1

“WAREWARE NIPPONJIN”Impediments to awareness of

Japan’s racial diversityBy ARUDOU Debito

Associate Professor, Hokkaido Information University

Photo: Otaru Onsen “Osupa”, Otaru, Hokkaido, Jan 3, 2000

2

Japan, has racial and ethnic diversity? Masaka!

As of end-2005, Japan has over two million (2,011,555) registered non-J residents.

NJ are 1.57% of Japan’s total population, or 2.93% of the Tokyo-area population.

Low, compared to 4.6% (2003) in Britain, 5.5% (1999) in France, 9.7% (2002) in Germany, 12.1% (2005, legal and illegal) in the US, and 21.8% (2001) in Australia.

3

Our public officials would agree...

Minister of Education Ibuki Bunmei Feb 25, 2007: “Japan is an extremely homogenous country.”

“I don’t see any specific problem with saying that.” PM Abe Feb 26, 2007.

4

Our public officials would agree... “Japanese have come to the present living on these islands some

2000 years with no different ethnic peoples present, our same Yamato ethnic people have come [to the present] living hand in hand. Because ours is a country where such a good aspect remains, robberies and murders are the fewest in the world.” (then-Prime Minister Nakasone 1983)

"So high is the level of education in our country that Japan's is an intelligent society. Our average score is much higher than those of countries like the U.S. There are many blacks, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans in America. In consequence the average score over there is exceedingly low.” (PM Nakasone 1986)

"There are no minorities in Japan to which Article 27 of Section III [freedom of religion and language] of the International Covenant on Human Rights refers." (Japanese Govt. to UN, 1980)

5

Japan’s growing diversity...

Most non-Japanese residents are Asian and long-term. Koreans and Chinese are the majority of the end-2005 registered 2 million (29.8% + 25.8%)

However, third are Brazilians with 300,000+, then Filipinos and Peruvians (15% + 9.3% + 2.9%)

Brazilian pop. still increasing by about 1% a year. Sundry countries labeled “other” ( その他 ) are also

increasing as a proportion (296,848 or 14.8%) and as a rate (3% per year).

6

Japan’s growing diversity...Japan’s “Newcomer” General Permanent

Residents ( 一般永住者 ) are catching up to “Special Permanent Residents” （特別永住者 ).

“Newcomers” doubled from 145,336 in 2000 to 312,964 in 2005, increasing 10% a year.

“Oldcomer” Zainichis actually shrank (due to death or naturalization) from 512,269 to 451,909, decreasing by about 3% a year.

At this rate, there will be more immigrants than Zainichi by 2008!

7

In fact, immigration is continuing apace

40% of all registered non-Japanese residents in 2005 were

Permanent Residents.

They are here to stay.

8

But do you hear about these developments, in the media, policy arenas, or schools?

Not really, and this is where an educational deficit creates public ignorance of Japan’s

actual diversity.

I believe the reason is political:

Maintaining the national narrative of “Homogeneous Japan”

9

For more information about Japan’s historical diversity:

John Lie, MULTIETHNIC JAPAN

for information about Japan’s Burakumin, Korean, Chinese, Ainu, and Ryukyu minorities.

10

Japan’s invisible kokusaikaThere are around 40,000 international

marriages per year in Japan.Over 70% are J men to NJ women.Their international children do not appear in

statistics on “registered foreigners”. Of course not. They are citizens.

International children are also invisible statistically. The Japan Census Bureau does not measure for ethnicity.

11

(Amy (left) and Anna Sugawara Aldwinckle 1996)Born and raised in Japan. Native speakers of Japanese. Japanese citizens.

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE

12

Japan’s invisible kokusaika (2)There are around 20,000 people

naturalizing into Japan per year.From 1968 onwards, an estimated

400,000 people have de-foreignized.However, the Ministry of Justice will not

make public any official numbers or nationalities. Why the secrecy?

13

“NEWCOMERS SUSTAIN SECTORSWHERE JAPANESEAREN’T ABLE OR WILLING TO PICKUP THE SLACK.”

