What do you think about the Japanese approach towards multiculturalism
Scroll to see replies
Original post by SubAtomic
Really? That is mad. Is that due to them believing women are not important
? What causes this mentality?
Sorry for all the questions but have never heard this before.
Sounds horrible for women over there if this is the case.
Really? That is mad. Is that due to them believing women are not important? What causes this mentality? Sorry for all the questions but have never heard this before.
Sounds horrible for women over there if this is the case.
People here have a really messed up idea of any country outside Britain. Just because their football fans clean up after themselves and Japanese people bow to one another does not mean that it is a Utopian society. Sure, Japan is a polite society and there is a culture of honesty - but that's not the whole story.
Criminal Justice in Japan is a joke. Basically, there is no such thing as trial by jury and all trials are decided by a judge, who always finds you guilty. Additionally, serious crimes only generally get to court when there is overwhelming evidence of guilt - otherwise they just don't bother.
As for the sexual offences - some cities in Japan have female-only train carriages because groping is so prevalent on public transport. Certainly in Tokyo and Osaka they have them. Most young women in Japan have had this happen to them - they even have a specific word for it in the language.
The surveys carried out internally and externally would be considered the end of the world in Britain. There have been results like: 7% of Japanese women reported having been raped "at least once". Another survey of nearly 700 women in Tokyo had 60% of respondents reporting some kind of sexual assault.
Only sexual offences by foreigners are really taken seriously. Apart from the fact that almost all general crime is blamed on Chinese immigrants, it was only high profile rape cases by American servicemen that caused the Japanese authorities to take any notice whatsoever. In the past, Japanese MPs had publicly said things like "Boys who gang rape are in good shape", and an American woman that had been raped was encouraged not to press charges against the offender as it "was his first offence, and he looked after his mum well".
Original post by Clip
In the past, Japanese MPs had publicly said things like "Boys who gang rape are in good shape", and an American woman that had been raped was encouraged not to press charges against the offender as it "was his first offence, and he looked after his mum well".
Wow, that is so bad, don't really know what to say. I know little of what goes on in other countries and it would seem ignorance is bliss for the time being.
Would have thought somewhere like Japan would have more disciplined people with respect for women.
Learn something new and bad going on every bloody day.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by SubAtomic
I know little of what goes on in other countries and it would seem ignorance is bliss for the time being.
At least you're honest about it.
The average Japanese is 46 years old (38 in the UK, 32 in China). Increasingly what you look onto in the shotengai or strap-hanging on the subway is a sea of grey and white haired heads, where once it would have been jet black. The typeface on menus in chain restaurants has been growing bigger year on year because of failing eyesight. This is a geriatric society.
Couple that with the fact of Japan's having the lowest birthrate in the world, lower than that in China where there is a one-child policy, and you see that Japan has a ticking demographic timebomb. The fact that they live longer than anyone else is only going to exacerbate the problem when the retirees massively outnumber those in work.
Consciously or otherwise, Japan's 'response' to the looming demographic crisis has for decades been research and development in robotics. They're in a race against time now, to develop the robots before they need the workers or to prime the population for a substantial inlfux of immigrants before their society stops being an attractive destination. Chinese would move there now,...but 20 years from now?
Couple that with the fact of Japan's having the lowest birthrate in the world, lower than that in China where there is a one-child policy, and you see that Japan has a ticking demographic timebomb. The fact that they live longer than anyone else is only going to exacerbate the problem when the retirees massively outnumber those in work.
Consciously or otherwise, Japan's 'response' to the looming demographic crisis has for decades been research and development in robotics. They're in a race against time now, to develop the robots before they need the workers or to prime the population for a substantial inlfux of immigrants before their society stops being an attractive destination. Chinese would move there now,...but 20 years from now?
The Japanese just don't know what to do with foreigners, bless them. For 200 years the country was completely shut off and the only foreigners in the country were kept well at arms length. Not much has changed. Japan is more backward than people realise in many ways.
A little old lady I came across in Osaka warned me not to talk to any Chinese or Koreans, because they'd try to swindle me! Many of the people I meet also breathe a sigh of relief when they realise I'm not an American tourist and they don't have to try and speak English.
I am currently one of that 0.6% of 'other' ethnic groups in Japan, and I'm the type of foreigner that they like: ie. educated, a native English speaker, and I speak Japanese. Even I have a few every day problems eg. when renting a car, they were more troubled by the fact I didn't have my passport than wanting to see my driving license...
I think they'll find in a couple more decades time, that they don't have enough people to support their dangerously growing elderly population. Maybe by that time, they'll be forced to open up more to foreigners. Thanks to the level of education there are also few people to take jobs known as the 3 Ks - 'kitanai, kiken, kitsui' (dirty, dangerous, difficult), many of which are currently taken by 'invisible' Chinese workers ie. short-term workers who are expected to return to their home country after a few years. If they allow more immigration, they will also inevitably have to make it easier for immigrants to settle long-term.
