mytest
Hi Blog. Arudou Debito here, opening 2007 with another large helping of information you might find interesting. Events don’t take much of a holiday, and an enormous amount of stuff keeps piling up on my blog. I’ll be brief, with excerpts and links. This week’s collation:
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1) DEBITO’S WINTER SCHEDULE–ANYONE WANT ME TO SPEAK SOMEWHERE?
2) US EMBASSY: RANDOM GAIJIN CHECKPOINTS NOW OFFICIAL TOKYO NPA POLICY
3) MAINICHI: FOREIGN CRIME FEARMONGERING AS OFFICIAL GOVT POLICY
4) ASAHI DULLS ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF “GAIJIN IC CARD” ARTICLE
5) FUTURE PM?: LDP KINGPIN MACHIMURA SPEAKS AT MY UNIVERSITY
6) KYODO: GIFU FIRMS EMPLOY FOREIGN CHILDREN “AT PARENTS’ REQUEST”
7) YOMIURI: IMMIG’S “GAIJIN TANKS” VIOLATE U.N. DETENTION GUIDELINES
8) ASIA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY ADDED TO UNIVERSITY BLACKLIST
9) JAPAN IRONICALLY KVETCHES ABOUT FOREIGN CRIME EXTRADITION PROBLEMS
10) ECONOMIST: ALBERTO FUJIMORI UPDATE
11) GREG CLARK IRONICALLY KVETCHES ABOUT IDEOLOGICAL BULLY PULPITING
12) 2 CHANNEL: MAINICHI DOES GANTAN TOKUSHUU
13) “JAPANESE ONLY” SIGN ON OKAZAKI INTERNET CAFE
and finally… I AM NOW OFFICIALLY “ARUDOU DEBITO”
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By Arudou Debito
Real-time blog at http://www.debito.org/index.php
January 4, 2007
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1) DEBITO’S WINTER SCHEDULE–ANYONE WANT ME TO SPEAK SOMEWHERE?
I have some speeches in January and February in the Tokyo and Kansai areas, so if there is anyone out there who would like me to drop by and give a speech, give me a holler at debito@debito.org
JANUARY 24 TO 27: IN TOKYO
I can probably stretch the trip for a few days afterwards.
FEBRUARY 6 TO 14: IN KANSAI AND KYUSHU
Speeches in Nara, Shiga, and Wakayama, then trips to Okayama and Kyushu
FEBRUARY 24 TO MARCH 4: IN TOKYO
for NUGW March in March and Doudou Diene meeting
This way, nobody has to cover any travel expenses getting me out of Hokkaido. Any takers?
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2) US EMBASSY: RANDOM GAIJIN CHECKPOINTS NOW OFFICIAL TOKYO NPA POLICY
Hear ye hear ye, all you goddamn farang guests:
We, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, are going to conduct random Gaijin Card Searches of any Gaijin “visitor” (as opposed to “resident”?) that we see fit. And you’re going to lump it because we think you can’t do anything about it.
Just to make sure that the point gets across, we’ll have the embassies warn you:
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Keep Those Immigration Documents Handy
http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-newsletter20070101.html
The [American] Embassy has been advised that Japanese police and immigration officials are currently conducting random identification inspections in several different areas of Tokyo to ensure that all visitors to Japan possess the appropriate immigration documents. Most inspections occur at or near Tokyo metro stations, and the police are both uniformed and in plain clothes. To all of our customers in Tokyo and beyond, be sure to carry your key documentation with you at all times in the event that you are the subject of an inspection.
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When is that Tokyo Governor’s election again?
PS: What you CAN do about it:
http://www.debito.org/whattodoif.html#gaijincard
Speaking of police policy:
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3) MAINICHI: FOREIGN CRIME FEARMONGERING AS OFFICIAL GOVT POLICY
“SITYS”. See I told you so: As far back as 2000 when this whole thing started (Yes, really. Check out Chapter Three of my book JAPANESE ONLY), I was saying that fear about foreign crime was being artificially generated by policymakers in order to justify more budgetary outlay. A whistleblower agrees:
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Author dismisses government’s fear mongering myth of crime wave by foreigners
MAINICHI DAILY NEWS December 21, 2006
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai/news/20061221p2g00m0dm003000c.html
For years, people like Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara have been up in arms about rising crime rates among foreigners and juveniles in Japan, but one of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s public safety experts has come out to say the claims are groundless, according to Sunday Mainichi (12/31).
