Wiegert Case of child custody awarded to NJ: In 1984! A precedent, anyway.

Posted on October 9, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

twitter: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. I received this yesterday, and am forwarding this with permission, from a person by the name of James Wiegert, who tells his story of how he received custody of his then 8-year-old son from a Japanese court a quarter century ago as a NJ.

He points out a number of mitigators — the clear and present unreasonableness of the mother (who first said he could have custody and then took it back), his gainful employment in a major company in Japan (and generous offer of a settlement to her), and the fact the son could only have US citizenship (i.e. could only have the citizenship of the father, which was the law at the time),

His wife did receive visitation rights, which Mr Wiegert allowed to be enforced.

Although this case is to me the exception that proves the rule (even he says he’s not sure why he was granted custody), there is indeed a legal precedent for allowing NJ to get custody in court. I hope that NJ parents in proceedings can cite this in order to tip the overwhelming one-sided judicial scales a little more in their favor. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

=================================

Dear Debito san,

In your Japan Times article of 7 October ‘Savoie case shines spotlight on Japan’s “disappeared dads”‘ you said that you’d never heard of a non-Japanese man being granted custody of a child born to him and his Japanese wife by Japanese courts.

Well, now you have.

When my Japanese wife of nine years and I divorced in 1984, officials of the Tokyo Family Court gave me- a Caucasian of US citizenship who was then 41 years old, had lived in Japan for 14 years and spoke Japanese well enough to converse with court officials in Japanese- custody of our eight-year-old son, H.

I was given full legal custody and my former wife once monthly visiting rights.

She lived in Hitachi City in Ibaraki Prefecture where the three us had lived as a family before I moved to Tokyo. She filed suit against me in the Family Court in Mito City, the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, I think it was. Officials of the Tokyo Family Court adjudicated because H was living with me in Tokyo at the time.

I prepared for the court proceedings as best I could and apparently said what I should’ve said because I was given custody of H, but I don’t know why I was, not really. (When I’d been notified that my wife had filed suit against me, I went to the Tokyo Family Court to ask about proceedings there and how to prepare for them, and I consulted a lawyer.)

Some facts mitigated in her favor, and some in mine.

My wife had Japanese citizenship, which was in her favor.

Our son was born at a time when Japanese law specified that children born of marriages where only one parent was of Japanese nationality had to take the nationality of the father, which meant that H had US citizenship, which, perhaps, was in my favor.

My wife had agreed to my taking custody of H and then disagreed with my doing so. Therefore, I took H to Tokyo against my wife’s wishes on a visit to Hitachi City when she was at a neighbor’s house. When I telephoned her from Tokyo to tell her what I’d done, she complained but never came after him, which, probably went against her.

Immediately after taking H to Tokyo, I enrolled him in the local elementary school. I took time off from work to attend PTA meetings and was even elected one of three parents from among those of the children in H’s class at the time to represent the others at school-wide PTA meetings, all of which was in my favor.

I was working as an editor of English language publications at the head office of the then Fuji Electric Company, Ltd.- now Fuji Electric Holdings Company, Ltd. Since that company, and companies related to it like Fujitsu Ltd., is well known, working there was probably in my favor. (My wife was working but I was making more money than she was.)

I agreed to pay my wife one million yen, even after I was given custody of H, and even though I had to cash a life insurance policy to do it, to clear the air, so to speak. That worked in my favor because I wasn’t required to do it. (During the year my wife and I were separated and before we divorced, I’d paid her expenses for once monthly visits to Tokyo to see H and had agreed to pay all his expenses for his visits to Hitachi City to see her after the divorce.)

The panel of three court officials who heard my and my wife’s versions of events was composed of two men and one woman. For her own reasons- which I can only guess at- the woman voiced very vocal support for me. When I said that I regularly attended PTA meetings and had even been elected to represent the parents of the children in H’s class at school-wide PTA meetings, she held me up as a model to the two men on the panel. They looked browbeaten, which I think helped me, though it was the judge who sat in on the final of the three meetings my wife and I had with court officials who decided I’d be given custody of H.

Also, during the year of monthly visits in Tokyo preceding our divorce, my wife never once spoke directly to me. When I spoke to her, she always said: ‘H, tell your father that …’ That put such pressure on H that I eventually refused further meetings, which is why my wife filed suit against me. The woman on the panel of court officials castigated my wife severely for speaking through H as she’d done, which worked very much in my favor.

