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In 2005, a United Nations report expressed concerns about racism in Japan and that government recognition of the depth of the problem was not total.^[1][2] The author of the report, Doudou Diène (Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights), concluded after a nine-day investigation that racial discrimination and xenophobia in Japan primarily affects three groups: national minorities, descendants of former Japanese colonies and foreigners from other Asian countries.^[3] Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Shortcut: WP:NPOVD Articles that have been linked to this page are the subject of an NPOV dispute (NPOV stands for Neutral Point Of View; see below). ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Doudou Diène is a Special Rapporteur (to the United Nations) on Racism. ... Special Rapporteur is a title given to individuals working on behalf of the United Nations who bear a specific mandate from the former UN Commission on Human Rights to investigate, monitor and recommend solutions to human rights problems. ... The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, a commission supervised by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, is composed of representatives from 53 member states, and meets each year in regular session in March/April for six weeks in Geneva. ... Look up xenophobia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Background

Only about 1.6% of Japan's total legal resident population are foreign nationals. According to 2007 data from the Japanese government, the principal groups are as follows^{[citation needed]}

The above statistic does not include about 50,000 U.S. soldiers stationed in Japan and illegal immigrants. Moreover, the statistics do not reflect minority groups who are Japanese citizens such as the Ainu (an aboriginal people primarily living in Hokkaido) and the Ryukyuans (who may or may not be considered ethnically Japanese). Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Ainu IPA: /ʔáınu/) (also called Ezo in historical texts) are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, northern HonshÅ«, the Kuril Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the southernmost third of the Kamchatka peninsula. ... Ryukyuans (Japanese: 琉球民族, RyÅ«kyÅ« minzoku; Okinawan: ウチナンチュ, Uchinanchu) are the indigenous peoples of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan between the islands of KyÅ«shÅ« and Taiwan. ...

Japanese minorities

The 9 largest minority groups residing in Japan are the Zainichi Koreans, Chinese people in Japan, Brazilian people (mainly Japanese Brazilian), Filipino people and (a lot of Japanese Filipino), the Ainu, the Ryukyuan, and the Burakumin.^{[citation needed]} There are also a number of smaller ethnic communities in Japan with a much shorter history. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Chinese people in Japan, also referred to as Kakyō (華僑, literally Chinese sojourners) or Zainichi chūgokujin (在日中国人, literally Chinese people resident in Japan) in the Japanese language and as Rìběn huáqiáo (日本華僑) in the Chinese language, have a history going back for centuries or even millennia. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The Kasato Maru A Japanese-Brazilian is an ethnically Japanese person born in Brazil. ... Filipinos in Japan formed a population of 245,518 individuals as of 1998. ... The Japanese-Filipinos are ethnic Japanese born in the Philippines. ... Ainu IPA: /ʔáınu/) (also called Ezo in historical texts) are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, northern Honshū, the Kuril Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the southernmost third of the Kamchatka peninsula. ... Ryukyuans (Japanese: 琉球民族, Ryūkyū minzoku; Okinawan: ウチナンチュ, Uchinanchu) are the indigenous peoples of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan between the islands of Kyūshū and Taiwan. ... Burakumin (: buraku, community or hamlet + min, people), or hisabetsu buraku ( discriminated communities / discriminated hamlets) are a Japanese social minority group. ...

Korean people

Main article: Koreans in Japan

Zainichi (resident in Japan) Koreans are permanent residents of Japan, but hold North or South Korean citizenship. Most Zainichi were part of the Korean diaspora during the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.^{[citation needed]} A large proportion of this immigration is said to be the result of Korean landowners and workers losing their land and livelihood to Japanese land and production confiscation initiatives.^{[citation needed]} Those who continued to work the land suffered harsh conditions and saw their harvest shipped to Japan proper. This created large scale internal displacement amongst Koreans, many of whom migrated to Japan for work. According to the calculation of R.J.Rummel, A total of 5.4 million Koreans were also conscripted into forced labor, and shipped throughout the Japanese Empire.Of these, 210,000 to 870,000 Koreans died during forced labor in Manchuria, Sakhalin, etc..^[4] Zainichi Koreans, also often known as Zainichi for short, are the permanent ethnic Korean residents of Japan. ... Flag of the Japanese Empire Anthem Kimi ga Yoa Korea under Japanese Occupation Capital Keijo Language(s) Korean, Japanese Religion Shintoisma Government Constitutional monarchy Emperor of Japan  - 1910–1912 Emperor Meiji  - 1912–1925 Emperor Taisho  - 1925–1945 Emperor Showa Governor-General of Korea  - 1910–1916 Masatake Terauchi  - 1916–1919 Yoshimichi... His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito of Japan The Emperor of Japan (天皇, tennō) is Japans titular head of state and the head of the Japanese imperial family. ...

