Why do Japanese people hate Americans?

Question

Many friends of mine have been to Japan. While their host families, and other polite people (shop owners, etc) were extremely polite and kind, they felt very hated in public. The term "white dog" was often used. I am an American and harbor no hard feelings whatsoever against the Japanese for Pearl Harbor. I've done research about the why's and the embarassment the Japanese still have over the issue. Why, then, if I can forgive Pearl Harbor, can't they forgive Hiroshima/Nagasaki? For one thing, I personally had nothing to do with the bomb. Why would I be called a white dog in Japan when I have nothing but respect and awe for the culture?

Answer 1

i've never met a japanese person who had a problem with americans, or white people...

and there is no comparison with pearl harbour (a couple thousands dead) to hiroshima/nagasaki (a couple of hundred thousand dead, and still dying today because of it)

Answer 2

As Japanese, I can say it is NOT about WW2 and A-bomb matters.

But after Bush started Afgan attacking, I have to admit and feel many anti-American increased in Japan. Even today.
And as for Iraq, we think there was no fair reason to attack them. And finally you couldn't find the weapons of mass destruction.
However, it is not all Japanese.
You guys looks like "America is always right." "We are the No.1".
I am hearing other Asian ppl are also hating US.

Tourists or foreign students shouldn't bring politically issue out.

>I personally had nothing to do with the bomb

yes. agreed. But see above answers.
Me, Japanese, has nothing to do with the Pearl Harbor. But what are the reactions against Japan?
This is human being.

Answer 3

I'm Japanese living in here. As far as I know, most of Japanese including myself like American people and their cultures. Sometimes Japanese mass-media called that American government behaves as a "police of the world" and some people does not like that Americans way, but basically, Japanese like American people. Many people loves American rock, pop, R&B, rap musics. Many people like American cars such as Camaro, Astro, old Impara, Thunderbird, Corvett etc. Many people have ipod. Many people admire the launching of Space Shuttle. Many people want to travel the U.S.A. Many people want to learning English... and more...

Answer 4

I find it hard to believe what your friends tell you!! Do they speak Japanese?? How many times have they been here and for how long??
Japanese people love Americans, and are virtually obsessed with American culture. I've lived here for 16 years and I've never heard them use the term "white dog"
I think your friends are full of Sh*t to be honest, either that or maybe you should look for a pool of friends outside of the "American Society for the Paranoid" .

Answer 5

How can we expect them to forgive us for destroying 2 of their towns, killing hundreds of thousands of people? Nevermind the the thousands of survivors who are going to die from cancer because of their exposure to radiation. I'm sorry but you cannot compare the two events. We killed hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians (children included) while they killed (although it was not right) thousands of millitary personnell. You seem like an open-minded person, and I'm not saying their right for calling you a "white dog" but I don't think using Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima/Nagasaki is a good example to use.

The bottom line is the US has done a lot of bad things to a lot of countries/people. People all over the world are pissed off with us (I don't blame them!) and it's time we came to terms with it.

Answer 6

Quote:

Blowback

Since 1898, every president, both democrat and republican, has ordered American troops into far corners of the globe, usually not to defend liberty, but to train, equip or provide other kinds of help to the armed forces of crooks and tyrants. These Washington-backed terrorists have included Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Manuel Noriega in Panama, President Diem of Vietnam, the Shah of Iran, Marcos in the Philippines, Batista in Cuba, Mobutu in the Congo, Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan, General Park in Korea, Suharto and Habibie in Indonesia, and many others.

China's Chiang Kai-shek in World War II murdered twice as many innocent civilians as the Japanese, yet President Franklin Roosevelt backed Chiang - he sent the Flying Tigers to help him.

The Japanese retaliated by hitting Pearl Harbor.
The CIA calls that blowback.
Blowback is the root cause of the "terrorism."

President Roosevelt had also frozen Japanese assets, sent cruisers and destroyers to invade Japanese home waters, and cut off Japan's supplies of oil, iron and other raw materials. Yet, I have never heard of anyone asking after the Pearl Harbor attack, why do they hate us?

Un-quote

Answer 7

Sumimasen, Lolita san. [Pardon me, Lolita, ma'am.]

I don't know if we've got some disconnect here, because I went to the Shorin-ji Temple to finish my studies in the Martial Arts and didn't get any hatred there. Many Americans have been to Japan and lived there for a while and aren't hated.

Sensei Steven Segal is an example.

The word "gai-jin", misunderstood for "foreign devil" actually means "man from the unknown land". Like, if they know where you're from , then it's America-jin, or france-jin. The reason why "gai" is misunderstood is that it also means the Netherworld. However, it's as misunderstood as "shi" which means the number 4 and also means death.

The language itself sounds a bit rough to foreign ears, but then there's the difference in all languages.

If anything, the fact is that most of the "modernu garu" [modern girls] and guys are aping the Americans. They love rock and "American" clothes like jeans and even do punk styles, because they think it's in fashion in America.

If you speak their language well enough, you'll probably get a lot of them quizzing you about what's "In" in USA, like most us got.

The Japanese culture does not fear death and Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been accepted by them as the consequence of a War. To them, their people died honorably; which is more important than death, itself.

You can ask any of the Marines, like me, who were posted there and all of us would tell you the same thing.

Initially, all of us had the same apprehensions, but we were proven wrong.

Today's Japanese are more Americanized than anything else.

Answer 8

Perhaps because Japan has so much respect for its history, tradition, and culture...it could be because each new generation is taught about Hiroshima/Nagasaki and taught to never forget. History and culture are very important to the Japanese and generation after generation are taught to respect it and remember it.

Answer 9

none of the japanese people I know hate America (yet)

if they did, I wouldn't blame them, due to the abominable u.s. action of a-bombing japan. even though you had nothing to do with it personally but you are part of this country that did these horrible things, the bomb only being one of them.

Answer 10

The older generation may harbor ill feelings towards westerners, and other forigners, but the younger generation generally loves them. It is their societies goal to become more western. White dog? I dont think so. Japanese are more likley to squeal "handsome!" or "cool!" Trust me.