A little old lady I came across in Osaka warned me not to talk to any Chinese or Koreans, because they'd try to swindle me! Many of the people I meet also breathe a sigh of relief when they realise I'm not an American tourist and they don't have to try and speak English.
I am currently one of that 0.6% of 'other' ethnic groups in Japan, and I'm the type of foreigner that they like: ie. educated, a native English speaker, and I speak Japanese. Even I have a few every day problems eg. when renting a car, they were more troubled by the fact I didn't have my passport than wanting to see my driving license...
I think they'll find in a couple more decades time, that they don't have enough people to support their dangerously growing elderly population. Maybe by that time, they'll be forced to open up more to foreigners. Thanks to the level of education there are also few people to take jobs known as the 3 Ks - 'kitanai, kiken, kitsui' (dirty, dangerous, difficult), many of which are currently taken by 'invisible' Chinese workers ie. short-term workers who are expected to return to their home country after a few years. If they allow more immigration, they will also inevitably have to make it easier for immigrants to settle long-term.
I don't think Britain is multiethnic enough. It's still too white.
We do though, have 22% of our primary school children not white, so I suppose in a sense thats progress.
We do though, have 22% of our primary school children not white, so I suppose in a sense thats progress.
Original post by SubAtomic Wow, that is so bad, don't really know what to say.
I know little of what goes on in other countries and it would seem ignorance is bliss for the time being.
Would have thought somewhere like Japan would have more disciplined people with respect for women.
Learn something new and bad going on every bloody day.
Wow, that is so bad, don't really know what to say. I know little of what goes on in other countries and it would seem ignorance is bliss for the time being.
Would have thought somewhere like Japan would have more disciplined people with respect for women.
Learn something new and bad going on every bloody day.
It's a non sequitur, and something of a stereotype I might add. Being a disciplined and ordered group (which is pretty much fact) has nothing to do with the way the Japanese treat women. In fact, historically the opposite is true.
The Germans are framed as being highly organised and efficient. This didn't mean that they didn't commit atrocities during the War. In fact, the hallmark of the Holocaust was the industrialization of murder - exacerbated by the bureaucracy and efficiency which supported it.
No different from the Japanese. They are highly organized and disciplined. During the war, the regimented and formalized rape. Tens of thousands of women from all annexed nations were systematically forced into regulated sex slavery. This wasn't the same as a few renegade soldiers out on their own folly, or even formal orders to use rape as a weapon (as has been evidenced in Africa - most recently claimed in the dying days of the Gaddafi regime); but the actual integration of mass rape into the machinery of government and the armed forces.
By European or American standards, the Japanese attitude toward sex is extremely unusual - a cross between incredibly inhibited and incredibly liberated. In Britain, what we consider "harder" pornography would not generally be allowed in Japan for whatever public policy reasons. On the other hand, what is perfectly acceptable to them would be absolutely unthinkable here. Over there, if something is depicted in the medium of animation, it's kind of considered fair game - so it would be perfectly ok to produce and sell sex dolls depicting a cartoon character who was obviously or impliedly underage.
The good thing about Japan i would say is that Foreigners are classed the same. Doesnt matter if you are white or black or brown.
The thing they dont like about foreigners is that most of them dont try to learn about the language or the culture. Everyone that goes there teaches english. I know someone who has a Degree in Civil Engineering but teaches english there and still doesnt know how to speak fluent japanese after 4/5 years there. How are they supposed to like you when you dont make an effort.
thats why they always assume foreigners are teachers and can only speak english.
I dont think they like american soldiers much especially in Okinawa. There were these american soldiers that abducted a little girl and raped her a long while back. For the chinese immigrants, its a sorry case. Both countries dont like each other. They still fight till today and i belive they are currently arguing about who owns a couple of islands off the coast of taiwan.
I personally would like to live there because they are at the forefront of technology but i have mixed feelings about doing so. there are many mixed stories about the country both good and bad.
The thing they dont like about foreigners is that most of them dont try to learn about the language or the culture. Everyone that goes there teaches english. I know someone who has a Degree in Civil Engineering but teaches english there and still doesnt know how to speak fluent japanese after 4/5 years there. How are they supposed to like you when you dont make an effort.
thats why they always assume foreigners are teachers and can only speak english.
I dont think they like american soldiers much especially in Okinawa. There were these american soldiers that abducted a little girl and raped her a long while back. For the chinese immigrants, its a sorry case. Both countries dont like each other. They still fight till today and i belive they are currently arguing about who owns a couple of islands off the coast of taiwan.
I personally would like to live there because they are at the forefront of technology but i have mixed feelings about doing so. there are many mixed stories about the country both good and bad.