Large numbers of Korean refugees also came to the country during the Jeju massacre in the First Republic of South Korea.^{[citation needed]} Though most migrants returned to Korea, GHQ estimates in 1946 indicated that 650,000 Koreans remained in Japan.^{[citation needed]} The Jeju massacre or the Cheju April 3rd massacre happened as a result of suppression against armed rebellion in Jeju island, South Korea, during the period of April 3, 1948 to September 21, 1954. ... The First Republic of South Korea was South Koreas first independent government, ruling the country from 1948 to 1960. ... SCAP, short for Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, was the title for Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following WWII. The title did belong to Dwight David Eisenhower during WWII, however, he had nothing to do with the attacks on Japan. ...

After World War II, the Korean community in Japan was split between allegiance to capitalist South Korea (Mindan) and communist North Korea (Chongryon). South Koreans in Japan are called Zainichi Kankokujin (在日韓国人, 재일한국인), while North Koreans are called Zainichi Chosenjin (在日朝鮮人, 재일조선인).^{[citation needed]} Zainichi who identify themselves with Chongryon are also an important money sources of North Korea.^{[citation needed]} Charles Wolf, Jr. of the RAND Corporation estimated the total annual transfers from Japan to North Korea may equal more than $200 million.^{[citation needed]} Mindan, or the Korean Residents Union in Japan(Korean: 재일본대한민국민단, Hanja: 在日本大韓民國民團), is the name of an organization for South Koreans living in Japan, which has ties to South Korea. ... The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chae Ilbon Chosŏnin Chongryŏnhaphoe in Korean or Zai-Nihon Chōsenjin Sōrengōkai in Japanese), abbreviated to Chongryon (Korean: 총련, Hanja: 總聯) or Chōsen Sōren (Japanese: 朝鮮総連), is one of two main organisations for Zainichi (or Jaeil) Koreans (long...

Japanese law does not allow dual citizenship, and until the 1980s required adoption of a Japanese name for citizenship.^{[citation needed]} Partially for this reason, many Zainichi did not obtain Japanese citizenship as they saw the process to be humiliating.^{[citation needed]} Although more Zainichi are becoming Japanese citizens, issues of identity remain complicated. Even those who do not choose to become Japanese citizens often use Japanese names to avoid discrimination and live their lives as if they were Japanese. This is in contrast with the Chinese living in Japan, who generally use their Chinese names and openly form Chinatown communities.^{[citation needed]} Zainichi Koreans have often been discriminated against, for example in terms of employment, housing and marriage. ^{[citation needed]}

Although discrimination has diminished over the past few decades, an increase in tensions between Japan and North Korea over a number of issues, namely North Korea's abduction of Japanese nationals which came to light in 2002 as well as its nuclear weapons program, has led to a surge of public animosity against Chongryon, the pro-North residents organisation.^{[citation needed]} For a long time, Chongryon enjoyed unofficial immunity from searches and investigations, although it has long been suspected of a variety of criminal acts on behalf of North Korea, such as illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and espionage. The Japanese authorities have recently started to crack down on Chongryon, with investigations and arrests for charges ranging from tax evasion to espionage. These moves are usually criticized by Chongryon as acts of political suppression. [17] . In May 2004, North Korea allowed the five children of two abducted couples to leave North Korea and join their families, who had come back to Japan for a year and a half. ...

Chinese and Taiwanese people

Main article: Chinese people in Japan

Taiwanese and Mainland Chinese are the 2nd largest minority in Japan after Koreans.^{[citation needed]} Mainland Chinese in particular have been targets of anti-immigrant sentiment, mainly due to the perception of being likely to commit crime,^{[citation needed]} strained relations between the two nations, fear of a large and perceivedly unfriendly nation on their doorstep and differences in cultural and social practices and attitudes.^{[citation needed]} According to a recent survey, Japanese showed a very "unfriendly attitude" toward Chinese people (followed by Koreans), ^{[citation needed]} and the image of Chinese people was of mistrust and general lack of credibility ^{[citation needed]}. The Chinese community together with the Korean, are amongst the most prominent targets of racism in Japan. ^{[citation needed]} Chinese people in Japan, also referred to as Kakyō (華僑, literally Chinese sojourners) or Zainichi chūgokujin (在日中国人, literally Chinese people resident in Japan) in the Japanese language and as Rìběn huáqiáo (日本華僑) in the Chinese language, have a history going back for centuries or even millennia. ...

