The foreign press writes on Shocking Foreigner Crime File, but is it still available at Family Mart?
Update: FamilyMart has issued an apology for the sale of the magazine, so we are calling off our boycott on FamilyMart.
A personal friend of mine, who I trust completely, has informed me that he saw Gaijin Hanzai Ura File on sale this morning at a FamilyMart at Takasaka Station in Northern Saitama Prefecture. Meanwhile, two new articles about the magazine/book have made it into the foreign press. First, an article from Australia’s ABC News online:
‘Shocking Foreigner Crime’ comic withdrawn
Embarrassed Japanese retailers are removing a comic book from their shelves that highlights crimes committed by foreigners.
The nationwide convenience store FamilyMart has announced it will pull from its shelves the comic-magazine titled “Shocking Foreigner Crime” after complaints of racism and offensive language.
The publication details recent crimes in Japan involving foreigners, asking whether they should be allowed to devastate Japan.
The company that published the magazine has denied it is racist, and says it wanted to broaden a debate about crime.
And from the Khaleeg Times (Reuters?):
Japanese stores pull ‘foreigner crime’ magazine
(Reuters)5 February 2007
TOKYO – Japanese convenience store chain FamilyMart and other retailers are pulling copies of a book on ‘foreigner crime’ from their shelves after a wave of complaints, the stores said on Monday.
The front cover of ‘Shocking Foreigner Crime: The Undercover File’, published in Japanese, features caricatures of non-Japanese, alongside the question: ‘Is it all right to let foreigners devastate Japan?’
‘We are removing the book from our shelves today,’ said Takehiko Kigure of FamilyMart Co.’s public relations department.
‘We had complaints from customers, and when we checked the content of the magazine, we found that it contained some inappropriate language,’ he added.
Inside the glossy magazine-style book, photographs and illustrations show what the editors say are non-Japanese engaged in criminal or reprehensible behaviour.
‘We wanted to take this up as a contemporary problem,’ said Shigeki Saka of Tokyo-based publishers Eichi, which also publishes magazines on popular US and South Korean television dramas. ‘I think it would be good if this becomes a chance to broaden the debate,’ he added.
One caption in the magazine refers to a black man as ‘nigger.’
‘This is not a racist book, because it is based on established fact,’ Saka said. ‘If we wanted to be racist, we could write it in a much more racist way,’ he added, saying that the word ‘nigger’ was not considered offensive in Japan.
Details of well-known past crimes committed by foreigners are also given, such as last year’s kidnapping of the daughter of a wealthy plastic surgeon by a group including South Koreans and Chinese, and the 2003 murder of a family of four on the southern island of Kyushu by Chinese citizens.
The number of registered foreigners in Japan has swelled to more than two million, or 1.57 percent of the population, and some commentators recommend the country accept more immigrants to shore up its ageing and shrinking workforce.
Some in Japan, where crime rates are extremely low compared with Europe and the United States, are concerned about a possible increase in crime associated with an influx of foreigners, but mainstream media have not focussed on the issue in recent months.
So the N-word isn’t offensive in Japan? Perhaps because there aren’t enough black people in Japan to make their voices heard when they are offended? Ridiculous. I’d also like to know what non-FamilyMart stores are removing the mook, anyone got some information on that?
Update: Richard Lloyd Parry has also written a piece for The Times:
A consumer boycott of Family Mart is gathering momentum on the internet. The combini chain has apparently agreed to take it off the shelves . . . in one week’s time, which doesn’t send the strongest of all possible messages. Japan has its hard-core racists like any country, but it’s rare for them to rise this far above the radar, and racist incidents often have an air about them of incompetence rather than viciousness. There was the beer hall, for instance, originally modelled (before being hastily redecorated after clamorous denunciations) on a Nazi theme. But the extravagant offensiveness of FUCF is troublingly hard to explain.
You wonder about a psychological explanation — and there it is, in the captions of the photographs of foreign men sporting with Japanese women. “You sluts really think foreign guys are so great, huh!!” runs one. “We know Japanese guys are small, but . . .” And suddenly it all starts to make sense: not a surge of Japanese racism, nor an immigration crisis, but just a tormented male publisher somewhere in Tokyo who, in the words of the pop singer Lily Allen, is “small in the game”.
Update 2:China’s People’s Daily Online/China Daily has picked up the Reuters story.
