Racial Discrimination in Japan: Exist or Not

Racial Discrimination
against foreigners in Japan:
Exist or Not?
Yuri Sato
B11612
On thePeriodic
other Review
Universal
⇒ 48states are reviewed per
year in a 4 year cycle
 According to the Human Rights council
⇒
hand…
In JAPAN…
170 recommendations for Japan to improve its
human rights record
“prohibiting all forms of discrimination: religion,
ethnicity or nationality and adopting specific
legislation to outlaw direct and indirect racial
discrimination and guaranteeing access to
effective protection and remedies through
competent national courts”
(United Nations Human Rights:2012)
Ministry
of Foreign
of
The Constitution
of JapanAffairs
guarantees
fundamental
human
rights to foreign
Japan
(外務省)
residents in Japan
AIM:
Government actively pursues the goals of
contributing to maintenance of
(1)peaceful
ensuringand
equalsafe
rights
and opportunities
for
international
society,
foreigners
and develop harmonic
foreign
(2) respecting foreigners' own cultures and
relationships values

(3) promoting mutual understanding to
realize a society in which Japanese and
foreigners can live together comfortably
(MOFA:2013)
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
Defining terms
Racial Discrimination
against Foreigners in
Japan: Exist or Not?
Defining terms
Racial Discrimination:
To treat differently a person or group of people
based on their racial origins. Power is a necessary
precondition, for it depends on the ability to give
or withhold social benefits, facilities, services,
opportunities etc., from someone who should be
entitled to them, and are denied on the basis of
race, color or national origin (racism.org:2008)
人種差別
Defining terms
Foreigners:
A person born in or coming from a country
other than one’s own (oxford dictionary:2013)
 People who do not have Japanese racial
origin. (Non-Japanese race)
外国人・在日外国人
Defining terms
Racial Discrimination
against Foreigners in
Japan: Exist or Not?
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
3. Evidence for Exist
3.1 Hate speech
3.2 Signs and labels
3.1 Hate Speech
Different
simply
teasingand
, shouting
an
Hate
speechthan
consists
of verbal
nonverbal
ugly word
at is
them
single moment
of
expression
that
usedintoa promote
violence
anger
frustration
against someone
onor
social
or ethnic groups. In
many cases, hate speech is created by people who
are part of a majority population directed toward
Examples:
a minority population.
• Racist cartoons
• Ethnic slurs or other derogatory labels for a group
• Burning a cross in the yard or an ethnic minority
To treat differently a person or group of
people based on their racial origins
3. Evidence for Exist
3.1 Hate speech
3.2 Signs and labels
3.2 Signs and Labels
1993 onsen at Otaru, Hokkaido posted a
JAPANESE ONLY sign
 2000: Debito Arudou有道出人
(Natualized Japanese citizen) → refused for
his foreign appearance

To treat differently a person or group
of people based on their racial origins
and are denied on the basis of race,
color or national origin
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
4. Evidence for Not
4.1 Foreign workers
4.2 Foreign tourists
4.1 Foreign workers
Nippon
The need for
Japan Keidanren
to admit more foreign
workers
 Recommended that the Japanese government
take advantage of the diversified sense of
• values,
Energize
their organizations
increase their
experiences
and skillsand
of workers
from
other
countries
to increase Japan's
capacity
international
competitiveness
through
the to
create
added
value. of sense of values
addition
of a variety
 Non-Japanese people should be admitted to
introduce
different
ideaswill
andnot
sense
of
• It
is predicted:
in the cultural
future, Japan
have
values into Japanese society and corporations
enough
skilled personnel
in such
sectors
as
and to promote
the creation
of new
added
nursing,
manufacturing,
value, ascare
thisgiving,
wouldagriculture,
accelerate innovation
construction and machine assembly
(Keidanren:2007)
4.1 Foreign Workers
Japanese Companies Foreign Hiring 2012/2013
Company Name
Total Recruits
Panasonic
1390*
Fast
Retailing 1200**
(Uniqlo)
1500***
…of which nonJapanese
1100*
900-1000**
1200***
Rakuten
410**
120**
Hitachi
750**
5-6%**
Lawson
99**
23**
To
treat
differently
a
person
or
group
of people
7-Eleven
250**
20**
based on their racial
are
denied on
Sony
187*** origins, and56
(30%)***
Yamato
100***color or national
20*** origin
theTransport
basis of race,
Toshiba
500**
50 (10%)**
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun (2011); Japan Times (2012a); Asahi Shimbun (2012); Nikkei Business (2010).
Notes: *2011 Figures **2012 Figures. ***2013 Figures
4. Evidence for Not
4.1 Foreign workers
4.2 Foreign tourists
4.2 Foreign tourists
Tourism agency: # of tourists visiting
Tohoku have fallen 20% to 40% from
the 3.11 earthquake
•
『Destination Tohoku』tourism
campaign ⇒ help promote and revive
tourism in the Tohoku region started
March 18 2012.
(Japantimes:2012)
Translations
(AgriNews:2013)
2020 Tokyo Olympics
Abe Shinzo: “Large numbers of overseas
visitors will come to visit Japan. It is also
incumbent upon us as the host nation to
welcome them with the greatest possible
hospitality.”
To treat differently a person or group of
people based on their racial origins, and are
denied on the basis of race, color or national
origin
(Prime minister of Japan and His Cabinet: 2013)
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
3.1 Hate Speech

