And what’s with this stereotypical music?

In 2005, a United Nations special rapporteur on racism and xenophobia expressed concerns about “deep and profound” racism in Japan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_issues_in_Japan

I agree with your views of national ID. We are entering a more surveillence Orwellian future all over the world.

Here is a link of world’s worse surveillence police states.

http://www.statewatch.org/news/2009/jun/electronic-police-state-2008.pdf

Here is a link of what is happening in Europe now with it’s surveillence.

http://www.ecln.org/ECLN-statement-on-Stockholm-Programme-April-2009-eng.pdf

Debitto comes with awareness about IC chipped gaijin cards which in my view is good. If gaijin cards are to be chipped then gaijins should not have to be forced to carry them at all times. Why not just micro chip every gaijin up their ass when they enter Narita?

“Demanding gaijins to always carry a card which states that they are Aliens is what is Hitlerish about the gaijin card.”

I find if far worse to demand that all citizens carry an ID at all times. That level of state control over citizens is somewhat worrying. Not allowing foreigners access to those cards, and thereby interfering with their quality of life, is blatantly discriminatory.

Carrying an alien registration card in no way interferes with my, or any other foreigner’s, quality of life.

“The point of a gaijin card is to remind people that they are gaijins.”
*NEWS FLASH* – we ARE. I don’t need a card to remind me of that fact. I have never woken up in the morning thinking I am Japanese, then looked in my wallet and said “dammit, I’m a foreigner!” And I don’t think I ever will, as long as I am a foreigner in Japan.

He wouldn’t survive a day as a black / brown man in England or America. He’d be complaining so much that he’d go crazy.

Why must you spread this kind of melodrama around? You make it sound like it happens to every foreigner in Japan as a rule, and as if the police set out to victimize us.

Meanwhile, the rest of us who don’t feel the need to convince anyone who will listen what terrible people the Japanese are, get on with our lives and don’t get stopped by the police at all while we’re here.

You said, “[Japan] is still a racist xenophobic country.” Your credibility is pretty much shot.

Your hostess bar (hostess club) argument is silly as well. Hostess clubs, as opposed to kyabakuras, are exclusive club. They need to have a reason to let you in. Many Japanese get rejected without the right connections. The purpose of a hostess club is to be entertained by hostesses. Many who only speak Japanese. There are a number of reasons why they may not allow a gaijin in. But I think a well-dressed, well-mannered, gaijin fluent in Japanese would have almost no problem getting into most hostess clubs and kyabakuras.

And anyway, hostess clubs and brothels are a small part of Japan. Calling a whole country racist based on one industry is ignorant.

“There is nothing wrong to point out that someone is racist.”
Everyone discriminates on some level (you are too by saying and having these views about the US and Japan). “Racist” is a powerful word based on hate. Use it wisely.

Comment by jason black
2009-06-16 16:34:39
I like the unko flag!!! (^-^)V 頑張れ日本！
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=10841#

A clip from Japanese TV in which a monkey trainer lives with a monkey that enjoys hitting her face:

Comment by jason black
2008-12-16 16:02:44

If thats what she likes, she should just find a japanese husband.
Reply to this comment
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=7826#comment-276070

なお、二つ目のコメントは不適切として、削除されています。

ハリーさんのお友達でしょうか？ーーーそんなことはないですよね。

１）私は、例えば、外国人強姦犯人の裁判について、被告人に不利な事実を意図的に隠避し、また、日本人女性被害者の実名を公表し、さらに、日本人女性被害者がうそを言っている、とまでして、外国人の人権擁護の名目でキャンペーンをし、いまだ釈明もしていないような在日外人、及び、在日外国出身者の活動は日本人に在日外人に対して恐怖心を植え付ける、と考える。

ハリーさんはそんなことない、という。

２-a)石原都知事は法律知識が足りない、失策が多いなどと一般論をいいながら、石原氏の失言を明確に、あるいは暗に、あるいは、間接的に批判すると、そうして彼に注目を与えたり、批判したりすることは、彼の株を上げてしまうから、むしろ、無視しろ、というのは、そうした批判を抑制するのと等しく、また、そうした批判が出る度に必死に批判活動を抑制しようとする人物は彼のapologist（同然）だ、と、同じように、有道氏について、一般的な批判をしながらも、有道氏の手法を暗にあるいは、明確に批判する活動を抑制する論者は、彼のapologistと言わざる得ない、と私は考える。

ハリー氏は、無視せよ派であり、批判活動否定派、ないし、妨害派のように思える。

なお、ハリー氏は、有道氏を非難することなく取り上げた、Japan PodshowやJapanProbeには、無視しろ、とは抗議していない。

2-b)さらに、ハリー氏は、有道氏のブログなどを非難することは、彼の意義を高めてしまうと考える。

私は、彼に正当な批判を浴びせることは、彼にふさわしい評価を与えると考える。なお、不当な批判ならその不当な批判をしたひとの評価が下がるだけの話である。

3-a ）さらに、私が、ハリー氏の名前は出さないものの、暗に彼を有道氏のapogisitである、と形容したことに関して、ハリー氏は数度にわたって、私に謝罪を求めている。