The lawyer I consulted before Tokyo Family Court proceedings began told me that ‘Court officials will want to know that your son is well taken care of. Convince them that you can do better than she- your wife- can, and you’ll get custody. Fail to do so, and you won’t.’ So, I brought every question asked me and every answer given back to the same question: ‘What about my son?’ And, while I don’t know how much that helped, I think it did indeed help at least a little. At any rate I was given custody, after which my son and I continued to live in Tokyo where I raised him as a single parent while working at Fuji Electric Company, Ltd. (I say ‘I raised him,’ but no one raises a child alone. Friends I made among the parents at H’s school and other neighbors helped out when either H or I were sick, or I had to work late, and my mother came to visit during school summer holidays or H visited with her in the US.)

H and I left Japan together in the summer of 1998 when he was 24 years old. He lives in Maryland in the US now, and keeps in touch with me over the telephone, and with his mother too. She still lives in Hitachi City in Japan. I live in Malta. (My Japan interlude was from the summer of 1970 to the summer of 1998.)

I had permanent residence and, so, could’ve stayed but decided that since H wanted to leave, I’d leave too, even though I knew he wanted to go to the US and I didn’t.

(I lived in Japan for twenty-some-odd years before immigration officials decided I could finally be trusted, as it were, with permanent residence, and even then I needed a guarantor. Which is to say I could be trusted, but I couldn’t, not really. Which disappointed me- really- so I left. Not that there weren’t other reasons for leaving, but that was one of the major ones.

(I very much miss Japanese friends and foods. Of course, I can keep in touch with friends over the internet, but foods … I would love a meal of shimesaba no sashimi, akadashi and nukatsuke no oshinko right now, but I’d have to return to Japan for that. Perhaps for a visit someday …)

Sincerely,
James Wiegert

ENDS

YouTube: right-wing xenophobia: how the rightists will resort to intimidation and even violence to shut people up

Posted on October 7, 2009October 7, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. One thing I’ve noticed in this modern day is how the Internet can get around the press and show you things that editors would rather you not see, as the modus operandi of certain elements within Japan’s debate arena is embarrassing and hypocritical (especially when you expect the image of perpetual calm and civility in Japan’s “safe society”).

Not when you take it to the streets. Demonstrators here are pretty nasty when they’re expressing xenophobic views.

For example, this demo against giving the Zainichis the vote in local elections.

All one person on the sidewalk had to do is hold up an A4-sized piece of paper offering a mild counter opinion, and the crowd attacked. And the police took their time intervening, to be sure.

Same thing happened in a scene in the movie YASUKUNI, which featured people (including Tokyo Gov) singing patriotic songs at Yasukuni Jinja about things that could be interpreted as wartime atrocities. When one demonstrator appeared and voiced his opinion (disruptively), the footage showed him being near-strangled and quite bloodied. The police intervened to take the demonstrator away, but not to arrest, detain, or even question the assailants. It’s as if the police considered demonstrator to be in the wrong for spoiling the party, and deserved to be bloodied for it. Briefly alluded to in the trailer:

Back to street demonstrations. Enjoy the invective in this one:

That invective stretches all the way up to the top levels of government, where Tokyo Gov Ishihara tries to deligitimize a point being made by saying it came from a foreigner. And more.

These things might not make headlines. But they continue to bubble under the surface in this society. It’s amazing how these people who use their right of free speech to express xenophobic views are all to eager to silence the other side — with violence if necessary. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

PS: Because this is getting overwhelmingly grim these days, here’s some humor. FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS (I’ve been told I look like one of the members of this comedy team; no comment) on racism:

ENDS

SOUR STRAWBERRIES Cinema Debut Oct 10th-30th every day, Cine Nouveau Osaka Kujo

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Passing on this info. (日本語のアナウンスメントは英語の下です。）Arudou Debito in Sapporo

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are happy to announce that the critically acclaimed documentary “SOUR STRAWBERRIES – Japan’s hidden »guest workers«” will have its premier in a cinema in Japan at Osaka’s Ciné Nouveau in Kujo.

The first screening will be on Saturday, 10th October 2009 at 10:30 am. Director Tilman König will be present and happy to answer questions from 11:30 onwards.

The discussion will be held in Japanese. Questions in English and German will be answered as well.

“SOUR STRAWBERRIES – Japan’s hidden »Guest Workers«”, a movie by Tilman König and Daniel Kremers, G/J 2008, 56 min, color, 16:9. Original in German, Japanese, Chinese, English with English and Japanese Subtitles.

Everyday from October 10th to October 30th 2009

The film was supported by Stiftung “Menschenwürde und Arbeitswelt”, Berlin and CinemAbstruso, Leipzig.

