[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

OKay, a subject that solely started about one word, has branched off and started being about Japan as a whole.

Chachava-san, I think the answer you are looking for is in your opening post. You said the only people who say "gaijin" are non-Japanese. If such a term is considered offensive in Japan, well then, that's your answer.

It would seem to me that if ONLY non-Japanese people are saying it, that is because they apparently only know the word "gaijin" to describe themselves as being a non-Japanese person. That would clearly show their lack of education in the language.

So if people who travels to Japan call themselves "gaijin" and they get weird looks or whatever kind of response to that reply is, then I am sure they will be told to refrain from using such a word from then on. "Oh that's not appropriate anymore, we don't say that." Seeing Japan's high level of respect I am sure someone would tell them.

Also, this is my first time ever hearing that word be described as racist and so on, and I highly doubt it holds the same kind of impact as being called a "Jap" or other highly racist slurs that have been used to downgrade cultures for decades. If it did hold such animosity, I am sure I would of heard of it long ago.

My advice to you, don't travel because if you do, and you go to another country and gt called "foreigner" or "outsider" you might go around and say you were just offended. If Gaijin is offensive, then I am sure every word that means foreigner in any language would be offensive.