私は、2-a)などで記した理由により、記述は正当なものである、と考えている。

3-b)なお、例えば、ハリー氏は「you are busy stocking up on Nissin cup noodles and House Food curry in preparation for the coming clash of civilizations unleashed by a bumbler from Hokkaido」などと私に関して全く根拠のない間違った記述をしているものの謝罪をしていない。

私は（３）のような応酬は非生産的であり、ハリー氏がこうした些末なことにこだわることで、再び私の有道氏に関する批判を抑制しようとしているのではないか、と正直なところ、疑っている。

ーーーーこんな感じでしょうか？私に誤解があれば指摘してください。
また、でていない論点があれば、申し述べて下さい。相違点を明らかにしましょう・・・・私が有道氏に言及する度に、同じ事を繰り返してもしょうがないですから。

So – no alien registration cards in Sweden, but there are national registration cards that all citizens carry! And they have to produce these cards as ID, and if you don’t have a card then you will have trouble opening bank accounts, or accessing them, or getting a driver’s license….

Who is putting the star on whose lapel?

Most hostess bars in Kabuki Cho or any where else for that matter do not take in gaijins. Because they do not take in gaijins the establishment is racist. You can argue and say, it is their right to be racist. I am saying they are racist because they don’t take in gaijins. If they are not racist, race, nationality would not matter but since it does that makes them racist. There is nothing wrong to point out that someone is racist.

So Japan wants gaijins to carry around IC chipped gaijin cards at all time. Sounds something Hitler would think of with forcing Jews to wear their Start on their clothes.

In the U.S., if you don’t have your card, the police do not haul you and hold you in detention until your card is delivered by another person.

→

Immigration officials detaining, deporting American citizens
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/25392.html

Baptist pastor beaten + tazed by Border patrol – 11 stitches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUzd7G875Hc&feature=channel

n the U.S., you will not be fined if you do not have your alien registration card. You will just have to get it and show it

→

“The permanent resident card must be kept on you at all times. This is the law and can have jail time and fines if it is not complied with.
http://forums.immigration.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=1849816

And finally, the American authorities do not assume you are a resident alien because of your appearance and randomly and pointlessly check your identification just because of the way you look.

→

Your Green Card – Always, Always Carry it With You
Recent news that AMTRAK is increasing security on its trains as well as stories that DHS agents are profiling “foreign-looking” AMTRAK passengers and demanding to see identity documents serves as a reminder to permanent residents to always carry their green cards with them.
First of all–it’s the law.
Secondly, and as a practical matter, if you are singled out on a AMTRAK train or a Greyhound bus and you don’t have your green card on you, you’re inviting big problems. At the very least, you’re in for inconvenience and hassle; at worst, you could be detained.
http://www.philadelphiaimmigrationlawyerblog.com/2008/02/your_green_card_always_always.html

Check the on-line forums for foreigners holding green cards in the U.S. and see how many people are talking about the police stopping them and asking to check their I.D.s for no reason other than the way they look or police stopping them and asking if they’ve stolen the vehicle they’re riding in randomly based on appearance

→

Do you carry your GC with you all the time?

http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?t=271584

This is why people like Debito are needed.

Does the U.S. need him more than Japan, perhaps?

Now Nobody is denying that xenophobia and racism exists in Japan just as any other countries. Nobody is saying there needs somebody who speaks up for English-speaking people in Japan.

People have problems with Mr. Arudou’s tactics i.m.o. because

1)He is not sending the message in Japanese. The blog and his articles on JT are not working to raise consciousness among Japanese.

2) when his blog gives wrong information and lies , he rejects to correct them while he accepts hateful and misleading comments and articles against Japan and Japanese.

3)His blog is unnecessary promoting the seed of fear among foreigners in Japan against Japan and Japanese and among Japanese against foreigners in Japan.

4)His blog is perhaps the most exclusionary blog in English blogspher in Japan.

I’ve been suggesting that some English-speaking people who has Japanese ability to comprehend Japanese to set up the site where English-speaking people can get adequate information from several perspectives, and foreigners and Japanese discuss the problems together that foreigners in Japan are facing.

He brooks no criticism. He will tolerate no-one who he decides is an “apologist” or who otherwise seems “unable to consider changing their mistaken views” (read: they won’t cave in and agree with him). He runs his blog accordingly, which since it is his blog is his right, but the steps he has taken to ensure no dissent is viewed are rather bizarre, and even when he does allow valid viewpoints to be aired he just ignores them anyway.

All the while badmouthing sites like this one or Japansoc as he does so…

Debito Arudou is a naturalized Japanese citizen from the United States. He teaches English-as-a-foreign language in a small (very small) college up in the boondocks of Hokkaido. He decided to put down roots there after he followed over a Japanese woman to Hokkaido from the United States and married her (having 2 children). He is now divorced, but continues to live in Hokkaido. (This is all public information.)

Arudou wants to be more than just an English teacher in Japan pulling in a small paycheck in a small poli-tech school in the middle of nowhere. He wants (needs?) people to acknowledge and respond to his writngs (and has said so repeatedly on his website and other venues).

What does Arudou write about? Anything and everything. Recently — meaning the past 10 years or so — he’s decided to bang on about Japan’s allegedly institutionalized racism and xenophobia because apparently it attracts the least-common-denominator as a possible reader: the disgruntled and disenfranchised internet troll.