Ainu

Main article: Ainu people

The Ainu are an Indigenous group mainly living in Hokkaidō.^{[citation needed]} The Tokugawa Shogunate tried to develop Hokkaido to counter Russia's growing influence in the Far East, but mostly left the place for the native Ainu.^{[citation needed]} Then the Meiji government started development programs, increasingly aimed at assimilating the Ainu,^{[citation needed]} outlawing Ainu language and restricting them to farming on government-provided plots.^{[citation needed]} Many of the Ainu were also used in slave-like conditions by the Japanese fishing industry.^{[citation needed]} As the Japanese government encouraged immigration of ethnic Japanese to populate Hokkaido,^{[citation needed]} the Ainu became increasingly marginalised in their own land. Ainu IPA: /ʔáınu/) (also called Ezo in historical texts) are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, northern HonshÅ«, the Kuril Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the southernmost third of the Kamchatka peninsula. ... Ainu IPA: /ʔáınu/) (also called Ezo in historical texts) are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, northern HonshÅ«, the Kuril Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the southernmost third of the Kamchatka peninsula. ...   literally North Sea Circuit, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japans second largest island and the largest of its 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. ... The far east as a cultural block includes East Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and South Asia. ... Not to be confused with the Aini language. ...

At present, fewer than 20,000 Ainu are considered racially distinct.^{[citation needed]} Most, if not all, of the Ainu in Japan are of mixed ancestry. 80-90%^{[citation needed]} of Ainu now either ignore or don't know of their Ainu identity. Many customs and traditions of the Ainu have been lost, abandoned or annihilated by way of assimilation, and the Ainu language is no longer in daily use.^{[citation needed]}

Only in the decades after World War II have the Ainu started to become aware of international aboriginal rights movements. Thus, as of late, some schools in Hokkaido have been established to preserve and revive the Ainu culture.^{[citation needed]}

Ryukyuan people

Main articles: Ryukyuans and Ryūkyū independence movement

The Ryukyuan people lived in an independent kingdom until it came under the control of Japan's Satsuma Domain in 1609.^{[citation needed]} The kingdom, however, retained a degree of autonomy until 1879 when the islands were officially annexed by Japan as Okinawa prefecture. Ryukyuans (Japanese: 琉球民族, Ryūkyū minzoku; Okinawan: ウチナンチュ, Uchinanchu) are the indigenous peoples of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan between the islands of Kyūshū and Taiwan. ... Ryukyu Independence Party flag The Ryūkyū independence movement (Japanese: 琉球独立運動) is a movement for the independence of Okinawa and the surrounding islands (Ryukyu Islands), from Japan. ... Ryukyuans (Japanese: 琉球民族, Ryūkyū minzoku; Okinawan: ウチナンチュ, Uchinanchu) are the indigenous peoples of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan between the islands of Kyūshū and Taiwan. ... The main building of Shuri Castle The flag of the Ryukyu Kingdom (1875-1879) The Ryūkyū Kingdom (Ryukyuan: 琉球王国, Traditional Chinese: then officially 琉球國) was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryūkyū Islands from the 14th century to the 19th century. ... This article is about the province. ... “Okinawa” redirects here. ...

The Okinawan language, the most widely spoken Ryukyuan language, is unintelligible to many Japanese people, yet sometimes believed to be a distant dialect of the Japanese language.^{[citation needed]} Even within the four main islands of Japan, different regions may speak local dialects that are unintelligible to other regions. Okinawan (Okinawan: ʔucināguci) is a Ryukyuan language spoken in Japan on the southern island of Okinawa, as well as the surrounding islands of Kerama, Kume-jima, Tonaki, Aguni, and a number of smaller islands located to the east of the main island of Okinawa. ... The Ryukyuan languages are spoken in the Ryukyu islands and make up a subfamily of the Japonic family. ... Not to be confused with the Javanese language. ...

