How do Non-japanese asians get treated in Japan?

Question

I guess what I really want to know is if a Non-japanese asian would be happy staying in Japan for awhile. Would they be able to make friends, get a good job, that sort of thing?

Answer 1

This is one of THOSE questions ... there's no totally accurate answer because everyone is an individual! Most Japanese would happily accept such a person, and if the person soon learned Japanese there really wouldn't be many problems.

Do you know how hostile so many English-speaking Americans are to people who only speak Spanish? This is because until they open their mouths the Americans assume that they are just another American - they LOOK like many other Americans, probably DRESS like them too - but as soon as the Americans realise that they can't speak English, then it's suddenly a BIG problem! The Spanish-speaking person is an 'alien' - with a capital A!

In Japan, White people and Black people, even people from India, don't LOOK Japanese, so there's no automatic assumption that they will be able to SPEAK Japanese. But with people of Asian appearance it will assumed that they either ARE Japanese or that they SPEAK Japanese. Then you get the 'shock' syndrome, like the one Americans have with Spanish-speakers...!

I'm originally from England, and we sometimes get that same 'shock' when we ask directions from someone and they turn out to only speak French, or German...!!! We don't normally get hostile to them though, but maybe that's because we assume they're only tourists, and don't live there?!?
; )

Answer 2

There was time everything was good for foreigners in Japan but after Sept 11 incident Police and immigrations is getting tougher. Immigration rules has revised.

So, legal or illegal, you will have to face Police every know and then. For job mostly companies discourage Asians. However market is open for English teacher.

How do you feel when police started asking question in front of your neighbors? How do you feel when they take finger prints and face photos at airport in front of your kinds? How do you feel when your face is like Asian but you have a Japanese Nationality but they suspect you? these are the questions often people consult with us.

One untold secrets for you. Government is trying to hire as much as possible Trainees or Technical trainees from other countries because they are treated here worst than slave age. The worst story we come to know is some trainees from Asian countries they get salary of 300 yen, in one room they live five or six, they can not leave alone, their passport is with the employer.

And this case was about female trainees. Still people with similar problems are consulting;ting us.

But I will say still Japan is much better than other countries for foreigners.

Answer 3

Any non-Japanese will be looked at as a "gaijin". Asian or not. Get a good job ? Only if you have a special skill a Japanese does'nt have. You can teach English if you have a BA / BS degree. Many Japanese don't like Koreans or Chinese. Unemployment there is on the increase, and it's getting harder for young Japanese to find work themselves. I love Japanese culture, but it's not the most easy country to live in. You'll have no problems if you just want to visit. But staying there for a long period of time won't be easy.

Answer 4

Let's imagine together.
If Asian, moved to USA. He/She can't speak English. No degree. Do you think it is easy to get a good job?
If he/she could speak English fluently and have degree, maybe they can get a nice job, but maybe not. I don't know, and nobody knows.
It is the same in Japan. You need to speak Japanese fluently and any proper degree if you wanna get a nice job.

Japanese do not think English is must language for Japan. Actually English is neither official nor common language.


Following ppl who live in Japan, they speaks Japanese fluently.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marty_Friedman_%28guitarist%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_Chan
http://www.wu-ru-jun.com/
http://www.chenmin.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yinling

I think to success in Asian country, the local language is very important.
Even Japanese who work and live in Asia, they try to learn and master local language very hard. The langage in Asia varies, such as Chinese, Cantonese, Korean, Thai, Vietnam, etc.

Yes very hard, especially Japanese business men does.

Answer 5

Depends. I would like to think that most Japanese treat foreigners with respect.
However, every society has their share of hardliners...in this case there some ultra-nationalists who hate the Chinese, Korean, all other East Asian, South East Asian, Indian, Blacks, and whites.

Answer 6

No you won't feel very tall or like a giant. Japanese people come in all shapes and sizes. As long as you are kind, courteous, and not rude and arrogant, Japanese people are generally hospitable to travelers.

Answer 7

Yes, of course. Althought I don't live in Japan any more but everytime I visit, people are friendly.

Answer 8

I lived in Japan for three years. At that time, and doubt anything has changed much, anyone not full-blood Japanese was not really accepted. There is an imperial attitude in this country that lingers on. It also remains a sexist society although women have made some progress in the work place.

Answer 9

if they get a jap-cut for a hairstyle, skid around in a pair of japanese slippers. talk in japanese, buy a fancy cell phone, and change their name to a bunch of small syllables

Answer 10

yes of course.
i'm japanese, and i live in Tokyo, and some of my colleugues don't speak japanese.
it might be better for me because i can speak english as well as japanese, so i can interact with the korean, chinese, and vietnamese people that are common in my workspace, but the others treat them with kindness as well.
and why would we not? they're still humans, aren't they?
i find the whole racist thing quite stupid.
although they'll probably find it harder than us to fit in, because of their ethnicity, they could and probably would live happily in japan.

hope this helps!