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Saka’s defense is positively asinine. Were his intention to broaden the debate, he would have steered clear of the 47,000 figure, which includes a large number of visa crimes, such as the horrendous act of bartending on a teaching visa; he would have pointed out that crimes committed by foreigners are a lower percentage of total crime than foreigners are of the total population, despite the fact that foreigners are even less likely than Japanese to get a fair criminal trial; and he would have pointed out the absurd categories used to show large increases in foreign crime, such as “crimes committed by groups of ten or more foreigners.” How often does that happen? Does organized crime count?
Saka didn’t have anything to say about crimes against foreigners, either. Human trafficking, anyone?
“Expanding the debate.” Hmph. “Established fact.” My ass. “‘Nigger’ is not offensive in Japan.” The fuck it’s not. It’s a directly imported loan word which has had one overriding connotation the entire time Japan has had extensive contact with the Anglophone West. It might not be offensive to Japanese, but it’s offensive in Japan and is intended to be.
I hope Reuters’ guy didn’t just take that BS.
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And furthermore, I’ve noticed a lack of the magazine in areas such as Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Nakano, which have relatively large foreign populations. If it’s inoffensive, why avoid selling it in areas with a lot of foreigners? Wouldn’t those be the places, right in “crime-ridden” Tokyo, where the debate is most needed?
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It is good that some media in English has started paying attention to it. I hope Japanese media also will pay attention to it.
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I wrote a piece in today’s print edition of ‘The Times’ too:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article1336740.ece
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Nice write-up. I haven’t noticed the magazine in Fukuoka or Hiroshima Family Marts, but I’ll be sure to see if those in Sapporo have taken them off the shelves when I visit this weekend.
If you do see the book for sale, present the manager with a copy of Debito’s letter, unless you feel your Japanese is good enough to explain the situation. The letter will still help.
Shigeki Saka’s mind still seems to be stuck in the 19th century to claim this is a “contemporary problem” matter-of-factly. The way he defends himself is indicative of the problem with spreading this type of racist propaganda around Japan. He essentially denies the book is racist, states everything in the book is “established fact”, and refuses to think otherwise; another prime example of the Japanese stance on discrimination – they don’t say they’re racist or outwardly hateful, but their behavior proves otherwise… it’s a blind spot in this country, something some people refuse to acknowledge about themselves.
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As Garret says, it’s riddled with weak excuses. “Expel the foreign barbarians!” can’t be far off.
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What a pleasant surprise I got when I logged onto ABC news online this morning to find such a blatantly xenophobic publication making national news….in Australia!
It is of some concern when this sort of publication can be released quite freely into mainstream media, be so accessible to the public, and not even create so much as a ripple in the local news.
I feel it can only fuel negative stigma that may already be associated with foreigners living, working and holidaying in Japan. Where is this opinion ‘based of fact’ heading anyway? Will it pave the way for racial prejudice in anime? Or perhaps a feature length film…
One thing is for certain, there will be complaints over-seas about this totally irresponsible publication.
In defense, however, it is a sensible gesture by the Family Mart company to withdraw this sort of rubbish from their stores (and quite commendable), but on the same token…what kind of market is the company that makes this comic trying to sell to?
I mean, ultimately, we are talking about money here. Is there a market share for this kind of publication? It’s no artistic statement or debate (contrary to what the company spokesperson has been quoted as saying); It is a product made for profit on a dubious topic based on questionable grounds, and I’m struggling to find the same mass-media outlet to make my rebuttal. I just hope the Japanese public hold the same opinion and boycott this kind of degenerative slander; it will make me feel a little more comfortable when I walk down the street.
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“they don’t say they’re racist or outwardly hateful, but their behavior proves otherwise… it’s a blind spot in this country, something some people refuse to acknowledge about themselves.”
If it applies to Japanese, I am afraid it also applies to Americans or other nationals.. Let’s not play the game of making up another stereotype.
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True, it’s not uniquely Japanese. I apologize.
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True story:
A couple years ago I was staying in Japan with other students from my country(a small country in Europe)for a year. When one day, late evening, my dorm-neighbor, a blond-haired white dude, knocked on my door. When I opened, he asked for ice to put on his black eye. He told me a japanese guy had punched him, shouting ‘you fucking american’. This happened when he was waiting in front of his japanese gf’s house in a residential area. The guy was most likely drunk, but still..