Culturally, Okinawa is much closer to southern China and Southeast Asia reflecting its long history of trade with these regions.^{[citation needed]} However, because of the standard use of Japanese in schools, television, and all print media in Okinawa, these cultural differences are often glossed over in Japanese society. Consequently, many Japanese consider Okinawans to be Japanese, sometimes ignoring their distinct cultural and historical heritage in insensitive ways. ^{[citation needed]} This article is about the prefecture. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...

Some Okinawans intensely resent what they perceive to be second-class treatment from the Japanese government, especially in regard to friction with the United States military presence in Okinawa.^{[citation needed]}

Burakumin

The Burakumin are a social minority group with no distinct ethnicity from other Japanese.^{[citation needed]} Rather, their status is derived from policy introduced in the Edo period, when the government designated butchers, leather workers, executioners, and others as eta (filth) or non-people (非人, hinin^?) and imposed various restrictions on their lives, including the clothes they were allowed to wear and areas they were allowed to visit.^{[citation needed]} The Meiji Restoration abolished these caste-like restrictions.^{[citation needed]} However, those having "filth" or "non-people" status were registered as shin-heimin (new commoners) which allowed social and economic discrimination against them to continue to this day.^{[citation needed]} Burakumin (: buraku, community or hamlet + min, people), or hisabetsu buraku ( discriminated communities / discriminated hamlets) are a Japanese social minority group. ... The Edo period ), also called Tokugawa period, is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868. ...

After the war, shin-heimin registration as well as other differential registration was abolished.^{[citation needed]} However, at the time, family registry (koseki) in Japan was tied to the location of original (i.e. ancestral) registration. This meant that one's burakumin background could be revealed easily before marriage or when applying for employment. A law prohibiting the transfer of koseki was amended during the 1980s, so it is now possible for burakumin to avoid discrimination simply by changing the location of their koseki. A koseki (戸籍) is a family registry. ...

Municipal rubbish collection, sewage cleaning, and cremation—jobs which Japanese associate with filth—have historically been performed by people with a burakumin background. Discrimination is still an issue for kaihou seisaku (liberation policy) in the local municipalities. Unlike other minority groups, however, the burakumin are decidedly integrationist due to the lack of a distinct cultural heritage.

Other groups

Main articles: Filipinos in Japan, Iranians in Japan, Indonesians in Japan, Mongolians in Japan, Russians in Japan, Turks in Japan, and History of the Jews in Japan

Other notable minorities in Japan include Brazilians and Filipinos. Filipinos in Japan formed a population of 245,518 individuals as of 1998. ... Iranians in Japan ) form Japans fifth-largest community of immigrants from a Muslim-majority nation. ... Indonesians in Japan , Indonesian: orang Indonesia di Jepang) form Japans largest immigrant group from a Muslim-majority country. ... Mongolians in Japan ) represent only a small portion of emigration from Mongolia. ... The first recorded landing of Russians in Japan was in 1739 in Kamogawa, Chiba during the times of Japanese seclusion of the Edo period, not counting landings in Hokkaido, which was not under Japanese administration at these times. ... Turks in Japan refer to Japanese citizens who also hold citizenship of Turkey. ... Jews are a minor ethnic group in Japan, presently consisting of only about 1002 Jewish people which makes up about 0. ...

Foreigners in Japan, particularly those from Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, are often called Gaikokujin or Gaijin.^{[citation needed]} The first noticeable influx of foreigners occurred in the 1980s, when the Japanese government adopted a policy to give scholarships to large numbers of foreign students to study at Japanese universities.^{[citation needed]} In addition, as the Japanese economy grew quickly in the 1980s, a sizeable number of Westerners began coming to Japan.^{[citation needed]} Many found jobs as English conversation teachers, but others were employed in various professional fields such as finance and business. Although some have become permanent residents or even naturalized citizens, they are generally perceived as short-term visitors and treated as outsiders to Japanese society. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... The characters for Gaikokujin, lit: Outside country person. Gaikokujin (外国人 Foreigner lit: Outside country person) is a Japanese word used to refer to foreigners or people not of Japanese nationality. ... Naturalization is the process whereby a person becomes a national of a nation, or a citizen of a country, other than the one of his birth. ...