First problem: Arudou is not a trained diplomat, a scholar, a researcher, a politician, a lawyer, an analyst, or a member of any other business-related profession. He is simply an apparently troubled guy who likes to jot down some random thoughts after an event happens trying to tie it into his main “thesis” (if we can call it a thesis) that Japan is somehow a racist asylum that needs correction for the benefit of all resident foreigners everywhere. In other words, he sees himself as the self-appointed public defender of all non-Japanese everywhere in Japan.

Second problem: most of the 2 million foreigners living in Japan, not to mention the other 127 million Japanese, don’t know who he is nor do they care, so he’s essentially preaching to the choir.

Third problem: since the Otaru Hotspring case in 1999-2001, he’s become something of a public figure among the limited English-speaking gaijin community on the internet. His comments tend to attract a fairly small, but loyal following of mostly anonymous users who enjoy carping about how evil and unusual Japan is. He’s not very cautious about what he alleges in public. And virtually *never* apologizes or posts retractions for statements that are clearly misleading, disingenuous, or worse factually incorrect. Consequently, Arudou is not generally considered a source of reliable information on Japan for many people.

How many of these examples exist? In all honesty, we could be here for quite a while if a list were drawn up and it’s a waste of time to do so right now.

Is he politically effective among the limited English-speaking gaijin community? Most people would say no, he’s not. He has a blog; he has a small column in a small newspaper in Japan; and he runs a self-sponsored internet forum with a limited and dwindling membership of mostly unknown people. I don’t see these things as being indicators of an “influential” maker-and-shaker in Tokyo, but some people delude themselves into thinking that Arudou is somehow important. Truth be told, like many who seek to shock, Arudou may not really believe what he says about how racist and xenophobic Japan is and probably feels astounded when taken seriously.

He’s certainly never dull.

And such reasons can and do, unfortunately, include….

Person being questioned was black

Person being questioned was hispanic

Person being questioned was Arabic

Numbers vary by region, but that’s about it.

“In the U.S., you will not be fined if you do not have your alien registration card. ”
Wrong. US law provides for a fine of up to $100, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both. You may not be fined, but you can be. Even the link you provided says failure to carry is a misdemeanor, did you read it?

This infact has nothing to with being myopic or not. Yes, u can have your own lifestyle no matter where u are but forcing others to change their culture and lifestyle just for u is indeed unacceptable for me. Plus, my point is not about how japanese Debito is but it’s about adaptation and understanding such as the short clip of Mr. Mansour.

The bottom line is that you do have to carry your card, but there are notably important differences.

In the U.S., if you don’t have your card, the police do not haul you and hold you in detention until your card is delivered by another person. In Japan, they can and do hold you at the police station until someone else delivers your card, and they also interrogate you during that time. In the U.S., you can bring the card yourself to the authority that requested it within a certain period of time and you aren’t treated like a suspected criminal.

In the U.S., you will not be fined if you do not have your alien registration card. You will just have to get it and show it. Japan is proposing a 200,000 yen fine ($2,000 USD) for not carrying it. This is an exorbitant fine for something which people may do unintentionally by forgetting their wallet at home (or losing it).

And finally, the American authorities do not assume you are a resident alien because of your appearance and randomly and pointlessly check your identification just because of the way you look. You will only be asked to present your identification under specific circumstances – you are a suspect of an actual crime and the police have reason to check you or you are part of a routine check at a sobriety check-point (at which every single person passing through is being checked and you are not singled out by your appearance). In Japan, the police absolutely target anyone who doesn’t look “Japanese” simply because of how they look.

The Japanese abuse their power to threaten, intimidate, and harass foreigners. Most of the time, it’s relatively innocuous (I.D. check, bike serial number checking), but the point is that the way in which alien registration identification is used in Japan and the U.S. is extremely different. It’s far more oppressive and racist already in Japan.

Check the on-line forums for foreigners holding green cards in the U.S. and see how many people are talking about the police stopping them and asking to check their I.D.s for no reason other than the way they look or police stopping them and asking if they’ve stolen the vehicle they’re riding in randomly based on appearance. Yeah, you’re going to find very little if any.

This is why people like Debito are needed. Some of us aren’t happy with the racial discrimination that is obviously going on and know that, while it is necessary to put measures in place to control illegal aliens, that doesn’t mean that those measured and that power should be used abusively.

Yes, we do disagree about the impact of Debito’s ramblings.

。

…It is one thing to say that Debito stirs up hostility among Japanese people. It is another to say that this spreads to hostility towards foreigners in general and a separate claim again to say that the level of hostility is such that it affects how the whole Japanese population views foreigners. You appear to make all three claims without realizing the different levels of alarmism they imply.

これについても何度も書きましたが、私は、有道氏のブログによって日本全国民が外人嫌いになるとは言っていません。しかし、planting the seed of fear と言っている。

By making your statement, you are inflating Debito’s importance and influence to absurd levels

というのがハリーさんのご意見であるにもかかわらず、有道氏を暗にでも批判するコメントがでた場合には、無視しろと、執拗に食い下がりながら、有道氏を好意的に扱ったインタビューには無頓着である。ここがおかしい。

Take the example of Governor Ishihara. Many foreigners・・・・

石原知事の例はいい例ですね。石原の失言の度に批判することは必要でしょう。批判をしないで、、彼の誤謬に、スポットライトをあてるのはやめろ、というのもいかがなものか？

I think you underestimate the intelligence of Japanese people if you assume they will somehow be more affected by the far lower profile activities of Arudou Debito.”

