed with my credentials, experience and interviews. They called to offer me a position and instructed me to come in "as a formality" to sign the contract. When I arrived, nobody shook my hand (or bowed) and they would not allow me to sit in the reception area. I was left standing by the front door, literally. The HR person refused to come out and speak to me. They made the receptionist tell me "we don't hire Ns." It was the first time I ever experienced racism on that level and it was so shocking. I honestly did not know what was going on until it hit me right between the eyes.

On the other side, I did contract work for a company that was owned by a parent company from China and they were not overly friendly, but not racists. They were pleased with my work and that was fine. That was why I was there.

Answer 3

It's not outright racism, but the Japanese are very ethno-centric. For the most part, the Japanese feel that they really are the highest of the asians. It's been that way in that country since before WWII. Even now they feel that what is Japanese is best. But, they don't necessarily look down on others, especially tourists. They are extremely nice to others, they just don't really want any foreingers emigrating into Japan or mixing foreign blood into their country. It's not the same type of hateful and ignorant racism that you see in the US, but there is a certain bias none the less.

Answer 4

Oh, definitely. Anyone that is not Japaneese is referred to as "gaigin". This word literally means alien or stranger.

I spent 2 years there. Americans are not that popular and at 6'2" I towered over most locals. Strangely enough, the women seemed not to be able to get enough of me.

The locals will ignore you for the most part - and pretend not to know any English even if they do. You will also be charged more that the locals pay for almost everything.

Answer 5

Asia, specially East Asia,are called "Monoculture", "racially homogeneous".etc.
98% of the population is Japanese people in Japan. / 75% of the population is Han race in China. / 98% of the population is Han Chinese(not 100% same as in China) in Taiwan./ nearly 100% is Korean in S.Korea?

Western countries, such as US, Europe and Australia, etc, are so called "Melting pot (of races)" or "Multicultural nation". It is very different.

When you enter these East Asian countries, you will feel and notice invisible local rules which you don't understand soon.
Westerns tend to think and bring the way of thinking and their rules into Asia, and judge the people and custom with their own standards. But isn't it unfair? isn't arrogant?

When you travel in Asia, including Japan, you may feel and meet many uncomfortable and "never heard" issues , which are very different from the west. They form their life formed by the homogeneous race.
But you can't judge with westerner's view.

Just feel their life and custom. Then you would be able to enjoy the difference.

Answer 6

well.. it is i think ive just heard from my office mate they said "gaijin kirai"..means i hate foreigner or what they call alien!

and after that all the foreigner in the kaisha was fired one-by-one..
why?.... i like Japanese at first because my father is Japanese but girls maybe dont like us....its sad

Answer 7

not as worst as in USA