During the 1980s and 1990s, the Keidanren business lobbying organization advocated a policy of allowing South Americans of Japanese ancestry (mainly Brazilians and Peruvians) to work in Japan, as Japan's industries faced a major labor shortage.^{[citation needed]} Although this policy has been decelerated in recent years, many of these individuals continue to live in Japan, some in ethnic enclaves near their workplaces. Many people from Asia (particularly Vietnam and the Philippines) and the Middle East (particularly Iran) also entered Japan (often illegally) during this time, making foreigners as a group a more visible minority in Japan. Those foreigners are called Rainichi ("coming to Japan") in contrast to Zainichi ("in Japan"). Japan Business Federation (日本経済団体連合会) is a comprehensive economic organization born in May 2002 by amalgamation of Keidanren (Japan Federation of Economic Organizations) and Nikkeiren (Japan Federation of Employers Associations). ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

The main concerns of the latter groups are often related to their legal status, a public perception of criminal activity, and general discrimination associated with being non-Japanese.

Ethnic issues

Government policy

Because of the low importance placed on assimilating minorities in Japan, laws regarding ethnic matters receive low priority in the legislative process.^{[citation needed]} Still, in 1997, "Ainu cultural revival" legislation was passed which replaced the previous "Hokkaido Former Aboriginal Protection" legislation that had devastating effects on the Ainu in the past.^{[citation needed]}

Article 14 of the Constitution of Japan states that all citizens are equal under the law, and they cannot be discriminated against politically, economically, or socially on the basis of race, belief, sex, or social or other background.^{[citation needed]} However, this clause does not apply to discrimination committed by private individuals or establishments.^{[citation needed]} Hate speech is not a criminal offense,^{[citation needed]} but insulting, such as calling someone "fool!", is a minor civil offense resulting in monetary compensation (which is often lower than the cost of going through the judicial process). Japan does not have human rights legislation which enforces or penalises discriminatory activities committed by citizens, businesses, or non-governmental organisations.^{[citation needed]} The country does not have specific hate crime laws.^{[citation needed]} Racism and hate-motivated offenses that include assault, vandalism, and robbery are prosecuted as regular crimes.^{[citation needed]} The Constitution of Japan ) has been the founding legal document of Japan since 1946. ... A Jewish cemetery in France after being defaced by Neo-Nazis. ...

Attempts have been made in the Diet to enact human rights legislation. In 2002, a draft was submitted to the House of Representatives, but did not reach a vote.^{[citation needed]} Had the law passed, it would have set up a Human Rights Commission to investigate, name and shame, or financially penalise discriminatory practices as well as hate speech committed by private citizens or establishments. Though the anti-discrimination clause raised little objection, the anti-hate speech clause received very hostile reception from Japanese media, including liberals who saw it as a potential threat to the freedom of speech and publication.^{[citation needed]} In 2005, the ruling coalition government attempted to resubmit a revised version of the draft which somewhat limited the application of hate speech clause, but it still failed to reach a consensus within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. ^{[citation needed]} The National Diet of Japan ) is Japans legislature. ... The House of Representatives (衆議院; Shugi-in) is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. ... This section needs to be updated. ...

Another issue which is often debated, but has not received much legislative attention is whether to allow permanent residents to vote in local legislatures.^{[citation needed]} Zainichi organisations affiliated with North Korea are against this initiative, while Zainichi organisations affiliated with South Korea support it.

Finally, there is debate about altering requirements for work permits to foreigners. Currently, the Japanese government does not issue work permits unless it can be demonstrated that the person has certain skills which cannot be provided by locals.

Higher learning

Tenure for foreigners in Japanese universities is extremely rare.^{[citation needed]} However, many professors from all over the world teach throughout the Japanese higher education system.^[5] Look up tenure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Non-Japanese citizens and crimes

Similar to other countries, many foreigners come to Japan to work, sometimes entering the country illegally, and overstaying the term of their visas. Their employment tends to be concentrated in areas where most Japanese are not able to or no longer wish to work. Consequently, accusations of foreigners stealing jobs are not often heard in Japan. Due in part to intense institutionalized discrimination by Japanese government & society, some foreigners resort to criminal activity.

This article does not cite any references or sources. (February 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

According to National Police Authority record in 2002, however, 16,212 foreigners were caught committing 34,746 crimes, over half of which turned out to be visa violations (residing/working in Japan without a valid visa).^{[citation needed]} The statistics show that 12,667 cases (36.5%) and 6,487 individuals (40.0%) were Chinese, 5,272 cases (15.72%) and 1,186 individuals (7.3%) were Brazilian, and 2,815 cases (8.1%) and 1,738 individuals (10.7%) were Korean. The total number of crimes committed in the same year by Japanese was 546,934 cases.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links Question_book-3. ...