しかし、普通の日本人が知ったらいい感じはしないでしょうね。その理由はあげる必要もありませんよね。

I think your approach does nothing to undermine Debito but instead lends him credibility which he doesn’t deserve.

ここが相違点ですね。
私は、彼のブログを正当に批判することで彼のimportanceやsiginificanceやcredibility が低下すると考えます。例えば、結果的にどれだけ影響力があるかは別にしても、仮に石原氏が失言すれば、それは批判されて然るべきでしょう。注目して、正当な批判をすると、importance やcredibility が増す、というのは理に合わない。

そして、彼が隠蔽した事実を知らない外国人も現におり、今回も着目されている。彼は海外特派員に引用もされている。

Is everyone who tells you that an apologist for Debito?

石原氏の失言に対する批判について、「そうして彼に注目することは、彼の株を上げるから、無視しろ」として、その批判活動打ち消そうとするのは、石原氏のapologistの推定はうけるでしょう。それが感情的であったり、批判を暗示しただけでも登場すればなおさらです。

Are you still looking through everything I have written hoping to find something to prove your case? You won’t find it and I think you know that very well

これについては、本コメントでも理由は述べましたし、他のコメントでも述べていますので、それについては反論してください。

以前の議論を蒸し返すハリー氏。
批判が出ると、彼のブログを取り上げるとimportance を与えるから、無視しなさい、と推奨するのに、それでいて、彼を取り上げる好意的なインタビューの出現には無頓着な、ハリー氏。
情報提供や有道氏らの誤謬を訂正するサイトを提案は無視するハリー氏
有道氏を批判する私に、カップヌードル云々など感情的な言辞を弄するハリー氏・（・・これだけではないですが・・・）

そして、このスレッドでは、
ハリー氏の名前も出さないで、氏を暗示して、氏がデビト氏のapologistという主張は間違っているから謝罪せよ、と有道氏のブログを批判する私に要求しながら、有道氏の誤った手法、あるいは、強姦事件、その他には粘着しないハリー氏。

いつも中途半場で終わってしまって、私が有道氏のブログなどを暗にでも批判する度に血相をかかえてでてこられるのも、非生産的なので、ちゃんとやりましょう。

If you intend to make amends then you also should do so on this site.

それは結構ですよ、他の方に迷惑がかからなければね。
あなたが有道氏のapologist だと暗示した理由はすでに書きました。Comment by ponta
2009-06-16 19:04:17
それに対して反論してください。
それと質問にも答えて下さいね。

いずれにせよ、ハリーさんは来なかった。残念でした。
有道氏のブログを批判するために親衛隊のような人達が実質的な議論をしないで、ぼくを罵倒しに来るーーーこうした嫌がらせは初めてではないですけどーーーし、どうも議論が些末なので、今回もぼくの方のブログへも招待しておきます。

議論したいんならちゃんとやりましょう。

The use of the word “ridiculous” in English in no way compares with the use of the word 馬鹿 in Japanese. In that, you are simply mistaken. The word “idiot” could be said to be pejorative to the same degree as 馬鹿 and I did indeed use the word “idiot”. However, I didn’t use it to refer to you, I used it to refer to Debito. Do you think calling someone 馬鹿 makes you their apologist?

I can understand how that mistake might be an easy one to make but I don’t think even you seriously entertain the idea that the use of the word “ridiculous” implies “お前”.

I called your claims “hysterical”, however, I notice that you sometimes render the word as ヒステリカル which you link to ヒステリー and that leads me to believe that you have in mind the primary uses of those words in Japanese rather than the way I have used the word. My use, a common one in English, is similar to the way you use “emotionalism” as an accusation against me. We are doing nothing different here. There is no claim you can safely make against my use of the word that you wouldn’t be obliged to concede over your use of “emotionalism”.

My tone is certainly critical of some of your positions but if you think all I have done is claim you run around screaming then you have entirely misunderstood my tone as well as my points.

Yes, we do disagree about the impact of Debito’s ramblings. I first took you to task over the effect you claimed he was having on the way Japanese think of foreigners and I’ll repeat for the second time in this thread why I think you are wrong:

“Debito is not a major national figure and remains largely unknown to the vast majority of Japanese citizens. He is also a white and white people make up a small minority of Japan’s foreign population. It is unlikely, for instance, that anything he says or does impacts particularly on people’s impressions of Koreans or Chinese in Japan. By making your statement, you are inflating Debito’s importance and influence to absurd levels…

“…It is one thing to say that Debito stirs up hostility among Japanese people. It is another to say that this spreads to hostility towards foreigners in general and a separate claim again to say that the level of hostility is such that it affects how the whole Japanese population views foreigners. You appear to make all three claims without realizing the different levels of alarmism they imply.

