Being black in Japan

[MMM]

Originally Posted by mercedesjin

Perceptions of black people in Japan, in my experience, aren't exactly positive. Japan's idea of black people are based off of foreign country's ideas, which of course will be racist. I've seen TV shows and music videos where the only black characters are villains wielding guns, or maids and servants.

Racist images such as blackface and golliwogg dolls are also sometimes pretty popular in some parts of Japan. I don't think this is vindictive racism, I think that this is just innocent ignorance because not enough information is available teaching the history of blacks around the world - which is WHY you, a person of African descent, should go.

Racism is whereever you want to find it. In the case of Japan please don't mix up racism and ignorance. Blacks were never enslaved there, so some of the images appropriated from the American and other media that is used (i.e. black face) isn't intended to offend because in Japan it isn't offensive. Where this is a sensitive point to you, you might just as easily offend a Japanese person by, say, walking into their house with your shoes on. It doesn't mean you are racist, just being ignorant.

That distinction is important.

[mercedesjin]

Originally Posted by MMM

Racism is whereever you want to find it. In the case of Japan please don't mix up racism and ignorance. Blacks were never enslaved there, so some of the images appropriated from the American and other media that is used (i.e. black face) isn't intended to offend because in Japan it isn't offensive. Where this is a sensitive point to you, you might just as easily offend a Japanese person by, say, walking into their house with your shoes on. It doesn't mean you are racist, just being ignorant.

That distinction is important.

Like I said before:

I don't think this is vindictive racism, I think that this is just innocent ignorance because not enough information is available teaching the history of blacks around the world...

[MMM]

Originally Posted by mercedesjin

Like I said before:

I don't think this is vindictive racism, I think that this is just innocent ignorance because not enough information is available teaching the history of blacks around the world...

I am sorry, I wasn't trying to correct you, but expand on what you had said.

[charosian]

Originally Posted by MMM

Racism is whereever you want to find it. In the case of Japan please don't mix up racism and ignorance. Blacks were never enslaved there, so some of the images appropriated from the American and other media that is used (i.e. black face) isn't intended to offend because in Japan it isn't offensive. Where this is a sensitive point to you, you might just as easily offend a Japanese person by, say, walking into their house with your shoes on. It doesn't mean you are racist, just being ignorant.

That distinction is important.

I agree, Japan doesn't have the same racial history as America and some other Western countries.
To the OP, read some blogs written by blacks that are in Japan,
Gaijinsmash.net
tommyinjapan.blogspot.com/

has some info about daily life and all that.

and some youtube vids: YouTube - RACISM in JAPAN!　日本の差別の話 P 1/2

also, you can start reading my blog in late July, when I move to Japan.

[HikariTenrai]

Racism only exists in the head. Be it true or not, WE can convert it into something esle. I say we because it is potential for almost anyone to experience racism. It depends if we allow it to affect us or reflect it unto them. People are afraid of something that is different. In Japan, they are curious instead and would even be excited to meet someone different or even if you're green skinned. If you're green skinned in america, you will be considered an Alien.
What i suggest is to go to japan, be happy, be a gaijin (cos we are after all rofl) and be yourself. And i'm not just speaking to the guy who started this thread but everyone including myself.
Cos ~people are people so why shoudl it beeee..~ (sings that song)

[Yuusuke]

This is something I'll expeirence when i go to japan in a few months

i expect to see some xenophobic and "racist" but for the most part,
i don't think it will happen

[mercedesjin]

Originally Posted by HikariTenrai

Racism only exists in the head.

Um - sorry, I'm a little confused. What do you mean by this?

[ozkai]

Originally Posted by mercedesjin

Um - sorry, I'm a little confused. What do you mean by this?

I think he means the brain!

[Tenchu]

Originally Posted by MMM

Racism is whereever you want to find it. In the case of Japan please don't mix up racism and ignorance. Blacks were never enslaved there, so some of the images appropriated from the American and other media that is used (i.e. black face) isn't intended to offend because in Japan it isn't offensive. Where this is a sensitive point to you, you might just as easily offend a Japanese person by, say, walking into their house with your shoes on. It doesn't mean you are racist, just being ignorant.

That distinction is important.

Yeah, but I still get a kick out of seeing Thais walking around with Nazi swazstika flags on their T-shirts and bike helments...

Yet no one actually knows who Hitler even is here... I wonder if they'd still advertise Nazism if they knew??? Seriously, Thais are on average, dumb... like, celebrating Christmas, but not knowing who Jesus is, or if they do know, they can never guess his birthday... but Christmas IS huge here... anyway...

[charosian]

Originally Posted by Tenchu

Yeah, but I still get a kick out of seeing Thais walking around with Nazi swazstika flags on their T-shirts and bike helments...

Yet no one actually knows who Hitler even is here... I wonder if they'd still advertise Nazism if they knew??? Seriously, Thais are on average, dumb... like, celebrating Christmas, but not knowing who Jesus is, or if they do know, they can never guess his birthday... but Christmas IS huge here... anyway...

Maybe they wear it as a religious symbols or something, the swastika wasn't always used by Nazis. I am sure you know that, or maybe they are just out of their minds.