Friday Free Day

So, I have finally come to the final day of my blogging week.  Since it is my 'free' day, I was thinking I would talk about something that is rarely talked about when discussing Japan.

Racism.

Japanese people will tell you that Japan is a homogeneous society.  This is false.  There are approximately 5 million foreigners.  Well, to be frank, what exactly counts as a foreigner in Japan is still up for debate.  There are many Japanese people who don't look anything like what you would expect an 'Asian' to look like.  (I'm using their stereotypes, not mine by the way)

People who are, for example, half white half Japanese are either worshiped or hated.

Anyway, the racism is Japan is, on the bright side, different than that of western countries.  In places like, for example, America, people genuinely hate other races.  In Japan, however, it isn't based on hate so much as pure blatant fear.

There have been foreigners in Japan since like the 1600s.  (Although, if you want to be specific about count China and Korea as foreign nations as well, which they are, then the majority of Japan is foreign, haha) However, people still act as if White and Black people just started coming to Japan a week ago.

The truth is, as far as immigration is concerned, Japan as been very open to foreigners for quite a while.  3 times in their history, appx. 250 AD 500 AD and about 750 AD, there were huge waves in immigrants from the Korean peninsula after their cites and countries were taken over by the current ruling Chinese dynasty.

So, that leads to the big question of what makes someone a 'foreigner' in Japan.  The key answer is the face.  If you are Chinese or Korean, or from any Asian country that is not like India, Indonesia,  or the Philippines, then you will have an amazingly easy time fitting in.  Until you speak of course.  If they find out you are not Japanese, they will act like you are some kind of spy or something.

Japan... the land the common sense fairy forgot...

Stay Frosty!