
There have been several commercials pulled off the air in Japan that some have dubbed “racist” and plenty of online banter to add to the debate. But we’ve also seen anti-anti-Korean protesters in Tokyo willing to stand up against truly hateful right-wing activists and many other examples of Japanese citizens whose actions seem to show that Japan is not as xenophobic as some may believe.
So is Japan racist? It seems there isn’t a clear-cut answer, but leave it to “twin brothers” Ken Tanaka and David Ury to bring us a humors video confronting this long-standing question.
Many YouTubers loved the video:
LOL one of your funniest videos XD
I feel your pain, David! Japan is just sooo racist sometimes. Your brother Ken is blinded by his love for Japan!
I rewatch it over and over, just to see your reaction to that tattoo :D
I laughed so hard I have tears in my eyes. I am going to show all my friends. So funny! Haha
This is great and is a good counterbalance to the waitress video
Others had not-so-nice words to say that we’d rather not repeat on our wholesome family-friendly site. However, two comments in particular highlighted why some people enjoyed Ken Tanaka and David Ury‘s creation, while others did not:
Please….What the hell does any of this accomplish? Everyone knows that Japan is still stuck in the past and racist. What country isn’t on some level? This video is painful to watch and cringe inducing.
“What the hell does any of this accomplish?” It gives a good laugh and pokes fun at people who think EVERYTHING is racist and people who get stupid tattoos. Lighten up, Mr. D.
Of course, these are just two netizens’ comments. What do you think of the video’s message? Was it indeed a good counterpoint to their previous video about stereotypes in Japan? Or was it an “immature mockery” as one YouTuber put it? Let us know in the comments section below!

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