Ishihara and his ilk have long laid the blame on foreigners for a perceived worsening of public safety standards that has allowed the powers that be to strengthen and crack down on non-Japanese and teens.
But Hiroshi Kubo, the former head of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Emergency Public Safety Task Force, says… statistical data [is] being used to justify taking a hard line on foreigners and kids…
Kubo says authorities are merely fear mongering, taking statistics that work in their favor and molding them to suit their purposes. National Police Agency data is used the same way as authorities are doing in Tokyo, spreading fear nationwide…
“Say somebody comes out and says ‘foreigners’ violent crimes are all to blame’, then anxious people are going to go along with that. And the national government, prefectural governments, police and the media all jump on the bandwagon and believe what’s being said.”
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Rest at http://www.debito.org/?p=135
SITYS at http://www.debito.org/crimestats.html and
http://www.debito.org/TheCommunity/communityissues.html#police
Speaking of media bandwagoning, especially against people who don’t really have the same means to defend themselves: Is it just me, or does the media in recent weeks look like it’s focussing on foreign crime again? That should cause worry in the foreign communities.
But not to worry–if they don’t read the Japanese-language media. The Asahi even helps make things a bit more palatable for the English-language arena:
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4) ASAHI DULLS TRANSLATION OF “GAIJIN IC CARD” ARTICLE
The Asahi reported on December 19 about proposals to IC Chip all foreign workers. Funny thing is, the English version is entitled “IC cards planned to track ‘Nikkeijin'”.
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IC cards planned to track “nikkeijin”
12/20/2006 THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200612200163.html
The government plans to enhance its system of tracking foreign nationals of Japanese descent by issuing new IC cards containing information controlled by the Justice Ministry’s Immigration Bureau, sources said Tuesday.
The electronic information will include name, date of birth, nationality, address in Japan, family members, and duration and status of stay, the sources said.
The cards will be issued by immigration offices when they grant visas to the foreigners of Japanese ancestry, or nikkeijin.
With the information under its control, the Immigration Bureau will be able to follow changes in the foreign residents’ addresses when they present the IC cards to municipal governments in reporting that they are setting up residence there…
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Rest at http://www.debito.org/?p=134
Meanwhile, the Japanese version is entitled “Gaikokujin ni IC kaado–touroku jouhou no ichigen kanri e seifu gen’an” (“IC Cards for Foreigners–a proposal before the Diet to unify all registered data for administrative purposes”). Sounds quite different, no? Especially in universality of application.
The Japanese version in fact focusses on how it’s going to affect “gaikokujin roudousha” (foreign workers), including any foreigner registered and/or working for a company in Japan. The Japanese version, however, doesn’t even mention “Nikkeijin” until well into the third paragraph, let alone the headline. Odd indeed.
What do you think is going on here? Selective translation to make it seem like this policy will only affect the off-white foreigners? Keep the members of the foreign elite that can’t read Japanese from raising uncomfortable questions when hobnobbing with the Japanese elite?
Both articles blogged on debito.org for your reference. Japanese version was at
http://www.asahi.com/national/update/1219/TKY200612190338.html
but it’s since been deep-sixed (after all, two weeks is dreadfully ancient news, n’est-ce pas?!).
So I blogged it at
http://www.debito.org/?p=133
How about another glimpse of the future:
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5) FUTURE PM?: LDP KINGPIN MACHIMURA SPEAKS AT MY UNIVERSITY
Machimura Nobutaka is now a big cheese in the LDP and in the ruling cliques. Born into a rich family of farmers based in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, he has been elected to the Diet seven times, first from 1983 (albeit almost losing his last election in 2003–see http://www.debito.org/2003electionthoughts.html and page down to the end).
