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discrimination (Page 2)

“I’m glad I’m Japanese” posters in Kyoto spark outrage among Japanese Twitter users

Mysterious posters draw concerned comments about the insensitive mentality of their anonymous creators.

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German linguist living in Japan says kanji characters used for Germany are discriminatory

Though the kanji can translate as “lonely country,” his complaint lies elsewhere.

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Japan’s largest housing website to offer LGBT support in finding tolerant landlords

 

It may not be the first, but it is easily the largest service of its kind.

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Japanese Twitter seems to have no problems with Karlie Kloss’ “geisha” photo shoot

With the controversy over the model’s Vogue photos ongoing, has anyone bothered to check on how Japan feels?

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Japanese government gives examples of what qualifies as “hate speech” in anti-discrimination law

 

Critics still likely to find problems with legislation.

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Japanese commercial explaining how to greet a foreigner accused of racism

A Kirin “Rich Green Tea” ad teaching Japanese people the appropriate way to greet foreigners attracted some criticism online, with some calling it racist.

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What do Japanese people think of Black- and Asian-Americans?【Video】

 Interviews on the street in Japan get some very interesting results.

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Is this new Star Wars promotional poster from China kinda racist? It certainly seems so

The promotional poster for the new entry in the Star Wars franchise appears to omit or downplay non-white actors.

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Survey by Japanese ministry reveals high rates of “maternity harassment” in workplace

A new survey conducted by the Japanese government found that nearly half of female temp workers faced discrimination as a result of being or becoming pregnant while in employment.

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5 discriminatory interview questions employers in Japan are no longer allowed to ask

For many young people in Japan, August means summer vacation, festivals and free time. For fourth-year university students however, it means time to start interviewing for jobs. The job-hunting process in Japan is long, grueling and very systematic, culminating in interview after interview for the jobless, soon-to-graduate, young adults.

Interviews can be nerve-wracking for even the most experienced candidates, but Japanese companies don’t always ask the most predictable questions. In fact, some of their questions can be downright weird. Many of these oddball interview questions, however, may not actually be legal.

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Another Japanese celebrity faces discrimination in France, this time netizens not so sympathetic

Back in April we saw legendary Japanese singer Gackt face discrimination while abroad in France. He managed to handle a frustrating situation with class, and his incident sparked a conversation online about racial discrimination.

Emiko Kaminuma, a well-known Japanese media personality, found herself in a similar spot while in France. She faced discrimination in a Paris restaurant, and she has been making a huge deal about it on her TV shows. However, her story seems to be a little different from Gackt’s….

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Washington Post writer catches heat for “dirty Korean beer” joke

There’s a reason I don’t write for the Washington Post. Actually, there are about a thousand reasons, almost all of which pertain to my own ineptness. Another one these reasons is that I occasionally write some embarrassing joke that gets completely misunderstood and blows up in my face.

So, I can relate on some level to the Washington Post’s writer and Tokyo bureau chief Anna Fifield. Her tweet, which jokingly translated a customer request sign as “Don’t bring your dirty Korean beer in here,” has led to some considerably harsh feedback from Japanese Twitter users.

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Singer Gackt claims he was victim of racial discrimination in Paris hotel, handled it with class

Singer, musician and occasional actor/author/jack of all trades Gackt has had a long and successful career on the Japanese music scene, and also enjoys considerable popularity abroad. During an overseas trip recently, he encountered an unsettling example of what he claims to be blatant racial discrimination in a Parisian hotel. But just what happened?

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Racism hits close to home in China as Beijing store reportedly “bans” Chinese customers

In the wake of the protests in the US over the controversial Ferguson decision and subsequently President Obama’s unfortunate choice of words galvanizing anti-immigration sentiments in Japan, the Chinese are facing a racism scandal of their own, but this time by their own people.

A Beijing store recently came under fire when they hung a sign outside of their shop proclaiming: “Chinese not admitted. Staff excluded.” Just so we’re clear, this is in China.

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Don’t call them fat, call them Marshmallow Girls!

Many of us have an impression that Japanese girls are slim and petite (which many of them really are), but one of the sad truths behind their stick-thin figures is a rather serious case of discrimination from society. While voluptuous women are popular in certain parts of the world, being even slightly chubby (not obese) is a big no-no in Japan and chubby girls often get called “debu” (fatso) online and sometimes to their face.

But recently, a new nickname for such chubby ladies has started trending among Japanese netizens, which hopefully will change the attitudes people have towards them. Behold, the rise of the “marshmallow girls”!

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Is Japan really racist? A look at where things stand

Much ink has been spilled about the supposed homogeneity of Japan and the dangerous idea of racial purity that goes along with it. Some expats have made entire careers writing — or ranting — about the problems of discrimination in Japan. And yet, the number of foreign residents has more than doubled in the last 20 years and international marriages in the country have been steadily rising, so it can’t be all that hostile either.

So how racist is Japan, really? Here’s my take—admittedly only one perspective—on where things stand.

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