Anti-hate speech group launched in
Japan
(9/26/2013)
Norikoenet:
Anti-Hate
speech group
The
group, called
"An international
⇒Organization
to hate
network
overcomingopposed
hate speech
and
speech
against ethnic
racism"
(Norikoenet),
heldKoreans
a press and
conference
on Sept.in25Japan.
to announce
its
other minorities
(Mainichi Japan:2013)
establishment. (Mainichi Japan:2013)
'Stop discrimination!' Citizens raise their
voices in march on Tokyo (10/11/2013)
5
More than two thousand people--Diet members,
lawyers, musicians, residents--took to the streets of
Tokyo's Shinjuku district, shouting slogans in
unison. September 22, 2013
(ajwAsahi:2013)
3.2 Signs and Labels
 1993
onsen at Otaru, Hokkaido posted
a JAPANESE ONLY sign
3.2 Signs and Labels
• Reason:
FebruaryRussian
2001: sued
theignored
city of Otaru
sailors
the
for violation
of the United Nations
bathhouse
rules
Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination, a treaty
Drove away Japanese costumers
which Japan ratified in 1996
•
• Each received 1 million yen
6
• Took down label
4.1 Foreign Workers
Japanese Companies Foreign Hiring 2012/2013
Company Name
Total Recruits
Panasonic
1390*
Fast
Retailing 1200**
(Uniqlo)
1500***
Rakuten
Hitachi
Lawson
7-Eleven
Sony
Yamato Transport
Toshiba
BUT
410**
750**
99**
250**
187***
100***
500**
…of which nonJapanese
1100*
900-1000**
1200***
120**
5-6%**
23**
20**
56 (30%)***
20***
50 (10%)**
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun (2011); Japan Times (2012a); Asahi Shimbun (2012); Nikkei Business (2010).
Notes: *2011 Figures **2012 Figures. ***2013 Figures
•
ONLY cover the kind of work
Visa Requirements
in Japan
that requires high level
of
professional
knowledge
or order
 It is necessary
to get
a VISA in
skills.
to live in Japan
• NOT POSSIBLE: manual/
27 types of visassimple
in Japan
labor⇒ divided into
3 main groups:
1. Working visa
2. Non-working visa
3. Family related visa
3
4.2 Foreign Tourists
The Attitudes of Japanese Accommodations towards Foreign
Tourists by Types of Facility, 2008
5
MAJOR REASONS:
1. Can’t speak foreign languages
2. Facility is not suitable to accept foreigners
3. Afraid of dealing with problems
4. Worried about payment methods
5. Prefer domestic travelers
6. Not enough tourists attractions near the facility
(Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: 2009)
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion
6. Conclusion
Exists
5
11
6
Not
3
5
8
Racial Discrimination against foreigners
in Japan EXISTS
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Defining terms
Exist
Not
Analysis
Conclusion

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