“Take the example of Governor Ishihara. Many foreigners, rightly or wrongly, believe him to be unsympathetic to their situation. When he coins a bon mot about foreigners which causes offence, it’s possible that someone might claim that he was turning foreign opinion against Japan. He’s a national figure after all. In truth, though, if it has any impact at all it is probably just to reduce people’s opinion of Ishihara himself or, at a pinch, to damage the international reputation of Japanese politicians. Ishihara is not an insignificant figure but the broader effect of his various gaffes is really not that profound. I think you underestimate the intelligence of Japanese people if you assume they will somehow be more affected by the far lower profile activities of Arudou Debito.”

You are free to be outraged by Debito and what he writes but when you try to create the impression that he is a significant influence on how Japanese nationals view foreigners then I will beg to differ. I know you feel strongly but I don’t believe you are right. I think your approach does nothing to undermine Debito but instead lends him credibility which he doesn’t deserve. I have made this point before and, if you look back, you’ll see that others have made it to you also. Especially when you dragged his name unnecessarily into arguments in other threads. Is everyone who tells you that an apologist for Debito?

You asked for a URL pointing to debates I’ve had in Japanese. Goodness, that made me smile. Does everyone really live their lives these days entirely in public on the internet that you automatically ask for a URL? A large part of my life in Japan was lived before there was an affordable word processor let alone the PC and the internet. Have you ever used a Japanese typewriter? I couldn’t master it so much of my correspondence is handwritten. Even if you could handle a typewriter, it probably slowed you down but I was lucky to have some friends who were prepared to use them so I wouldn’t have to decipher their handwriting. However that put the onus on me to understand what they wrote. In the same way, you are participating in a an English language forum and the onus is on you to stand your ground and understand what you are being told. But when your English skills are tested or called into question, you ask for a Japanese translation and revert to writing in Japanese. I have no respect for your decision to do that.

Likewise, it is an utter disgrace that instead of unreservedly apologizing for your misrepresentation of my position you demand I help you as “proof” that I am not an apologist for Debito. I was prepared to believe other commenters when they said you were well-meaning but I’m afraid your continual unsubstantiated accusations argue otherwise. Are you still looking through everything I have written hoping to find something to prove your case? You won’t find it and I think you know that very well.

Foreigners to be issued Swedish ID – from 2009
http://www.hotfrogse.se/Companies/Expertadwords-Google-Sweden/Foreigners-to-be-issued-Swedish-ID-from-2009-43

Foreign identity documents in Sweden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_documents_in_Sweden#Foreign_identity_documents

hello ,

I am also very concerned about ID problem. I cannot carry my passport everywhere and I all the time need some sort of ID. I went to the bank Nordea and asked about ID but they denied and refused to issue any ID for international students in any case. I think it is a problem and it needs some solution.

Thank you,

Ana Kantaria
http://www.swedenintouch.se/Forum/Topics/Messages/?topicid=125

とほほの日記リターンズ
前の日記サイト閉鎖によりお引越し。スウェーデンでの怒涛の育児日記。
http://tohohonoshufu.blog18.fc2.com/

Should I leave Sweden, racism?

http://www.topix.net/forum/world/sweden/TTPIRAOGG1LM1GFM6

Sweden also does not have foreign registration cards; however ironically Swedes do have ID cards. Foreigners are supposedly going to get Swedish IDs starting this year, by not having IDs they were prevented from accessing some services which required one! Now that’s discriminatory IMHO:
http://www.thelocal.se/9435/20071217/

Registering and carrying ID cards “outrageous, discriminatory and Orwellian”? It seems Norway and Sweden, at least, disagree with that viewpoint.

ただ、触れていない論点だけ、簡単に書いておきましょう。
有道氏のブログが例えば、外国人強姦犯人を事実を意図的に隠蔽しながら、日本人女性被害者の実名を公開して、嘘つきよばわりしたり、そのほか日本人・日本に対する罵倒や、誤った情報を与えたりしても、すべての日本人が外人に対して恐怖心を抱くとは限らないでしょう。しかし、そうした傾向を促進するとはいえるでしょう。
これは以前にも言ったように思いますが・・・・

Above screed about inherently evil debito can be safely filed along with with similar ponta comments – under “irrational vendetta” by self-appointed Japan culture vulture.

Again,Irrational and uncivilized comment, leitmotiv.

I hope that if you could be bothered to plough through that lot above then you will have a better idea of why I have taken offence. Ponta hasn’t been able to point directly to anything I have written which justifies his contention that I am an apologist for Debito. The reason for that is, simply, I have written nothing of the sort.

Ponta is unhappy that I’m unwilling to accept unreservedly all his criticisms of Debito. He appears to believe that the way to counter Debito’s exaggeration is through his own exaggeration. I think that is a grave error because the only lasting way to counter a dishonest argument is through the truth.

Ponta also is concerned that more people are not as upset as he is himself about the claims Debito makes. In order to generate more outrage, he would have people believe that Debito’s writings are “promoting a negative image of gaijin in Japan”. This brings us to your point and its one I’ve addressed several times in exchanges with Ponta. I’ll repeat only one example however. This is from last September:

“Debito is not a major national figure and remains largely unknown to the vast majority of Japanese citizens. He is also a white and white people make up a small minority of Japan’s foreign population. It is unlikely, for instance, that anything he says or does impacts particularly on people’s impressions of Koreans or Chinese in Japan. By making your statement, you are inflating Debito’s importance and influence to absurd levels…

…It is one thing to say that Debito stirs up hostility among Japanese people. It is another to say that this spreads to hostility towards foreigners in general and a separate claim again to say that the level of hostility is such that it affects how the whole Japanese population views foreigners. You appear to make all three claims without realizing the different levels of alarmism they imply.

