Are the Japanese generally this racist, or was it just a one-off incident?

Question

I was on a forum recently when the conversation turned to The Holocaust, and a young Japanese man (17-years-old) said that Jews and Roma (Gypsies) were killed by the Nazis because they were stupid and racially inferior. I said they were killed because the Nazis THOUGHT they were stupid and racially inferior.
Although he totally didn't agree with Hitler, he insisted that Jews and Roma were actually racially inferior and stupid. I'm Jewish on my father's side, so I was a bit pissed off and we had quite a long argument, lol.
Anyway, I've also heard that the Japanese are often casually Racist to black people, because the Japanese are so unused to them. Do the Japanese commonly hold these views, or was it just a one-off incident with a jerk?

Thanks very much for your time! Happy New Year! :)

Answer 1

Some japanese people are quite racist. IF you're not japanese and you don't have the kind of power they're looking for you'll be called stuff like "outsider" or "gaijin" or whatever, and they say it in a really hurtful tone.

But there are a lot of mature, open-minded older japanese people who don't participate in such beliefs because they know it's pointless, trite, and petty.

As for black people, yeah, japanese people really don't like black people. They're afraid the crime rates and drug problems in America will be mirrored in Japan if they allow blacks to emigrate.

Answer 2

Many, but certainly not all, are. I lived in Japan for eight years; I had a number of Japanese friends. Japanese are quite exclusive; they look down on Koreans even after they've been in the country for three generations. Also, the Eta, a group of Japanese descended from people who performed "untouchable" jobs like tanning hides hundreds of years ago are still discriminated against. People look into the genealogies of prospective marriage partners to make sure there are no Eta or Koreans in the family. Japan is a very homogeneous society; it is almost impossible to obtain Japanese citizenship if your parents are not Japanese. Still I am surprised that the Japanese young man that you met was so openly prejudiced with a gaijin; usually they are more circumspect.

Answer 3

I will admit I dont know a real lot about Japanesse culture or history, but from what I do know, I can understand why some people may consider them racist. The way they have treated their own native people, along with the many atrocities they committed during world war 2 (especially in china) can certainly show examples of how they do seem to have superiority thought of their own culture. I think a lot of this might have to do with the japanesse culture itself. While since the end of World war 2 America has had a tremendous impact on Japanesse culture, I think the Bushido code (spelling) still has a significant impact as well. Its very possible that some Japanesse consider some aspects of other peoples culture dis-honorable. It wouldnt surprise me if many nationalist Japanese have a strict interpritation of the bushido code. I have heard stories of some people actually burning themselves alive in protest to bring back the old ways in Japan.

Answer 4

While watching "Iron Chef" the commentators were describing the Japanese chef's dish, then came "This may be a problem as Americans don't have an application..."

When Japan ruled Korea, they imported many Koreans to work in Japan. "the approximately 700,000 North and South Korean national s dwelling in the country today. The majority of them were born and have grown u p in Japan. In fact, a considerable number of them are the third, and even the f ourth generation that have been brought up here. Yet, Japanese nationality is ba sed on lineage, meaning that these Korean descendants are not automatically awar ded Japanese citizenship."
http://www.han.org/a/fukuoka96a.html

Remember the "Sambo" story and how racist it was?
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=3304

The Ainu are a group in Japan who have lived there for centuries. They are call "hairy ones" and "In the Meiji Period (1868-1912), the Ainu received the status of "former aboriginals", but suffered under official discrimination for some years. In 1997, a new law was passed which provides funds for the research and promotion of Ainu culture."
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2244.html

Answer 5

It has been my experience that the japanese do view many other races as inferior. I would have to say, in general believe it or not many, many nationalities believe the same way. This is just from my experience listening to others and traveling.

Answer 6

If you really want to know just HOW racist some Japanese are, ask one if they are from Korea or China. Yes, they are extremely racist when they are among themselves but will usually be very diplomatic in front of everyone else.

Answer 7

lets take a side...
I mean this problem does not only goes to Japanese, but all the race...so we can't really blame one type of Asian right?

- answering him, yea he has his right, but his a idiot when it comes to history. Jews, especially, has always exploit not only in Hitler's years but back in ancient Egypt, and I mean EXPLOITED not by being stupid or less inferior. And wasn't ancient Rome ... quite large? -correct me :P; you can compare it to our children in schools.

And from my point of view, Japanese culture, has always goes with "We Japanese" are different or better, even from Chinese, which is why I won't be surprise to see this type of people, produce from the country. Saying that it goes with other nations too, that every nation has the "We are stronger" type of people.

Answer 8

Well. Im in Japan and have had only one bad experience when I couldn't go into a certain restaurant because I wasn't Japanese. But it wasn't that bad... just a bit of a shock. The man was very apologetic and said it was because a foreigner made a lot of trouble in the past and he didn't want anymore problems. So rather than throw a hissy fit and end up in a Japanese prison, I just smiled and was on my way. They can be a bit racist toward black people, but only because there are so few of them in Japan. They are generally not racist in an upfront way though. They wont make your life hell or harass you. Just probably act a bit cold toward you. There are also the nationalists who drive around in black vans and blare their speakers. They dont like non japanese in Japan and boy do they vocalize it... loudly. The guy you met was probably one of those nationalist jerks. Forget about him.

Answer 9

japanese may be smart but they are not that smart and therefore have no reason to be racist as do no other ethnicity.

Answer 10

Just to correct Icabod (again) the Ainu were the original inhabitants of Japan, known as the Jomon, going right back into pre-history. They were the first civilization known to have pottery and agriculture. The Japanese Samurai and ruling classes had a lot of Jomon blood in them. Ainu look like an odd mix of Caucasoid, Mongoloid and Australoid, and are very hairy compared to the other Japanese. They used to be seriously picked on by the bulk of the Japanese.

The bulk of the Japanese are, rather ironically, descended from the Korean Yayoi settlers. They regard Koreans as the lowest of the low.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_issues_in_Japan

Yes, the Japanese can be racist as hell, black people are a lower life form, and pretty much at the bottom of the evolutionary tree as far as they are concerned. They were allied with the Nazis, that should tell you something.

Funny them thinking the Jews are inferior, as Jews make up as serious proportion of Nobel prize winners. Also, the Japanese come second in the global IQ stakes to the European Jews (Jews 112, Japs 107). Maybe it's jealousy.