“In the Meiji Era, the Japanese government adopted parts of a Western world view and tried to separate Japan from its “backward Asian neighbors”. That doesn’t mean Japanese thought they were Caucasian.”
Than what they though they were? Africans? They believed they were superior to the rest of inferior Asians, but Caucasians were the superiors at that time, so …

“Oh, and Dr. Yu – Go through the following list of Korean Manhwa and tell me if you can find any that don’t portray characters with huge eyes, tiny mouths, and multi-colored hair”
You are right. Before and mostly after the Japanese colonization, Korea was greatly influenced by Japan in the cultural field. (Look at Korean Music and comics at that time). But Korean comics author copied Japanese mangas because they though they were cute, not because of supremacy ideology.

Regarding the anti-japanese thing, I’m tired of repeating this thing, but every time I post a comment that does not please the Japanese and the japanesphiles, they label me anti-japanese, and I’m tired of it.

Look, the “race purity” problem exist everywhere, even in Korea (although in a different way), and that was one of the reason why until recently Korea did not approve korean citizenship for foreigners. The Korean-chinese for instance were not given Korean citizenship despite of their long immigration history. They were also forbidden to own property in Korea.

There are all kinds of other problems caused by illegal immigrants too.

Less judging, more reading.

Interestingly, it was argued in the early Meiji period that the Japanese might be a bit Caucasian, due to the Ainu blood. Check the New York Times archives for
————–
ARE JAPANESE ARYANS?; Prof. Griffis Says Science Has Proved Their Affinity.

WILLIAM ELLIOT GRIFFIS

May 15, 1913, Thursday
————-

I know what you mean.

The bitching and moaning cracks me up. I’m from San Diego (I can actually see Mexico from my house as I live on top of a hill), and I can tell you this – All of the people who bitch about “illegals stealing our jobs and ruining our society”, those would be the first people who would start crying out, “BUT WHO’S GOING TO CLEAN MY HOUSE?!” if they finally persuaded officials to forcefully boot them out.

I’ve heard it in Japan recently, too, and from people disappointingly close to me: “We should kick all of the immigrants out of this country so there are more jobs for us Japanese.” Right, that’s the ticket, cut the population down even more, create less spending, and reduce tax payers. The reason they were doing those jobs in the first place was because most Japanese felt the work was beneath them. But I’m off on a tangent here.

According to the Korean myth, Koreans are descended from the demigod Tan-Gun. In reality, they have Mongolian Spots on their backs when they’re born (even my daughter, and she’s only half Korean) and understand the idea of historical migration through Asia.

In the Meiji Era, the Japanese government adopted parts of a Western world view and tried to separate Japan from its “backward Asian neighbors”. That doesn’t mean Japanese thought they were Caucasian.

Oh, and Dr. Yu – Go through the following list of Korean Manhwa and tell me if you can find any that don’t portray characters with huge eyes, tiny mouths, and multi-colored hair: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_manhwa_by_English_title

I don’t think you are being “anti-Japan”, but you are definitely misrepresenting it.

I can’t help but wonder if some of the anti-illegal comments on these sorts of posts are really aimed at Mexicans in the US….

You might want to show some really good sources for your claim that Japanese saw themselves as Westerners in the Meiji era and that is why their cartoons have big eyes. Especially since Japanese cartoons are also noted for that other Western feature, tiny little noses. Oh, wait….

It’s marketing.

Huge assumption based on precisely no evidence.

Talking about minzoku, you might have already read this article by Chris Burgess. It was an interesting article.
http://www.japanesestudies.org.uk/articles/2008/Burgess.html

The idea was that they would assimilate more easily, being “Japanese,” but this has not happened.

True.
I think it is legitimate to be concerned about who will be more likely to assimilate. Having similar cultural background is crucial. Perhaps the idea was that it was assumed that Japanese descendants inherited Japanese cultural background, and they would assimilate easily but it was mistaken. The fact is that some assimilated easily but others didn’t.

But I don’t understand the idea of “race” in the first place. It is very ambiguous notion and I think the idea of Japanese race is just a myth as the idea of American race.

And I am not sure Japanese “feel a closer bond” to Japanese -descendants living over seas. Japanese don’t know and are not concerned about, for instance, Japanese American sport players in the U.S. A player gains attention when s/he might play in a Japanese team.
I for one feel closer bond to people living overseas who appreciate and love Japan, Japanese descendants or not.
Jero is being welcomed more because he loves Japan and he speaks Japanese and he exemplifies Japanese (forgotten) traditional value than because he was a descendant of Japanese, imo.

If this is not an issue, then why allow nikkei from Sth America in so easily? The idea was that they would assimilate more easily, being “Japanese,” but this has not happened.

I wouldn’t call it a “complex”, but a “world view”.

Korea and Japan have a similar modern ethnic-nationalist social view. For Japan it’s Yamato, and for Korea it’s Han-Min decended from Tan-Gun. The majority of Koreans “feel a closer bond” to Korean-descendants living over seas who have never been in Korea than to foreigners who have lived in Korea for a very long time. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a similar result among Japanese.

I say deport her and make revisions to the japanese constitution, but knowing japan i don;t think there would be any hehehe

Sounds to me like you oppose all immigration, which is odd since you claim to be an immigrant yourself. Double standards?

That comment is solid gold.

Illegal immigrants pay taxes too.

Did you even watch the video? If you did, you should have noticed that the girl was speaking Japanese and has Japanese friends.

My parents came to the US illegally. Now they are citizens, they speak English, and they pay taxes. wow.

How would you like it if you made to leave the only place you know of and grew up in?

The best possible way is to only deport her parents while they apply for a Visa since they’ve been in the country for so long, they would pass the requirements without too much trouble. Let her stay in the country and give her citizenship.

I grew up in a country in the middle east where the culture was very different from what my parents were raised in. My parents raised me in a way that I could still retain the culture they grew up in and if I didnt have that, I wouldnt be the same person. Now Im LEGALLY in America, and very proud of my heritage and still a person who accepts all cultures.

My family and lots of friends came to the USA legally and wow, I learned the language and pay my taxes. Do the same thing, I hope she gets the boot.