Take the example of Governor Ishihara. Many foreigners, rightly or wrongly, believe him to be unsympathetic to their situation. When he coins a bon mot about foreigners which causes offence, it’s possible that someone might claim that he was turning foreign opinion against Japan. He’s a national figure after all. In truth, though, if it has any impact at all it is probably just to reduce people’s opinion of Ishihara himself or, at a pinch, to damage the international reputation of Japanese politicians. Ishihara is not an insignificant figure but the broader effect of his various gaffes is really not that profound. I think you underestimate the intelligence of Japanese people if you assume they will somehow be more affected by the far lower profile activities of Arudou Debito.

It’s almost as if you feel you have an internal ‘gaijin image seismometer’ such that when Debito does something you don’t like, you want to issue a tsunami warning. I think perhaps a recalibration is in order. Arguably, Debito has no more lasting impact on Japan’s emotional landscape than I have on it’s physical landscape when I trip over the kotatsu and land heavily on the floor.”

It has been pointed out to Ponta by others (which I quoted earlier) that when I write such criticisms, I’m certainly not defending Debito. He appeared to accept that point at the time and apologized (also posted earlier). However, when he continued to make his exaggerated claims and I once more pressed him not to do so, he reverted to his original position that I must be defending Debito.

I don’t even disagree with the general comment Ponta made to Roger in this thread. What I do object to is that he has went on to quote my words, which are actually critical of Debito, and then had the gall to label me an apologist for the man.

Ponta demands great accuracy from others so I think we are entitled to expect the same from him.

I tend to cut clubs and bars a lot of slack on that – they are in the business of selling atmosphere. While I don’t think they should have a sign on the door saying “Japanese only” or as someone put it above “No Dogs or Irish”, they should be allowed the right to refuse service to anyone and pick and choose their clientele. Ultimately, they will do what makes their business successful. In any big city there are any number of “gaijin bars”, for example, and they cater to that crowd as it makes them successful. Not a few Japanese are uncomfortable in those bars, sometimes because they can’t speak English and sometimes because they just don’t like the atmosphere (hell, I’m a foreigner and I often don’t like the atmosphere one bit). True, the management doesn’t say Japanese can’t come in, but if they aren’t feeling welcome or comfortable they’ll go where they do feel so. As will the foreigners.

Debito seems to think disreputable establishments with “Japanese only” signs are a “big deal” – I think he’s just fighting for his “right” to play with the Filipina dancing girls and doing absolutely nothing for the advancement of foreigners’ rights in Japan by going after those places. But hey – that’s me. I can’t see the point of paying a lot of bucks to have some bimbette pour overpriced beer into a tiny glass while making inane conversation. But I have seen a couple of those “Japanese Only” signs, and they have always only ever been on bars/clubs. I have never seen a restaurant or any other shop with one on them. Not even an onsen or sento (in person, I have seen the pics on his blog). Wouldn’t matter anyway – I have tattoos, and so am not welcomed in many places as it is, and wouldn’t be even if I was Japanese.

I’m in the habit of using word like “ridiculous” when I see claims like yours which fit the description. I use the word “hysterical” when you respond to my criticisms by arguing that I am “promoting a negative image of gaijin” with my “emotionalism against a native Japanese”. Those words are fit for purpose.

相手に「馬鹿」という人が、なんでそんな言葉を使うの？と聞かれて、「お前がその言葉に適合するし、そして、お前がいったようなことを言う人にはヒステリー！」って叫んでしまう癖があるんだああああ！」って、これ説明になっていませんよ、ハリーさん。

日本の警察や裁判所についての必要以上に悪を誇張したり、誤った情報を与えれば、祖国の制度や日本の制度にも詳しくない、外国出身の若者にに日本での生活に恐怖心を植え付けるでしょうし、外国人強姦犯人を意図的に事実を隠蔽して、日本人被害者女性の実名まで公表し、さらに嘘つきよばわりするようなブログを日本人の青少年に恐怖感を植え付ける、と私は考える。
あなたが違うと思えば、事実が違うのか、恐怖心を植え付けないと考えるならその論拠をいえばいいわけです。

そのように当該ブログを批判すると「ヒステリー！！！」などと議論になっていないような感情表現では、外人のイメージを損ねますよ、と言っている。いや、損ねない、というなら、「損ねない」と言えばいい。

That Ponta seemed like a reasonable man who would come down off his high horse from time to time. I’m not keen on this dishonest Ponta who says that I am an apologist for Debito and won’t retract the claim even though the statement above shows that he knew it wasn’t the case then and knows it isn’t true now.