--NEWSWEEKSEPT 11, 2006

14

Assimilation is also occurring...

Erstwhile “Japanese Only” onsen Osupa manager Mr. Ohkoshiand newfound friend enjoy a soak...

Photo courtesy Kyodo News/Kumanichi Shinbun, from nationwide feature article Jan 12, 2002

15

Even politically...We have three Dietmembers who are

naturalized citizens: Ren Ho (Zainichi Taiwanese), Haku Shinkun (Zainichi Korean), Tsurunen Marutei (Finland).

Brooklyn-born Anthony Bianchi was re-elected to his second term in Inuyama City Assembly on April 22, 2007, after an unsuccessful mayoral bid.

16

Don’t forget:Japan needs foreigners!

With the record-low birthrate and record-high lifetime expectancies, the UN predicts Japanese society will soon have the highest percentage of elderly.

As of 2006, the Health Ministry says Japan’s population is decreasing and will fall from 127 to 100 million by 2050.

(The average annual influx of around 50,000 foreigners buoyed Japan in the black in 2005.)

17

And Japan is bringing them in.Both the UN and a PM Cabinet survey in 2000

indicated that Japan must import 600,000 workers per year to maintain the current standard of living and tax base.

Japan is already importing foreign workers, to alleviate the labor shortage and hollowing out of domestic industry.

This is at the behest of domestic industry, including Japan Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), the most powerful biz lobby.

18

“WITHOUT FOREIGNERS,THE ‘TOYOTA SYSTEM’WON’T WORK.”

--SHUUKAN DIAMONDOJUNE 5, 2004

19

However...

There are still enormous pressures to systematically

marginalize, disenfranchise, and exclude non-Japanese.

20

For example, education itself. Universal education is only guaranteed to citizens. There are cases of J schools refusing NJ children. Asahi Feb 12, 2007: “A survey six years ago estimated

that 3,000 Brazilian children between 6 and 15 in Japan had never been enrolled in school.

“More than 10,000 Brazilian children never entered school or dropped out... between 20 and 40 percent of Brazilian children are currently out of primary education.

“These figures do not include the 25 percent of children who go to expensive Brazilian schools that are not officially recognized as ‘schools’ by the Japanese government.”

21

Shut them out!Very few “ethnic” schools are recognized by the

Ministry of Education, meaning their degrees will not get them into Japanese universities.

Many regional governments will not hire non-Japanese for civil servant jobs, citing the “Nationality Clause” ( 国籍条項 )

The blood requirements for J citizenship mean that half a million people (citizens by birth in most developed countries) have been “foreigners” for four generations.

22

“Invisible foreigners” Juuminhyou residency issues

Residency certificates (juuminhyou) required for anything official, are reserved for people who have a Family Registry (koseki) in Japan... i.e citizens.

Which means foreigners are not registered as “residents”. And are not included with their Japanese families on the form.

23

24

Likewise int’l marriages are not officially listed as such

Only people with Family Registry (koseki), i.e. citizens, can be listed as such as “spouse”.

Which means the “husband” or “wife” column is left blank, even though the marriage is officially sanctioned. For example:

25

26

Moreover...Japan is the only major

industrialized nation without any form of a law against Racial

Discrimination.

And it shows.

27

.SapporoOtaru

MonbetsuWakkanai

.Rumoi

Nemuro

.

Ohtaki-mura

.

..

.More information and photos at

www.debito.org/roguesgallery.html

....

..

......

MISAWA, AOMORI PREF.

AKITA CITY

TOKYO OGIKUBOTOKYO AOYAMA DOORITOKYO SHINBASHITOKYO SHINJUKU-KUTOKYO KABUKICHO

KOSHIGAYA, SAITAMA PREF.TODA CITY, SAITAMA PREF.KOFU, YAMANASHI PREF.

NAGOYA

ISESAKI CITY, GUNMA PREF.

KYOTO

KURASHIKI CITY,OKAYAMA PREF. HAMAMATSU, SHIZUOKA PREF..