Within these statistics, Japanese committed 6,925 violent crimes, of which 2,531 were arson or rape, while foreigners committed 323 violent crimes, but only 42 cases are classified as arson or rape.^{[citation needed]} Foreigners, however, were more likely to commit crimes in groups. About 61.5% of crimes committed by foreigners had one or more accomplice, while only 18.6% of crimes committed by Japanese were in groups.^{[citation needed]} The Skyline Parkway Motel in Afton, Virginia after an arson fire on July 9, 2004. ...

However, the former head of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Emergency Public Safety Task Force, Hiroshi Kubo, published a book disputing foreign crime statistics, suggesting that such statistics were being manipulated by politicians for political gain.^{[citation needed]} He suggested, for example, that including visa violations in crime statistics is misleading. He also said that the crime rate in Tokyo is based on reported rather than actual crimes.^{[citation needed]}

Access to housing and other services

Some apartments, motels, night clubs, and public baths in Japan have put up signs stating that foreigners are not allowed, or that they must be accompanied by a Japanese person to enter, though these signs are rare.^{[citation needed]} The most common reason cited for this policy is that foreigners are associated with being overly disruptive and ignoring Japanese etiquette (which causes Japanese residents or clientele to feel uneasy and leave). ^{[citation needed]} This is considered to be a big social problem in Japan, however there few legal battles against such a measure. Most notably, David Ardwinckle of debito.org, a naturalized Japanese citizen of American decent, has sued the Japanese government several times for not upholding Article 14 of the Constitution. ^{[citation needed]}

In the case of housing, it is often stated that those that cannot bring references from their employer or professors might be illegal immigrants who may sublet their room to a large number of other foreigners (which is undoubtedly due to a lack of housing these illegal immigrants encounter). Despite this, the Japanese in general are increasingly becoming more open to certain foreigners, (mostly North Americans and Europeans or those with Japanese oriental ancestry) believing they can bring new energy and information to Japan.^{[citation needed]}

Political correctness

By global standards, Japan is highly homogenous ethnically. Thus, there are some issues which many non-Japanese find insensitive. The debate over these issues parallel the debate over political correctness in the West..

When Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara referred to Chinese and Koreans as "sangokujin" in context of foreigners being a potential source of unrest in the time of an earthquake, it caused an outcry among the media.^{[citation needed]} Historically, the word has often been used pejoratively and Ishihara's statement brought images of the massacre of Koreans by civilians and police alike during the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake to mind. Therefore, the use of the term in context of potential rioting by foreigners is considered by many as provocative, if not explicitly racist. For other uses, see Tokyo (disambiguation). ... Shintaro Ishihara (right) in a typical election poster pose with local lawmaker Ichiro Akita (left). ... Sangokujin (Japanese: 三国人; third country national) is a Japanese term referring to colonial nationals of Taiwan (Taiwanese aboriginal), Korea and China. ... The 1923 Great Kanto earthquake ) struck the Kanto plain on the Japanese main island of Honshu at 11:58 on the morning of September 1, 1923. ...

Another example, which had been particularly shocking to some in the West,^{[citation needed]} was a lack of sensitivity among the Japanese toward racism against black people. For example, one Japanese doo-wop pop group (see Rats & Star) in the 1970s routinely appeared on stage painting their skin dark brown and wearing sunglasses to look black, totally oblivious to the implications of such an act in the West. Similarly, during the 1980s, Takara created and sold a doll called "Dakko-chan" (snuggle baby), an inflatable dark-colored plastic doll with fat lips and arms that could wrap around human arms or other pole-like objects. The doll was a commercial hit^{[citation needed]} and was soon exported outside Japan as "Little Black Sambo". Many Americans^[Who?] made claims that it resembled blackface costumes worn by performers in the minstrel shows popular in the past.^{[citation needed]} After receiving numerous complaints, the sales of the doll were stopped. In Japan, as a sort of hasty reaction, there were efforts to remove anything that people believed were racist against black people. Sales of Japanese translations of the book Little Black Sambo was halted, although they have since been resumed. However, on top of the misconceptions placed on the Japanese concerning blacks, many have gone to Japan and thrived, from business owners, musicians, and actors. Though most indigenous Africans possess relatively dark skin, they exhibit much variation in physical appearance. ... Rats & Star, formerly called Chanels, is a male J-pop group which specializes in doo-wop-influenced music. ... Takara Co. ... This reproduction of a 1900 minstrel show poster, originally published by the Strobridge Litho Co. ... Little Black Sambo, from the cover of the 1899 edition The Story of Little Black Sambo, a childrens book by Helen Bannerman, a Scot living in India, was first published in London in 1899. ...