そりゃあ、そうでしょう。
それ以降のあなたの感情的論述をみれば・・・羅列すべきですか？

もし、あなたがご自身の言葉に誠実であるならば、標的を間違っている。
あなたは、Debito’s penchant for exaggeration and error”と有道氏のブログの致命的欠陥を認識するものの、彼を取り上げることは彼に重要性を与えることだから、よくない、というお立場でしょう。

で、あれば、例えば、Japan Podshowが彼を取り上げたとき、「おいおい、あんな誇張と誤謬だらけのことをいう奴を取り上げるのは、よくないよ」と向こうにいうべきでした。

それもしない。
インタービューでの誤謬も取り上げない。
やるのは、有道氏のブログを批判するたびにでてきて、感情的な言葉を吐くだけ。
どこで、批判しているか、という問いにも答えない。（ついでに、どこで日本語で議論したのか、という問いにも答えていませんけど、どこでしたっけ？）
ぼくは以前に、有道氏のような排外的で、嘘や誤解を与える情報を与えたり、その訂正を拒否するブログではなく、在日外人さんに役立つ情報を提供したり、議論するサイトを作ったらどうですか？ぼくは、お手伝いしますよ、という趣旨のことをいった。
それにも乗ってこない。

（因みに、ハリーさんにやる気があればぼくはいまでもお手伝いしますよ。「○○ハリーさんとニコニコpontaさんの在日外人に優しいウェッブ、とか、なんとかというタイトルで、サブタイトルには、反対意見歓迎、ハリーさんがときどき怒りますけど、ブロックはしません、とかなんとか、書いて・・・・英語の下手なpontaくんと、日本語が書けないハリーさんが協力して）

　あれ以降、こうした事情から、その言葉とは裏腹に、有道氏の手法を間接的に支持している、と思わざる得ない。

Japan soc も取り上げています。
ここでAlex氏やKen Y-N氏らが正当な批判をしている。

こうした正当な批判があれば、ぼくは安心する。

ところが、祖国の制度や実態のこともあまり知らない、日本のこともあまり知らない有道氏のブログの読者の若者が、そもそももっていただろう日本に対する偏見と相俟って、orientalismの教材にしたいようなコメントもでてくる。

相変わらず親衛隊のような人もいるようですが、ハリーさんがそこまでなっているとは思いません。

どうです？ハリーとポンタの楽しいウェブーー在日外人さんのための情報と議論の場ーー作って見ませんか？英語が下手なポンタと日本語が書けないハリーの名コンビじゃないですかね？　外国人参政権や重国籍、賃貸差別の問題など、嘘コメントの訂正も拒否するブログじゃ、適切な情報はえられないでしょう。

それとも、こうした有道氏の手法に対する批判がでるたびに、「ヒステリー、バーカ」と罵倒し続けますか？

そういえば、ハリー氏を出人氏のapologisitと暗示したことについて、ひどく憤慨され、謝罪をしてもらいたいようですね。

結構、あなたが、誠実に私の問いに答え、そうでないと証明していただければ、謝罪しましょう。（ところで、あなたがした私に対する数々の誤った形容についても謝罪するおつもりなのかしら？）

Roger
I am fully aware that you like Japan. And I think people like you should speak up, talk to Japanese in Japanese, and have fierce but rational discussions with them. That is the only way Japan can change as you hope.
I cannot speak about Scandinavia because I don’t know much about it, but reading news articles about Europe and the U.S. I don’t think the xenophobia is much stronger in Japan than in Europe and the U.S. Reading an article, for instance, about how Brits in a town with little history of accepting immigrants, I find the similar mixed feeling among the local people toward immigrants/foreingers. And there are some European countries that seem much worse than Japan in veiw of xenophobia.
Or it might be that they are applles and oranges. Their histories of immigration are different.
My opinion is that it is often useless to talk about Europe in general and compare it with Japan and claim which is better, Japan is “unique” etc.

“Have you ever tried getting into a hostess bar in say for instance, Kabuki Cho?”
No, I’m only 18.

“Chances are higher that you will be denied entry than being allowed to get in.”
Probably, I’m 18.

“I would say that with no exaggeration that at least 50% of all hostess bars in Japan deny gaijins entry.”
Unless you have data to back this claim up, anecdotal evidence doesn’t hold up well in debates.

I thought he did?

「そして、こうした有道氏に対する批判に”ヒステリカル”に反発しているだけでは、apologistと言わざる得ないでしょう、ハリーさん。」

I only skimmed through your writings on Debito, but “On why Ponta is wrong to exaggerate Debito’s importance:” caught my attention. I think that Ponta meant that Debito seems to be spreading exaggerations and sometimes lies about Japan on the English Blogosphere giving the impression that Japan is a worse place than it actually is. People who have never been to japan and rely on the internet for information on the country could get the wrong or exaggerated impression of Japan spreading the seeds of further misunderstanding and hatred, and thus should be somehow countered. Or…at least that’s the impression I got from Ponta’s posts, correct me if I’m wrong.

“many” is a subjective term, therefore, your claim that”many Japanese only signs in Japan” is a fact, is inherently flawed.

I am happy to do so for you because you are not familiar with the exchanges we have had. Ponta doesn’t deserve a similar reply since he has already seen these statements cince most were made in direct reply to him. I’d also suggest that if Ponta wants to call me an apologist for Debito then the onus is on him to show how. However, here is what I have written about Debito for you to draw your own conclusions. All of the following can be found in exchanges on Japan Probe, Apologies to James for the repetition.