Machimura is a thoroughbred elite. Machimura’s grandfather is called the “Father of Japanese Dairy Farming”. His father was a Hokkaido Governor, a former Lower House Dietmember, and Speaker of the Upper House. Thus born into Kennedy/Rockefeller/Bush Silverspoondom, Nobutaka, a 1969 graduate of Todai’s Economics Department, has served stints at MITI, JETRO, Monbudaijin, Gaimudaijin, and of course many, many more places we were told (by Machimura himself) to take note of. Machimura now has his own faction–the largest in the LDP (http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061020a7.html), which he took over from his rugby buddy, former PM Mori Yoshiro, which means Machimura is in pole position to become PM himself one day
And he came to speak at my university on Monday, December 18, 2006, as one of its’ primary patrons, I realized I would probably sob if he actually got held the reins. My report on that speech at
http://www.debito.org/?p=130
Choice excerpts to whet your appetite:
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Machimura also talked about how proud he is that Japan has finally reformed its Basic Education Law–finally, after no revisions since the end of the war. When he first entered the Diet more than 20 years ago, he wondered why this document foisted upon us after defeat could go so long without changes to reflect our country’s current situations. Now, thanks to his efforts as Education Minister, he saw one of his life’s goals fulfilled two days ago when the Diet passed the bill. Now people can be properly educated about the beauty of and love for our country.
He also tossed out a few gems of advice for our students. My favorite: How we should know Japan’s history or else we won’t be able to talk to foreigners overseas. After all–thanks to his stint being traumatized by classes… at Wesleyan as an exchange student–he indicated his belief that once Japanese go overseas, they must represent Japan as cultural ambassadors. Anything less is “shameful” to our beautiful country.
He finished up with a riff on why Japan deserves a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. After all, Japan is the second-largest donor to the UN, and the Security Council is essentially a cabal of the victors of WWII. Fellow unfortunates Brazil, India, and Germany all banded together last time to try and remedy this situation. Alas, woe is us: Brazil was opposed by Argentina, India by Pakistan, and we Japanese were opposed by that anti-Japan campaigner China. But anyway, we shouldn’t just throw money at situations and expect to be respected. We must get our hands dirty on the world stage.
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I tried to raise a few questions during the Q&A (my hand was the first one up), but I have a feeling the moderator knew who I was and avoided me… Softball questions from sakura (students who were asked in advance to prepare something, I found out later) kept everything nice and unaccountable.
BTW, I do have a DVD of the event. Anyone help me out YouTube-ing it?
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6) KYODO: GIFU FIRMS EMPLOY FOREIGN CHILDREN “AT PARENTS’ REQUEST”
Here we have the ultimate exploitation of foreigners: their children:
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Gifu firms warned on Brazilian child labor
Kyodo News/The Japan Times
Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20061230a1.html
Two temporary job-placement agencies in Gifu Prefecture hired 12 children of Brazilian immigrants of Japanese origin to work in factories in violation of labor laws, officials of the labor ministry’s Gifu bureau said Friday…
The two firms hired 12 boys and girls aged 13 to 15 beginning about February, with the lowest paid receiving 850 yen per hour. The placement companies sent them to factories operated by several Gifu companies, including manufacturers, the officials said…
The firms involved said they knew the ages of the children but hired them at the request of their parents, who were struggling to make a living.
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Full article at http://www.debito.org/?p=140
Caused (if not indirectly justified) by parental guidance and lack of interest in school? How about the responsibility of the lawbreaking employers and headhunters? Not to mention the low wages that are not conducive to raising a family in the first place. The businesses get off easy once again, it seems.
Now let’s look at some more bending of the laws:
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7) YOMIURI: IMMIGRATION’S “GAIJIN TANKS” VIOLATE U.N. DETENTION GUIDELINES
Daily Yomiuri of Dec 22, 2006 reports that two state-run immigration “Gaijin Tanks” (where overstayers await deportation) have no full-time doctor on staff, despite ministerial requirements. This is apparently happening because of “culture and language issues” and “lack of career advancement” (not to mention long hours and low pay).
