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PropagandaBuster Blames Foreigners For ‘Japanese Only’ Signs

You’ve probably seen one of the video compilations of ‘Japanese Only’ sign photos floating around YouTube, perhaps even in a recent BoingBoing post. In almost all cases, such videos do not provide any context whatsoever to the photos, leaving viewers unfamiliar with Japan with the impression that such signs are commonplace and that Japan is a hugely racist country. In reality, foreigners who avoid shady sex businesses are unlikely to ever encounter discriminatory signs. There are, of course, exceptions, sometimes even extreme ones that require lawsuits to be remedied.

American vlogger PropagandaBuster, who has gained a following among Japanese blogs since he attacked Sea Shepherd/Greenpeace in a series of YouTube videos, has issued a response to the ‘No Foreigner’ sign video. Much like some of his other videos, he just runs his mouth off without doing much research. In this particular video, he rants against rude Americans, whom he completely blames for the existence of discriminatory signs. In his view, foreigners like to engage in “fisticuffs,” so we deserve to be banned from certain bars and restaurants:

{democracy:216}

[via 空]

41 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - April 14, 2008 at 2:08 pm

Categories: Discrimination, Foreigners in Japan Tags: debito, Discrimination, fisticuffs, japan, racism

imnotauser

This guy goes to bars expecting to see fights! That’s why I’m glad I don’t live there. Japan may be racist, but I’ve only seen these type of signs on places that I’d never go to anyway. I think the foreigners who come to Japan and want to visit those type of places are probably troublemakers to begin with, so I see the justification even though I don’t agree with it.
I also like how he says the Russians go into bars and act like stupid Americans by starting up fights.

http://www.michaelmckinlay.com Mike

This guy, (Propaganda Blaster) is a retard.

http://surrealu.blogspot.com Claytonian

Lot of guestism going on. I wonder if people are bothering to watch the video before they vote?
The liberal rant… do people agree with that too?
_kovert

I’ve never noticed any difference in the amount of violence that goes on in a bar in the US vs Japan. I’ve been to bars in many countries and I don’t recall ever “expecting a fight”. I think he watches too many movies.
Anyway just put up a sign that says “no fighting” or “rude behavior will not be tolerated”.
I think this guy is almost as confused as the people who wrote those signs.
jjjtango

This does guy does have a point… and I ahve several stories to back it up. But it doesn’t mean ALL Americans are like that… it’s just that it has happened before.
Level3

The only acceptable form of racism is hating Americans it seems. Even people who aren’t Americans (Russians, etc.) are labelled as “acting like Americans” to keep the finger pointed squarely at the USA even when not at all deserved.

If anything gaijin are much LESS likely to get into bar fights in Japan. In a gaijin vs. Japanese fight, who gets arrested?

Perhaps this tool should take a look at the actual crime statistics. Gaijin from English-speaking countries commit far fewer crimes per capita even than Japanese. The crime total stats divided up by crime and country read like a binary computer code
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
and such,
The number in many categories is actually ZERO.

If I want to be just as racist as this guy and the Japanese police, I would say gaijin should stop “acting like Chinese and Koreans” because THEY’RE the ones who commit most gaijin crime. (And they’re also the ones who can easily slip by “Japanese Only” signs)
But I’m not racist, so I don’t.
Da Kappa

It doesn’t really matter if a “no fighting” or “rude behavior will be tolerated” sign is put up in any bars in Japan if the staff cannot enforce those rules. This can be attributed to either lack of communication or a physical presence (a.k.a. giant bouncer) like in the States. Hence it is much more efficient to simply ban anyone who the establishment feels fit the profile. Is it fair? No. But is it effective at that establishment? Perhaps; Because if it wasn’t that establishment would probably take that sign down (and perhaps even close shop due to too much fights and conflicts with the police). Chalking this up to once again a difference in culture (as the vlogger has summed it up).

Karisu

All this talk about fighting in bars. I’m 27 and go out to a bar at least several times a month more or less since I’ve turned 21. Not once have I ever seen a physical fight break out in a bar. I’ve seen a handful of verbal ones, but those get broken up pretty quick. I think there is far too many assumptions on American bar going culture here.