Assimilation and integration

There are a number of aspects of Japanese society which foreign residents find difficult.

• Japanese citizens are recorded in koseki (family registry) and jūminhyō (resident registry) systems, while foreign residents are only recorded in a separate alien registration system. In some areas, a non-Japanese person cannot be directly added to a koseki, which is the main record of familial relations. As a result, based on official records, the Japanese spouse of a foreigner may appear to be a single head of household, and children may appear as illegitimate. Some municipalities may compromise by allowing foreign spouses to be recorded in the "Notes" section of the koseki and jūminhyō. In other areas, a foreign spouse may be added to the family registry without problem.^{[citation needed]}

• Foreign residents in Japan (those staying for more than 90 days) are issued an alien registration card. By law, foreign residents must carry their passport or alien registration card at all times and present it to police upon demand, even though Japanese citizens are not required to carry identification.^{[citation needed]} Recently, government officials have relaxed this policy, but foreigners still need identification.^{[citation needed]}

A koseki (戸籍) is a family registry. ... A jūminhyō (住民票) is a registry of current residential addresses maintained by local governments in Japan. ...

Foreigner-reporting website and hotline

The Japanese Ministry of Justice maintains a websiteand hotline (English reference) for "receiving report on illegal stay foreigner." Critics assert this is nothing but a snitching service, as the criteria for reporting include "feeling anxious about a foreigner," and anonymous submissions are permitted when reporting any non-Japanese. Japanese immigration authorities work in union with police to investigate those reported, and human rights groups such as Amnesty International have argued that those reported do not receive proper legal protection. The Daiyo Kangoku system allows police to detain suspects without charges, access to legal counsel or telephone calls for up to 23 days. In October 2006, the foreigner reporting hotline's operating hours were extended to include Saturday, Sunday and national holidays. Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amnesty international Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization which defines its mission as to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience... Daiyo kangoku (daiyō kangoku 代用監獄) is a Japanese legal term meaning substitute prison. ...

References

1. ^ Press Conference by Mr Doudou Diène, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
2. ^ "Japan racism 'deep and profound". BBC News (2005-07-11). Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
3. ^ 'Overcoming "Marginalization" and "Invisibility"', International Movement against all forms of Discrimination and Racism. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
4. ^ Rummel, R. J. (1999). Statistics of Democide: Genocide and Mass Murder Since 1990. Lit Verlag. ISBN 3-8258-4010-7.  Available online: Statistics of Democide: Chapter 3 - Statistics Of Japanese Democide Estimates, Calculations, And Sources. Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War. Retrieved on 2006-03-01.
5. ^ Title:Tenure for Foreigners in Japan, Author:Geller, Robert J. Publication: Science, Volume 258, Issue 5087, pp. 1421 Publication Date: 11/1992 Bibliographic Code:1992Sci...258.1421G

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Demographics of Japan
• Japanese people
• Ethnocide
• Human rights in Japan
• Language minority students in Japanese classrooms

Birth and death rates of Japan since 1950 Japans population, currently 127,463,611, experienced a high growth rate during the 20th century, as a result of scientific, industrial, and social changes. ... Languages Japanese Religions Shinto, Buddhism, large secular groups      The Japanese people ) is the ethnic group that identifies as Japanese by culture or ancestry, or both. ... Ethnocide is a concept related to genocide; unlike genocide, which has entered into international law, ethnocide remains primarily the province of ethnologists, who have not yet settled on a single cohesive meaning for the term. ... Japan is a liberal democracy. ... Minority (non-Japanese) students can be found throughout the entire Japanese education system. ...

External links

• Broadcast and Human Rights/Other Related Rights Organization
• The Civil Liberties Bureau
• Movements carried on by Zainichi Korean (English)
• Online Newspaper covering Zainichi Korean and Mindan (English)