OKINAWAURUMA CITY

.HIROSHIMA

OHTA CITY, GUNMA PREF.

KITAKYUSHU CITYFUKUOKA PREF

DAITOU-SHI, OSAKA PREF

28

“JAPANESE ONLY” signs and rules have been found at:Bathhouses, bars, discos, stores, hotels, restaurants, karaoke and pachinko parlors, ramen shops,

barbershops, a swimming pool, a billiards hall, a sports store, and a

woman’s footbath boutique.

29

Example: The Otaru Onsens Case (more at www.debito.org)

ISBN 4 7503 9018 6 English version, Japanese version ISBN 4 7503 9001 9

30

Japan is also the only major industrialized nation without

any form of a law against hate speech.

And it shows.

31

Shizuoka NPA foreign crime pamphlet 2001

www.debito.org/TheCommunity/shizuokakeisatsuhandbook.htmlwww.debito.org/TheCommunity/shizuokakeisatsuhandbook.html

32

Off-color NPA notices warning the public against foreign bagsnatchers and knifers

(found at bank ATMs and subways)：

www.debito.org/TheCommunity/communityissues.html#policewww.debito.org/TheCommunity/communityissues.html#police

33

“GAIJIN [sic] CRIME UNDERGROUND FILES”“Everyone will be a target of gaijin

crime in 2007!!”“Will we let gaijin lay waste to

Japan?!!”Eichi Shuppan Jan 31 2007 128

pages. Price ：￥ 690Publisher: “Joey H. Washington”No advertising whatsoever.Sold at convenience stores

nationwide.See whole magazine at:www.flickr.com/photos/ultraneo/

sets/72157594531953574/

34

“You [bitches]!!Are gaijin really that good?”

35

“Hey niggernigger, get your hand off that J-girl’s ass!!”

36

Statements by our politicians

”A million [Chinese, Koreans, etc.], all thieves and murderers, are in Japan... making Kabukicho a lawless zone.” (Dietman Etoh Takami Jul 12 2003)

"Given the exceptional atmosphere of the [2002 World Cup], we must face the possibility of unwanted babies fathered by foreigners who rape our women.” (Miyagi Pref. Assemblyman Konno Takayoshi Jun 27 2001)

“Foreigners are all sneaky thieves. As Tokyo Gov. Ishihara cracked down on them, they flowed into Kanagawa Prefecture.” K. Gov Matsuzawa Nov 2 2003)

“Roppongi is now virtually a foreign neighborhood. Africans --I don't mean African-Americans--who don't speak English are there doing who knows what. This is leading to new forms of crime such as car theft. We should be letting in people who are intelligent.” (Tokyo Gov. Ishihara, Feb 19, 2007)

37

CONCLUSION:Is anything changing?

Not really. And things won’t change until Japan keeps its

international promises--making this sort of thing punishable by law, and

enforceable by the police and/or investigative bodies.

38

Also by educating the public.

The highest levels of government must make clear that non-Japanese are residents of Japan too, with rights, privileges, and duties.

As taxpayers, that NJ are also supporting Japan’s social services and keeping its factories competitive.

That NJ need the same civil-society support and social safety net as any citizen.

This must be done at the most elementary levels of public education in Japan. Now.

39

Download this powerpoint presentation at:

www.debito.org/ICUsteele042407.ppt

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TODAY’S PRESENTATION

40

Cooking foreign crime statistics:Referential websites:

Japan Times Oct 4, 2002: “Generating the foreigner crime wave” www.debito.org/japantimes100402.html

Full info site on police targeting and racial profiling at www.debito.org/TheCommunity/ communityissues.html#police

41

Addendum: Regarding foreign crime:How the NPA cooks the statistics.

Release six-month updates on foreign crime to great fanfare, but with no comparison to J crime rates.

Focus on increases, never on decreases.

Focus on percentages, not hard numbers.

Include visa violations with harder crimes.

Bias sample through racial profiling.

No deflator to take into account rise in foreign population, static J population.