Da Kappa

It is precisely those assumptions that the establishments who place those signs simply blanket out people purely based on race. It’s a “what we don’t understand we don’t want in our establishment” (pure and simple). If you cannot establish the real reason why that business bans people based on race; then the solution is quite simple. Don’t go to that establishment. Hit them where it really hurts (the pocketbook). Loss of revenue and add to that bad PR due to their signage will lead to an eventual demise of that place of business. Let everyone know what bars, restaurants, etc. . . bans people by the color of their skin. As many before me have also stated there are those who placed signs without having ill intent. So by all means get all the facts before rallying the townsfolk against that establishment.

ACiD

Is this guy even an American? He sounds like an Easterner that is missing his tongue. Maybe he just has a lisp.

I probably agree with him to some degree, but he doesn’t really state how he reached his conclusion other than just guessing. I don’t drink or go to Yakuza strip clubs anyways, so I guess I don’t care about this “problem”.
the overthinker

Oh you wascally Amewicans!

Yeah, “I’ve looked into this” means “I pulled it out of my arse”…..
onceuponatime

i have been turned away from perfectly respectable eating establishments at lunch time. restaurant not open yet customers sitting and eating – not a private party. yes, i agree that most places are those that i wouldn`t even think of going to – but there are other places that won`t accept forgeiners simply because they think that foreigners=bad manners, no understand and a variety of other reasons. yes, this guy pulled something out of his arse and it stinks.

the overthinker

I have never been turned away from a restaurant or bar ever.

Which establishments are these, where, and what do you mean by “perfectly respectable”?

Sean

I have been turned away from many legitimate bars in Pontocho and Dotombori because I was a gaijin. The last time was just last week at a Scotch bar in Hozenji Yokocho.

http://deleted parkmount

Those who come to this site are already racists themselves in a sense that they are excluding themselves from Japanese internet sites. There is no sign here saying ‘No Japanese’, yet there is so called ‘implicit barrier’. If you don’t want to be excluded from the society you live in, get to learn a local language and manner first before you bitch yourself. It goes both ways. You guys are just transient red neck workers and know what you are before complaining.

the overthinker

Huh? Are you actually saying that those of us who come here (yourself included, I assume) never visit Japanese internet sites? What “implicit barrier” are you talking about? Who do you refer to as “you guys” when you talk about “transient redneck workers”? I don’t know about the rest of the people here, but I speak the local language quite well indeed.
Karisu

Not everyone that visits this site has ever even been to Japan. And I don’t exclude myself from Japanese internet sites, I just rarely go to them since I barely know the language, and what I do know of it is verbal and not written.

kaito

My solution for places like this, is a Japanese language requirement.
Something like “We can’t speak English. Japanese language ability required”

That way for those who do act like assholes they can handle the problem like they would with any other customer.

But even this solution has its flaws.
samSnead

Whether or not these signs are placed on shady establishments is not the point. Making sweeping generalizations about people and denying them service based on that idea is pure discrimination, that is the point here.

Point in case:

1. I had a friend recently visit and he told me him and his friends were denied entry into a bar in Shibuya even though there were plenty of seats.

2. Ive had bar staff ask me and a friend to leave because there were people waiting to get in, even though we were in the middle of our drinks, and there were 2 Japanese guys sitting right next to us that had finished theirs.

3. A friend and I have been denied access to a hip hop club(Club Harlem)simply because we didnt have a female in our group and were foreigners. I stood there and watched them let groups of Japanese males with no female companionship inside with no question.

These are just some examples to reinforce my statement, no matter what your assumptions are about people it is completely wrong to alter your service based on these prejudices.

I also dont see anything wrong with pressing charges against businesses who practice discrimination, its not something that should be tolerated at all. Japan is supposed to be a first world nation, so I think that should create more emphasis on it to make offenders catch up with the times.

the overthinker

Did you question any of these people at the time on their actions? Do so, and let us know what the response is.

Should this happen to me, I certainly will question why, but so far it has not.
ダビ

That sucks. Nothing like this ever happened to me when I lived in Japan despite going to lots of bars and clubs in groups of only gaijin guys.

aforeigner

Since when does foreigner or gaijin automatically mean American?

the overthinker

All too often, unfortunately.
phauna

Westerner also means American in all the English language rags and most of the blogs based in Japan.

fuji

i agree with this guy to some degree. I say to some degree because it’s not just about the bar brawls. haven’t we forgotten this?

http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=3775

yes, it may look immature for the japanese to attempt to solve their problem by putting up the sign without explanation, but think about it. Does explanation really convince those ignorant americans? I know there are a lot of civilized americans, but every country hates the rude ones.

the overthinker

I think it was Clive James who commented that the problem with America was that it was the first country in the world to achieve a standard of living where even the morons could afford to holiday overseas. Hence the origins of the Ugly American rep.