“Debito is a troubled man who claims to be an activist but has no activist agenda. He doesn’t act, he reacts. He wants an anti-discrimination law because he can then tell people what they are doing wrong instead of spending his time now telling people how to do things right. Do I hate Debito? Of course not. He’s an idiot because he doesn’t know what he is fighting for. He claims he doesn’t have time to reply to his critics but he’s the kind of small-minded guy who can’t resist wanting to respond to every last criticism. He has no sense of perspective which means he has loses all credibility.”

In reply to Ponta’s contention that I am promoting a negative image of gaijin by criticizing his claims:

“You seem determined to draw broad conclusions about groups based on one individual’s comments. That’s the kind of idiocy Debito deals in and by writing that comment you have made yourself look as ridiculous as him.”

On Debito’s “assistance”:

“I don’t think I overestimate Debito’s ‘helping hand’ because I’m very doubtful about the help he offers…One of my complaints about Debito is that he is almost completely unaware of the work done [by other foreign] communities unless the Japan Times happens to carry an article about it…When looking at the complaints people take to Debito, some of them seem like they can be solved by giving the complainer a hug while others look like they need serious legal firepower. One problem with Debito is that he isn’t really equipped properly to deal with either.”

On why Ponta is wrong to exaggerate Debito’s importance:

“I am quite confident that most Japanese people have never heard of Debito, let alone read his books and articles. Any Japanese who do bother are probably more internationalized than the average citizen because he writes almost exclusively in English. Consequently, they are unlikely to allow any distaste they might have for what he says to colour their views of foreigners in general…Can I recommend you simply ignore the man? If everyone who rushed to condemn him in the blogosphere would do so then fewer people would know he existed. All you are doing by attributing any significance to what he writes is helping to increasing his audience. Perhaps if Debito was starved of this attention and genuinely wanted to improve the position of foreigners in Japan then he would have to do something concrete which might be worth acknowledging. Or he might just carry on in his current vein in which case ignoring him would also make for a good long term plan.”

“I’m well aware of your efforts to counter Debito. Not least because you refer to them almost every time you mention the man which is an unhealthy amount and points towards a worrying obsession on your part. That is another reason why you should consider ignoring him. I know very well Debito’s penchant for exaggeration and error. I encountered him in usenet groups well before he appeared on your radar screen and, if I think it will affect his thinking or that of his audience, then I will take him to task. I’ve done so in the past and also quite recently. I don’t need any validation from you. What I won’t do is make outrageous claims about his influence on relations between Japanese and non-Japanese which you are prone to do. You insult the intelligent and reasonable members of both communities by doing so.”

“Why on earth would you imagine that I would be interested in setting up a separate website to correct Debito’s errors? That would be to confer on him an importance which he doesn’t have in my life and shouldn’t have in yours. The fact you suggest it indicates that you have missed my point. Don’t get bogged down in refuting such a minor figure. It’s your prerogative to work yourself up into a lather over Debito but I’m convinced that the relentless negativity it entails is causing you to lose all sense of proportion. Why let Debito set the agenda by constantly responding to him? Why not ignore him completely and set your own agenda? You’ll find ploughing your own furrow a much more rewarding enterprise. It should also help reaffirm your faith in others which appears to be wavering dangerously.”

Fact! There are many Japanese only signs in Japan. Most of them are in the entertainment/nigh life establishment. Hostess bars, brothels, but also onsens, sento, apartments, houses, and various bars, restaurants.

On this web page though I might come across as someone who has lots of anger towards Japan but that is not really the case. I really do like Japan a lot. I enjoy visitng the place and I enjoy living there. I was born and raised in Japan so I concider Japan to be my home country. And because I do like Japan I also have strong opinions about Japan. Though Japan is a good place for me, I also see many things which can be done to improve the country and one of them in my opinion is to let go of the xenophobia which is in my view much stronger in Japan than say for instance in Scandinavia.

We Japanese-Americans are “American when it comes to nationality, but we aren’t really “American” ethnically. The only ethnically American people are the indigenous north Americans that were here before the vikings and other Europeans came.

To me, at least at the moment, you seem to be the more “hysterical” or “ridiculous” person, since you seem overly defensive without anything to back up your claims and consistently ignore ponta’s questions.

It seems you are unwilling to offer an apology. I’m not sure if I should believe one anyway since you may recall we’ve been down this road before already when you wrote:

“Harry’s post make it clear he is well-intentioned man who is willing to help communication between Japanese and non-Japanese, and he see some flaws in Debito’s activism quite accurately. I misunderstood. Harry, I am sorry.”

That Ponta seemed like a reasonable man who would come down off his high horse from time to time. I’m not keen on this dishonest Ponta who says that I am an apologist for Debito and won’t retract the claim even though the statement above shows that he knew it wasn’t the case then and knows it isn’t true now.

Nice try at Nihonjinron, but wrong. US green card holders are required to carry their green card on their person at all times. And they are required to show the card on demand by an immigration agent. Everywhere else in the world I have traveled I was told to keep my passport on me at all times, as the visa stamp was proof that I was in the country legally.

As far as I know, most countries require foreigners to be registered and keep proof of their visa status on their person at all times. It is just common sense.