Yet maintaining adequate medical and health services at detention facilities of any kind is required by the United Nations Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment. Amnesty International called on the GOJ to cough up the cash for conditions if they’re going to detain people like this indefinitely.
Read on for more on the dynamic and the conditions that overstayers face if they get thrown in the Gaijin Tank at:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20061222TDY02004.htm
Blogged at http://www.debito.org/?p=137
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8) ASIA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY ADDED TO UNIVERSITY BLACKLIST
Have just added the 99th university to the Blacklist of Japanese Universities, a website warning the public about limited employment opportunities in Japanese academia:
http://www.debito.org/blacklist.html#apu
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NAME OF UNIVERSITY: Asia Pacific University
(a division of Ritsumeikan University, also blacklisted) (Private)
LOCATION: 1-1 Jumonjibaru, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, 874-8755
EMPLOYMENT ABUSE: Contract employment with caps. And they will enforce them in court. Let’s quote the university:
“In relation to the demand for a preliminary injunction in order to preserve the position outlined in the employment contracts of former full-time Japanese language lecturers originally hired in April of 2002 and who had fulfilled their 4 year period of employment, the Oita District Court (presiding judge: KAMINO Taiichi) handed down its verdict on November 30th, unequivocally dismissing the suit launched by the former lecturers.
The Court in its ruling confirmed that Ritsumeikan, in its efforts to improve language education at APU, was both reasonable and had cause in abolishing the positions within the lecturer system in order to plan for the creation of a new lecturer organization. As to whether the decision to halt the employment of the lecturers was fair and just, the Court ruled that:
1. There was no truth to the allegation that Ritsumeikan, at a Japanese language workshop held in 1999, had indicated that it would endeavor to allow full-time Japanese language lecturers to extend their period of employment should they wish to do so.
2. That it was possible to infer that expectations for a continuation of employment stemmed from the 1999 Japanese language workshop, yet there was no reason for such expectations.
3. That the employment contracts in question (for full-time lecturers) outlined an employment period of 4 years (the period of guaranteed employment), that the contracts provided a period of employment of 1 year, and that although this touched upon Article 14 of the former labor standards law, it was appropriate in this case.
4. That in accordance with the completion of the period of employment, the decision to halt the employment of the former lecturers did not constitute abuse of the right to dismissal.
The Court acknowledged that the response of Ritsumeikan was fair, and thus summarily rejected the former lecturers’ demand.”
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SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Gloating announcement from the university Vice President on the APU website, dated December 25, 2006, indicating that they had vanquished the “former full-time” employees in court. Merry Christmas to you, too.
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Original link here.
http://www.apu.ac.jp/home/modules/news/article.php?storyid=431
In case that disappears, downloadable webarchive here.
http://www.debito.org/APUinjunction010307.webarchive
More employment rights being chipped away as Japanese too get further gaijinized through contracted jobs year after year…
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9) JAPAN IRONICALLY KVETCHES ABOUT FOREIGN CRIME EXTRADITION PROBLEMS
File this article under the “sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander” category.
Nikkan Gendai reports Japan grousing about a situation where foreigners committing crimes in Japan can apparently flee abroad and not be sent back to face justice. This is because Japan has extradition treaties with only two countries (the USA and South Korea):
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Lack of extradition agreements prompting more criminals to flee abroad
Japan Today, December 31, 2006
http://www.japantoday.com/jp/kuchikomi/446
The number of cases involving foreigners who commit crimes in Japan and flee the country to avoid arrest has been rapidly increasing, reports Nikkan Gendai (Dec 27). The most recent incident involved the murder of a 41-year-old Brazilian woman and her two sons, ages 10 and 15, in Yaizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The suspect in the murders, Brazilian Neves Edilson Donizeti, 43, departed from Narita soon after the slayings.
Japanese authorities have advised Interpol that Donizeti is wanted in connection with the crimes. Unfortunately, the chance of Donizeti being apprehended in Brazil and extradited to Japan is virtually nil…
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Rest at http://www.debito.org/?p=146
The article concludes that, “Japan is not a place where foreign criminals typically flee in order to escape arrest for crimes they committed elsewhere.”