This was in a city with a US military base. The americans have a real bad image here and you can say most residents hate them and foreigners can’t enter many bars etc.
Anyway my point is: my friend became a victim of a violent act, for which he was in no way responsible. He was not even an american or in the military! The publishing of such a magazine is not only offensive but also might encourage/justify violence against foreigners.
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they haven’t had anyone like martin luther king, jr. and a civil rights movement yet(or womens’ rights movement, although i prefer the slow steady rise to equality than radical bra burning), so it remains more of a blind spot than in america. just because all that stuff happened in america you can’t assume it influenced the rest of the world, even western influenced japan. just like you can’t expect a random person to have the same life experiences as you’ve had–but if you’ve learned something in your life then it’s not too presumptiuous to try to teach the lesson you learned to someone else, if you’re goal is the betterment of that person’s quality of life(as opposed to just trying to feel superior). the same holds true to cultures and societies. cultural relativism be damned
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Some japanese bloggers are also aware of this problem
http://www.unix-fan.com/celt/zakki/2007/02/03.html#0203-1
http://www.unix-fan.com/celt/zakki/2007/02/04.html#0204-1
http://www.unix-fan.com/celt/zakki/2007/02/05.html#0205-1
Japan Probe is also mentioned.
I also saw several critical comments about family mart in the Japanese SNS Mixi.
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Where is Japan heading?
The year 2007 is starting off in an interesting direction…
I) Establishing the Ministry of Defense…
II) The Ministry of Education plans to ‘…strengthen the nationalistic feeling and education in Japanese schools…’
III) The Ministry of Health statement: ‘Japanese women are just breeding machines.’
…and soon after… there is “GAIJIN HANZAI FILE”…
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I’d love to see a equal rights movement here. It is happening in France with the Muslims and in German. I think Japan needs a slap in the kisser to make them realize this is the 21st cent. not the Edo period.
All you have to do is get the word out. It is like the smoking bans in some places. 5 years ago totally unheard of in Japan. Now it is common! We just need to get CNN to look at racisim in Japan or the BBC or something. Then the word will get out.
I think now is the time because Japan is wanting some of the Olympic tourist money fallover from CHina in 2008. They are also trying to get the 2016 Olympic to be hosted here. Wonder if they go around saying the “non-offensive” N-Word to people then? Don’t even get me started on being called a gaijin….
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I just thought of something. If Saka thinks that the N-word in non-offensive in Japan, why not print it on a t-shirt and go walk around Shibuya or Roppongi? Why not print that page from his magazine on his shirt and walk around?
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Here’s a good story from Fukuoka Now I read a while back – again, I don’t want to make harsh generalizations, as it would be extremely hypocritical, but I still believe that most Japanese people, at least those in authority, refuse to acknowledge that racism is a problem in this country.
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So far I’ve been lucky. I’ve only ever had one incident with a drunken wideboy shouting at me to “go back to your country” and that he’d kill me. The best part was that after he was gone several onlookers profusely apologised.
I don’t think Japan is racist but it is a country where actual racists, which exist in every country in the world, can go about being their xenophobic, vocal, hateful selves without repercussions, continuing in their putrid mire of ignorance and close-mindedness. Sadly a lot of these twannocks are fairly high up in government.
I just really wish the average Japanese person could be made to give more of a damn. Hopefully this whole saga can contribute a little to that goal.
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This is the danger of “we are trying to encourage debate” being perceived an acceptable defense of disseminating racism ; it is the same excuse that was used in the recent “Shilpa Shetty v. Jade” affair on UK Channel Four’s “Big Brother” programme.
I don’t have to poke you in the eye with a frozen haddock to start a debate over whether it would be a good idea.
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Gaijin on the Run
thanks. I really appreciate your understanding.
JC Barnett
“I don’t think Japan is racist but it is a country where actual racists, which exist in every country in the world, can go about being their xenophobic, vocal, hateful selves without repercussions, continuing in their putrid mire of ignorance and close-mindedness. ”
I agree.
First and foremost, I think this issue needs to be paid attention from Japanaese people. In a way, Japanese people need foreigners’ anger and protest to recognize this is an issue and to critically think whether placing racist trash magazine in the convenient store is right or not.
So sending e mails to the places Luigi listed is very practical way to let Japanese people know the issue.
