05. Discrimination against foreign residents and migrant workers

Updated Oct 2020

Articles and reports

Japan’s foreign residents offer up insights in unprecedented survey on discrimination Rent application denials, Japanese-only recruitment and racist taunts are among the most rampant forms of discrimination faced by foreign residents in Japan, according to the results of the country’s first nationwide survey on the issue. Japan Times, Mar 31, 2017.

Report on the Current Situation of Migrant Women and the Discrimination They Face in Japan Prepared for the 63rd Session of CEDAW (UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women) by Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan (SMJ),February 2016

Onur on Fukuoka hotel check-ins in: Police creating unlawful “foreign passport check” signs in the name of (and without the knowledge of) local govt. authorities! Blog post on Debito Arudo's website about hotels in Fukuoka asking foreign guests to show and allow their passports of foreing residence cards to be copied, after being instructed by the police, qwhen this is not required by law. 20 Nov 2016.

Justice Ministry to conduct first major survey on racism in Japan The survey will cover 18,500 foreign residents 18 or older, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said, adding that the results will be released by the end of March and reflected in new policies. Japan Times, Oct 30, 2016. See the survey documents and comments on this from Debito Arudou in his blog.

Train conductor warned after apologizing for crowding due to 'many foreign passengers', Mainichi Japan, October 11, 2016.

Anti-Korean stickers posted at several points along Shikoku pilgrimage route Several racist stickers have been found posted at 13 locations along a famous pilgrimage route in three prefectures in Shikoku. Japan Today, 11 Apr. 2014.

U.S. human rights report cites anti-Korean hate speech in Japan The U.S. State Department took up hate speech against Korean residents in Japan in its annual human rights report released Thursday, apparently reflecting Washington’s concern about the campaign against the ethnic minority in the country. Japan Times, 28 Feb 2014.

Korean consultant forms anti-racism group in Japan Because of the rising incidents of racism against Koreans in Japan, 54-year-old South Korean Shin Su-gok has started a new organization to fight discrimination. Japan Daily Press, 12 Dec 2013.

Activists form group in Tokyo to counter hate mongers An ethnic Korean activist has joined forces with a Japanese scholar, a lawyer and other prominent individuals to form a citizens group aimed at countering racists spouting hatred against ethnic Korean residents and other minorities. Asahi Shimbun, 25 Sep 2013.

New Dissent in Japan Is Loudly Anti-Foreign An article about a new type of ultranationalist group in Japan that are openly anti-foreign in their message, and unafraid to win attention by holding unruly street demonstrations.Their protests have been directed at not only Japan’s half million ethnic Koreans, but also Chinese and other Asian workers, Christian churchgoers and even Westerners in Halloween costumes. New York Times, 28 Aug 2010.

Book is behind bullying of mixed-race children A letter by a Canadian of African descent about discrimination faced by his children who have a Japanese mother. Japan Times, April 10, 2012.

Ana Bortz’s Law Suit and Minority Rights in Japan by Keiko Yamanaka, Japan Policy Research Institute, Working Paper No. 88, September 2002 This article looks at a legal case bought and won by a Brazilian women who was told to leave a jewellery shop in Japan because she was a foreigner.

U.N. rights rapporteur says end foreign trainee program ‘slavery’ Jorge Bustamante, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights of migrants urged the government Wednesday to terminate its industrial trainee and technical intern program for workers from overseas, saying it may amount to “slavery” in some cases, fueling demand for exploitative cheap labor in possible violation of human rights....“Racism and discrimination based on nationality are still too common in Japan, including in the workplace, in schools, in health care establishments and housing,” he said. Japan Times, April 1, 2010.

Supreme Court scraps Japanese nationality requirement for legal training Ending what has long been labeled discriminatory, the Supreme Court has scrapped a clause requiring Japanese nationality among those seeking legal training to start careers in the judiciary. Non-Japanese who have passed the bar examination have, in fact, undergone legal training, but only under “exceptional” measures and if the Supreme Court deems them “adequate.” Asahi Shimbun, 2009/10/29.

Racism rapporteur repeats criticism The U.N. rapporteur on racism repeated Wednesday his strong criticism of the Japanese government's attitude toward combating the problem, saying the country needs an antidiscrimination law.Japan Times, May 18, 2006.

Racial issues in Japan In 2005, a United Nations special rapporteur on racism and xenophobia expressed concerns about "deep and profound" racism in Japan and insufficient government recognition of the problem. This article gives an overview of ethnic minority groups in Japan and looks at examples of discrimination against these groups and at legal actions being taken against discrimination in Japan. Wikipedia.