Quite. It’s only the Japanese crooks that can flee here and get away with it. The most famous “Japanese” absconder from overseas justice, former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, is a textbook example of how Japan protects its own–even after they turn a country upside down. Back then, the GOJ in its favor then cited the lack of an extradition treaty with Peru. (More on Fujimori in the section immediately below.)
But that’s still hyouzan no ikkaku. How about all the Japanese divorcees of international marriages who abduct children into the safe haven of Japan, even when convicted of crimes overseas? More on that at
http://www.debito.org/?s=Murray+Wood
Sorry, Japan, you can’t have it both ways–make it seem as if the kokutai is a victim of rapacious and sneaky foreigners, then allow exactly the same thing to go on for your own repatriating nationals.
Maybe this development will force Japan to make its own citizens accountable for crimes overseas as well. Then again, I kinda doubt it, given the precedents established by this creep:
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10) ECONOMIST: ALBERTO FUJIMORI UPDATE
Fascinating article in the Dec 13, 2006 Economist (London) newsmagazine, about the emerging international accountability for leaders for crimes against humanity. It mentions Alberto Fujimori, former Peruvian dictator and refugee in Japan, in passing:
“Human-rights law Ending impunity: Pinochet’s involuntary legacy”
The Economist Dec 13th 2006
http://economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8418180
http://www.debito.org/?p=120
I have written at length about this horrible little man in the past. See
http://www.debito.org/japantodaycolumns10-12.html#12
Why do I have it in for Fujimori? Because after he became a source of pride for Japanese for reaching an overseas presidency as Yamato diaspora, the GOJ gave him a safe haven when he defected to Japan in 2000 (faxing his resignation from a Tokyo hotel room!) by instantly declaring him a Japanese citizen. Thus immune from Interpol arrest warrants and Peru’s demands for extradition for trial on murder charges, he lived for years not only the life of a free man, but even as an elite in Japan (he reputedly used Ishihara Shintaro’s beach house, and had an apartment coincidentally in the same complex as Dave Spector). Fujimori thus defied all GOJ conventions dealt the non-Yamatoites, who have to go through regular procedures for refugee or citizenship status (which take years, if ever granted at all). Sources:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20051130a4.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20031119b7.html
Then, after being reissued a Peruvian passport (in violation of Japan’s laws against dual nationality), the fool in November 2005 re-defected back to Chile in a private jet (where one Wide Show reported that he wrote down his citizenship on Chilean Customs forms as “Peruvian”) to declare his candidacy for the April 2006 Peruvian election. He was promptly arrested by Chilean authorities. The Japanese press gave Fujimori some regular pro-Yamato coverage, until rumors surfaced that his newfound young wife, a Japanese “hotel magnate” in Peru running in his place, was actually a Zainichi Korean with underworld connections. Then they clammed up completely when he lost the election quite soundly. Sources:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20051130a4.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20050915a2.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20051109a2.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20060314a2.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20051118a2.html
(No article on the JT site on Fujimori’s defeat, tellingly.)
The Economist, as I said, mentions Fujimori in passing–that Chile’s Supreme Court is considering Peru’s extradition request. Lumping him in with dictators and international crooks in this article is apt. Let’s hope he doesn’t get away with it.
His crony Vladimiro Montesinos was snagged overseas several years ago with help from the US government, and is currently doing time in Peruvian clink. Japan, in contrast, clearly “protects its own” no matter what–especially if the crook has friends in high places.
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11) GREG CLARK IRONICALLY KVETCHES ABOUT IDEOLOGICAL BULLY PULPITING
Bit of a surprise to find this Letter to the Editor regarding old Gregory Clark and his ranting ways. Especially since I’ve been such a target of them in the past (as the letter alludes):
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Japan Times, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2006
READERS IN COUNCIL: As alike as they are different
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/rc20061203a1.html
By A.E. LAMDON, Nishinomiya, Hyogo
Regarding Gregory Clark’s Nov. 20 article, “Ideological laundry unfurled”: While Yoshihisa Komori’s ideological bullying is deplorable, it is ironic that Clark complains about it. “Rightwing,” “right-leaning,” “besmirch,” “notorious,” “snide,” “sinister,” “fulminating,” “atrocities”–such flaming rhetoric lights up yet another Clark column as he rails against yet another target of his. Clark regularly uses his column (and letters to the editor) to verbally firebomb those targets, a good and ironic example being the case of Debito Arudou.