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1072#comment-11192
And I believe Japanese will understand easily it means losing actual and potential friends.
I believe Japanese will find it offenseve to find the magazine in the 7-11 in the US that says “surprising crime file of Japs, get out here”. or something like that. But sadly Japan as it is now, it seems many people lacks the imagination.
(To be honest I confess, and apologize I didn’t realise “gaijin nose” was offesive until Japan Probe pointed it out. but come to think of it, the “Japanese buck teeth ” may be offensive to some Japanese)
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My gaijin nose… I was out skiing this weekend, completely covered from head-to-toe with the exception of my nose sticking through the fleece, and people still recognized me as a foreigner. I thought it would be my one chance to pass for Japanese. Still don’t know how they expected me to answer their “hello”s as I was shooting down the mountain.
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Just FYI,
I bought a copy (one of 4 they had on sale) at a Family Mart in Kurakuen area of Nishinomiya. Didn’t look like many of the locals had looked through it either. I’m not too suprised however, Kurakuen is a pretty liberal area with a ton of us criminals, er, gaijin, er gaikokujin.
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Opps! Forgot to say when, it was on Sunday night.
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I saw it for sale at the AM/PM on meiji street in Shibuya.
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First I just want to say congratulations James for breaking this story in the first place.
I am shocked to see this book get so much distribution. And I am also shocked to see this get virtually no coverage on Japanese media.
My wife said to me “Oh don’t worry, we just mean Korean and Chinese mostly” when referring to gaijin. But that STILL doesn’t make it right!
I hope we are able to make up enough of a fuss here that the Japanese Media will be FORCED to run a story on it!!
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The sad part about this is that many Japanese don’t realize that some things they say (or write) about gaijin are extremely hurtful and xenophobic. Shigeki Saka (and some Japanese) probably have no idea that the n-word is racist, so we should correct these (and more) misunderstandings.
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My wife said to me “Oh don’t worry, we just mean Korean and Chinese mostly” when referring to gaijin. But that STILL doesn’t make it right!
I find Alex’s wife’s comment to be very offensive, though very typical Japanese. Japanese see Chinese and Korean (and other Asians, blacks, middle-eastern…etc, basically akk non-white) as “lower-level”/beneath them, hence justification for magazines like this. While American/European white gaijins are look upon to and admire, especially by Japanese women.
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but did she ever consciously come to such a conclusion in her mind? almost definitely not. for whatever reason, marketing, movies, history, such thoughts have a chance of emerging without actually being thought about. but i think most people would be willing and even wanting to change after the silliness and illogical manner of such things were pointed out to them, especially in a non-accusing way.
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Wes wrote:
“but i think most people would be willing and even wanting to change after the silliness and illogical manner of such things were pointed out to them, especially in a non-accusing way. “
Hear, hear. I’ve never lived in Japan, but my impression of racism in Japan and Korea is that it is mostly limited to stereotyping, although there is real job discrimination against non-white English teachers in Korea.
Japan’s population is more international than Korea’s, so it’s no surprise that this sort of comic would be published and would generate such outrage from foreigners and disgust from many Japanese. A lot of racially offensive media is not visible to most foreigners. When I left Korea, I brought back a collection of Korean language books to sustain me back in the States. Among these books are manga history and social studies books for children, with the usual ugly racial caricatures of whites, blacks, and Japanese. I’ve uploaded to Flickr a sample from a chapter on American Jews in a book about the United States:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62177820@N00/
The two volumes on Japan are worse. The entire series, called Countries Near and Far, has sold more than 10 million since 1984. I bought several volumes from the series because they were very popular with my Korean students.
I’m curious to know if children’s educational manga in Japan contain racial caricatures and negative stereotypes.
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I’m concerned that Amazon.co.jp still has this on sale. They don’t seem to have an obvious contact address for complaints or enquiries, either. Would anyone happen to know how to approach them? In the meantime, I’m blogging the fact that they have it on sale in the hope that will add some fuel to the fire.
Product page at Amazon:
Link
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I’ve emailed the Amazon press office (press@amazon.co.jp) to ask that they take the product down. No response yet.
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Sonagi
I am not familiar with children’s educational manga in Japan, but Debit has listed the books for children that is problematic for education.
ttp://www.debito.org/chibikurosanbo.html#english
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