Original post by Sharpshooter
I don't think Britain is multiethnic enough. It's still too white.
We do though, have 22% of our primary school children not white, so I suppose in a sense thats progress.
We do though, have 22% of our primary school children not white, so I suppose in a sense thats progress.
Either you're a troll or very ignorant.
In a sense actually, it is progress. Because more British people will realise what the hell is going on in their own country.
Original post by VeniViciVidi
And the fact that they don't need immigrants as their country's economy is pretty much homegrown expert-led.
It's wrong to say Japan has not received an influx of immigrants. When Japan needed workers when the economy was doing well they encouraged Japanese-descended immigrants from Brazil to work there. There are over 300,000 Japanese-Brazilians in Japan alone.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by The_Last_Melon
It seems they're not approaching it at all which is obviously foolish. Multiculturalism is the way forward even if it's painful to start with.
What does that even mean 'the way forward'?
I.e. Europe becoming less European is 'the way forward'?
Original post by someguy113
It's wrong to say Japan has not received an influx of immigrants. When Japan needed workers when the economy was doing well they encouraged Japanese-descended immigrants from Brazil to work there. There are over 300,000 Japanese-Brazilians in Japan alone.
I didn't say that Japan has not received an influx of immigrants. Their immigration policy is more of naturalization then of admittance. Hence, the Japanese-Brazilians workers are 'guest-workers' until they are naturalized. This accounts to, however, less than 1% of the population.
Original post by Time Tourist
What does that even mean 'the way forward'?
I.e. Europe becoming less European is 'the way forward'?
I.e. Europe becoming less European is 'the way forward'?
Learning from other cultures is the only reasonable way to be. There's this thing called mutualism...
Original post by VeniViciVidi
I didn't say that Japan has not received an influx of immigrants. Their immigration policy is more of naturalization then of admittance. Hence, the Japanese-Brazilians workers are 'guest-workers' until they are naturalized. This accounts to, however, less than 1% of the population.
I was just responding to your point about Japan not needing immigrants. Your math is off though. It's more like 3% of the population.
Original post by someguy113
I was just responding to your point about Japan not needing immigrants. Your math is off though. It's more like 3% of the population.
You're right, my maths is off.
350,000/128,057,352 * 100 = 0.2% of the population being Brazilian-Japanese workers.
1.5% are of different ethnic origin all together.
(edited 12 years ago)
Ah, right you are. I missed a zero out somewhere.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by The_Last_Melon
It seems they're not approaching it at all which is obviously foolish. Multiculturalism is the way forward even if it's painful to start with.
Why is multiculturalism 'the way forward'? All I've ever seen it do is promote division and intolerance.
Original post by The_Last_Melon
Learning from other cultures is the only reasonable way to be. There's this thing called mutualism...
One can learn from other cultures without multiculturalism. For example, th advent of curry's popularity in Britain. Curry came to Britain in the 1950s and 60s, and we learnt from it. However, was this during a multicultural time? No: the people who immigrated to here largely absorbed British culture - hence why third and fourth generation immigrants are generally much more British culturally. Multiculturalism causes revolutionary change, not evolutionary change, which is what people are comfortable with.
Original post by Sharpshooter
I don't think Britain is multiethnic enough. It's still too white.
We do though, have 22% of our primary school children not white, so I suppose in a sense thats progress.
We do though, have 22% of our primary school children not white, so I suppose in a sense thats progress.
Why is it 'progress'? Surely it doesn't matter what ethnicity people are?
Japan is facing an unprecedented labour shortage in part due to this policy. I don't really have an opinion as to whether it's a good or bad idea but there are certainly consequences of reducing the influx of young, working age immigrants within the framework of an aging population.
Equally however Japan is bursting with people so maybe they just don't have enough room.
Equally however Japan is bursting with people so maybe they just don't have enough room.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Do Japanese/ Korean girls like Indian/ Pakistan/ Bangladesh guys?
- BA Chinese/BA Korean
- King's or Queen Mary for Insurance Choice?
- I do BA Japanese at SOAS, AMA
- What is it like studying psychology at uni of Leicester?
- Cambridge Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) Students and Applicants
- Anyone here a native Japanese speaker?
- UoL room swap 23/24
- How to handle people assuming
- University application with 3 alevels
- Do I go to Liverpool or Leeds?
- UCL BASc Arts and Sciences 2023 offer holders
- Is the University of birmingham offer calculator accurate from experience?
- Japanese studies/ linguistics at Newcastle
- Japanese Studies at University
- How to improve my application
- Winter 2024 Anime Preview
- What to submit for AMES written work?
- Where to study Japanese in UK? Help!!
- Autumn 2023 Anime Preview
Latest
Trending
Last reply 1 day ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 2 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 2 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 2 weeks ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?Trending
Last reply 1 day ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 2 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 2 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 2 weeks ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?