It is ironic because Clark’s fulminations about Arudou’s campaign against a “no-gaijin” bathhouse were noted by certain circles of Japanese society and resulted in unpleasant consequences for Arudou and his associates–the same sort of consequences that Clark claims he is the victim of now.
Although of opposite wings, Clark and Komori are essentially alike: They use their journalistic billets as bully pulpits to rant against those with whom they disagree. It was just a matter of time before they were exchanging fire.
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LETTER ENDS
I promise I had nothing to do whatsoever with this letter. Still, I’m glad somebody out there is ready with a critical eye to draw attention to the ironies and hypocrisies of Gregory Clark, a man who should have been retired long ago from writing any column for the Japan Times.
More on this mysterious and extremely stripey character:
http://www.debito.org/PALEspring2000.html
http://www.debito.org/onsensclarkjtimes122599.html
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12) 2 CHANNEL: MAINICHI DOES GANTAN TOKUSHUU
The story about all the social damage done by the world’s largest internet BBS, 2-Channel, and the diffident ways of Administrator Nishimura Hiroyuki (background at http://www.debito.org/?p=66 ), still has legs.
The January 1st Mainichi Shinbun offered a huge special article on Nishimura and those who have suffered damage thanks to his negligence. I was interviewed for the article as well, so have a look. For the time being, it’s still only in Japanese, but FYI:
http://www.debito.org/?p=148
http://www.debito.org/?p=147
The more articles on this, the better. Clearly something needs to be done legislatively. People like Nishimura cannot just keep ignoring court decisions, or else what’s the point of a judiciary?
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13) “JAPANESE ONLY” SIGN ON OKAZAKI INTERNET CAFE
I made a revision two weeks ago to the “Rogues’ Gallery” of Exclusionary Establishments–places nationwide which explicitly restrict or forbid foreign customers entry.
http://www.debito.org/roguesgallery.html
The 22nd municipality found yet so far is from Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture. An Internet cafe, of all things:
Internet Cafe “Dragon BOZ”
Aichi-shi Kakemachi Amigasa 5-1
Photo of the sign at http://www.debito.org/roguesgallery.html#Okazaki
Timeline of events blogged at http://www.debito.org/?p=117
I gave Dragon BOZ a call and got their justification: In early December, somebody (they don’t know who) used their computers to do some inappropriate accessing of mailing lists (fusei akusesu). The manager didn’t go into detail, and their conclusion that it involved a foreigner was based upon the fact the lists were in English, French, and Portuguese. Thanks to that miscreant, Dragon BOZ’s IP is blacklisted on that particular domain.
They instituted a “no-foreigners rule” for about a week, before they realized on their own that refusing foreigners a) affected their business from foreign patrons, and b) was unfair to all the other foreign customers, who had nothing to do with the actions of this particular person.
Then they rescinded the exclusionary rule, and instead instituted a membership system to register and keep accountable all customers, regardless of nationality.
That’s it. Case closed. I’m satisfied with the result. I told the manager that I was pleased that he came to these conclusions on his own, and thanked him for his conscientiousness.
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and finally… I AM NOW OFFICIALLY “ARUDOU DEBITO”
My paperwork came through right at the end of the year: My koseki (Family Registry) has been changed, and I am now as of the start of 2007 officially “ARUDOU Debito”, sans “Sugawara”. That means I have in my life gone through an unusual FOUR name changes. I’ll tell you more about that in a special report coming up sometime in the next couple of weeks…
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Thanks, as always, for reading!
Arudou Debito, Sapporo, Japan
debito@debito.org, http://www.debito.org
DEBITO. ORG NEWSLETTER JANUARY 4, 2007 ENDS