404error

what taht guy is doing i call it feeding stereotypes to grow bigger

in every country there are assholes who fuck everything up but it does not mean the entire population is
Dude

Is there any change that if I get my japanese fluent then I can get event into those “private clubs” ?
http://pontasmemorandum.blogspot.com/2008/02/let-diaglogue-between-j-and-nj-begin.html ponta

This gentleman has a good point.
These signs are offensive but they are extreme exceptions. Most shops welcome foreigners. That does not mean that these signs are justified, but some people are using them to label Japan as a racist country. That is offensive too.
kay

gotta love his lisp… sounds like daffy duck.

ima Amewiccan.
http://www.sanokame.com Sano

I do agree with him, but that doesn’t mean I think every American is like that, but unfortunately many are.

samSnead

How long have you been living in America? Also, what kind of people have you been hanging out with there?

sunil

what kind of stupid accent do you have? You sound like a cartoon character
Pingback: YouTube Vlogger PropagandaBuster Gets a Japanese Book Deal | Japan Probe
nigelboy

“for a westerner with Japanese nationality and fluent Japanese language skills and even he gets excluded from places such as onsens; even when he takes the case to court he sometimes has no success! ”

They excluded him because he was obnoxious. His “planting a cockroach in my soup” approach is getting old.
http://pontasmemorandum.blogspot.com/2008/02/let-diaglogue-between-j-and-nj-begin.html ponta

You are kidding. Don’t refer to Debtito org.
He is rejecting Japanese comments on his own blog.
But yes I am very ashamed that we have Japanese like him who, to borrow Debito’s own word, “will not accept people under any terms who, in their eyes, look or will potentially act “different.”” According to his own word, they are racist.
http://www.debito.org/index.php/?p=1427
carlocol

You’re wrong. There are plenty of cases documented on his site, where he was excluded simply because of his race. (And I actually don’t blame someone for getting a little obnoxious when the victim of blatant racism.)

There are also numerous cases on his site where he has reasoned with proprietors, they have admitted they had actually had no problems with foreigners, and they agreed to remove their restrictions – smiles all around, and no hint of any cockroaches.
carlocol

Ponta, the fact that I quoted an example of a particular person, does not mean that I agree with that person lock, stock and barrel. If he really is censoring comments on his blog, and claiming that it is a free and open forum (I don’t know the details, so I’m accepting your word here), that would appear to be an example of intolerance. Just like your demand “Don’t quote XXXX!” seems somewhat intolerant to me.

Now, would you like to address any of the main points I made?
http://pontasmemorandum.blogspot.com/2008/02/let-diaglogue-between-j-and-nj-begin.html ponta

Sure there are few shops for Japanese only, most of which are places where you flirt with girls.
I am really ashamed. But just because American-Japanese like Debito do not accept Japanese despite reasoning with him, I don’t paint Americans as the racist with white-man’s burden. It is offensive to say Americans “have a strong inbuilt streak of racism just because of that just as it is offensive to say “Japanese have a strong inbuilt streak of racism”.
http://pontasmemorandum.blogspot.com/2008/02/let-diaglogue-between-j-and-nj-begin.html ponta

What is your main point? “Japanese have a strong inbuilt streak of racism”.”?
As I said on another comment, “Japanese only” post is offensive;they should be removed. If they can’t handle English, they should say so rather than rejecting people. Personally I have seen only one shop which holds “Japanese only” sign in my life. I talked to the owner, and the owner understood and removed it.
http://www.occidentalism.org/?p=829
What I am saying is those people like Debito and some others who are trying to paint Japanese as “inbuilt racist” , Japan as a racist country, are themselves offensive.
In that sense Propaganda Buster has a point.
I asked not to refer to Debito org, because the way he deals with his blog and cases makes his site way unreliable. Who wants to cite unreliable source run by the one who happened to be a racist on his own definition.
By the way if you want to know how Debito covers up important imformation, click “ponta” and go and see it yourself.
the overthinker

The thing to do here is open your wallet, pull out a couple of Fukuzawas, and say “come on boys, let’s go spend you someplace that wants you…”

Then you kick in his door on the way out to allow him to justify his racism.

PropagandaBuster Blames Foreigners For ‘Japanese Only’ Signs

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