Prejudice among obstacles facing non-Japanese tenants This article looks at discrimination against foreigners trying to find places to live in Japan. Japan Times, Nov. 18, 2008.

Foreigners in Japan say openness all talk by Ronard E. Yates. An article that looks at the reality behind talk ofkokusaika or internationalisation in Japan in the early 1990s during the kokusaika boom. It describes many cases of discrimination against foreign immigrants, Korean permanent residents in Japan, and Burakumin Japanese. It also argues that taking legal action against discrimination in Japan is very difficult. Chicago Tribune, April 15, 1990.

Discrimination Towards Foreigners in Japan The orchestrated move by the Japanese government over the case of an Iranian family of four seeking special residence permission to continue living in Japan should be considered as a clear example of violating all human rights conventions that tarnishes Japan's image. Global Politician.

‘Africans in Japan’ . . . not from the quill of Ishihara, thank God An article about media images of African-Americans in Japan. Japan Times, Feb 18, 2007.

Japan Prejudice and Black Sambo An article that looks at racist images of blacks and African Americans in the Japanese media and popular culture. It presents the argument that this is the result of centuries of Japanese isolation, rather than of intentional racism, but it also notes that Japan has adopted many of the racist attitudes common in the US itself Time , 24 Jun 2001.

Japanese Discrimination Against Korean and other Ethnic Schools For half a century, Japan has permitted ethnic minorities, notably Koreans, to run their own schools while refusing to recognize these schoolsgraduates by denying their students the right to sit for entrance examinations at national universities....Recently, the Ministry of Education extended this right to three international schools while continuing to require that graduates of ethnic schools take a preliminary examination to determine eligibility to sit for the regular examination. The issue has long been central to the movement for the rights of ethnic minorities in Japan. Japan Focus (originally in the Japan Times), April 12, 2003.

Ainu People in Japan Discrimination against the Ainu takes many forms, including disparities in employment, education and marriage. Young Ainu are often afraid to tell their friends and classmates that they are Ainu. Discrimination towards my people is grounded in a long history of the notion that Japanese are ethnically superior, and that Japan is ethnically homogeneous. Christian Conference of Asia.

Ainu discrimination defies the law The Ainu, Japan's indigenous people, are complaining of growing discrimination despite a landmark law enacted in 1997 that for the first time recognizes their culture as unique and officially promotes their rights. Asia Times.

The Otaru Lawsuit Information Site from Debito Arudou, one of the people who successfully brought a law suit against an Onsen in Hookaido that refused entry to non-Japanese people. Debito.com

A foreigner in her own home: Shoddy treatment of its Korean residents once again deals Japan a black eye An article about a 72 year old Korean resident of Japan who made an illegal donation to a Japanese politician. It takes a critical view of how Korean residents of Japan are excluded from any involvement in Japanese politics. Economist, May 10, 2011.

Organisations

のりこえねっと / Norikoeru Net (We Shall Overcome) An anti-hate speech group formed quite recently in Japan

The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) (in Japanese here) - Japanese organization campaigning against discrimination against Buraku, Korean and other minorities in Japan, for gender equality , and against discrimination internationally.

People's Front of Anti-Racism (in Japanese) A Japanese organization campaigning against racism and hate speech

Counter Racist Action Collective (in Japanese) A Japanese group that takes direct action against racist groups and demonstrations

Longer academic articles and chapters in books

Chapter 7. Minority Groups: Ethnicity and Discrimination, in Sugimoto, Yoshio. (2003). An introduction to Japanese society. Cambridge [England] : Cambridge University Press. Available from: Chuo Library 中央書庫 309.152/S94 & Mike. Includes sections on: claims by politicians of ethnic homogeneity in Japan; different kinds of Japanese identity; the Buraku problem; Korean residents; indigenous Ainu; immigrant wokers from overseas; and Japanese abroad.

“Racists Go Home!”, “Go Crawl Back to the Net!” – Anti-Racism Protestors Confront the Zaitokukai レイシストは帰れ！」、「ネットに這って戻れ！」在特会に立ち向かう反レイシズム活動 by Matthew Penney. Argues that Zaitokukai and it's anti-Korean racism are very different from attitudes to Koreans amongst the majority of Japanese people and that the popularity of Korean cultural products and sports personalities is still very important. The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, 22 Apr 2013.