Trailer: http://www.vimeo.com/2276295

http://www.cinemabstruso.de/strawberries/main.html

http://www.cinenouveau.com/

“‘Sour Strawberries’ spotlights the plight of non-Japanese ‘trainees'” — Japan Times Online

“A must see!” –– Kansai Scene

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

『サワー・ストロベリーズ〜知られざる日本の外国人労働者〜』映画館上映のお知らせ

2009年10月10日（土）より、大阪九条のシネ・ヌーヴォXにて
『サワー・ストロベリーズ〜知られざる日本の外国人労働者〜』が
公開されることになりました。

初日の10月10日（土）は、監督のティルマン・ケーニヒによる舞台挨拶と
初回上映後にトークイベントを予定しております。
詳細は、映画館HPをご覧下さい。
http://www.cinenouveau.com/

『サワー・ストロベリーズ〜知られざる日本の外国人労働者〜』
2009年／ドイツ・日本／ドイツ語・日本語・英語・中国語（日本語／英語字幕）／58分
http://www.cinemabstruso.de/strawberries/main.html

上映期間：2009年10月10日（土）〜2009年10月30日（金）
時期によって上映時間が異なります。HPをご覧下さい。
皆さまのお越しを、お待ちいたしております。

ENDS

General Union: City govt seizes assets of NJ worker whose employer refused to pay for Shakai Hoken (Terrie’s Take and Japan Times articles too)

Posted on September 30, 2009September 30, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Here we have a case of how NJ can be hurt by careless Immigration decisions. The upcoming requirement for all NJ to be enrolled in health insurance (shakai hoken), or else no visa granted, has been created without necessarily requiring negligent employers to pony up themselves. As usual it’s punishing the powerless. As I wrote on Debito.org last August:

Here’s a good article in the Japan Times describing issues of health insurance and pensions, and how recent revisions clarifying that every resident in Japan (including NJ) must be enrolled may expose the graft that employers have been indulging in (”opting out” of paying mandatory social security fees, encouraging NJ not to pay them, or just preying on their ignorance by not telling them at all) to save money. The problem is, instead of granting an amnesty for those employees who unwittingly did not pay into the system, they’re requiring back payments (for however many years) to enroll or else they get no visa renewal! Once again, it’s the NJ employee who gets punished for the vices of the employer.

Now, according to the FGU, we have a case where the GOJ is seizing a NJ’s assets (not the negligent employer’s) for non-back-payments that the employer should have handled. Read on. A Japan Times article also substantiates this practice of employers fudging working hours to escape paying into NJ health insurance (click here).

A recent Terrie’s Take is also included below for more background information.

And yet another Japan Times Zeit Gist column came out on this only yesterday — describing how half-baked the policy process and probable implementation has been! (click here)

Arudou Debito in Sapporo

=================================

City seizes bank account to pay health insurance premiums
General Union.org, Undated, Downloaded early September 2009
http://www.generalunion.org/News/576

An ALT, after having received a letter from city hall demanding two years of back payments forKokumin Kenko Hoken (National Health Insurance), contacted the Fukuoka General Union (FGU).

What was troubling about this case was that until now, the teacher had never had any problems with insurance. His ex-employer, following the law, had enrolled him in Shakai Hoken (Employees Health and Pension Insurance).

The problem started with his new employer, who would not enroll him onto Shakai Hoken. Even though the teacher was required to be at work from 8:30 to 5:00 every day, the company told him that he did not work thirty hours per week and therefore was ineligible for Shakai Hoken. Now the story gets worse.

Not only was the city demanding back payments, but it seized 50,000yen from the teacher’s bank account. Why? Very simple. In Japan, all residents are required to be enrolled in health insurance. Since the employer failed to enroll in Shakai Hoken, the city’s position was that the teacher should be in the city run Kokumin Kenko Hoken system and therefore deducted the money that was owed to them.

The union’s position on payment was different because the union believes that the employer has a duty to enrol in Shakai Hoken. The union officer from FGU told the teacher to make sure that he cleared his bank account immediately after being paid each month. This should have prevented the seizure of more money from the account. But the story’s not over yet.

Finally, the teacher was called into his company’s head office and told that the city would be seizing 130,000yen from his pay. Sorry, the company couldn’t do anything to prevent it; the city has a right to the money. The employer couldn’t see that this could have been prevented if they had honoured the teacher’s right to Shakai Hokenenrolment.

The teacher now still has to pay all his back payments, and for the first time that the union has ever seen, the teacher will not be allowed Kokumin Kenko Hoken coverage until all his back payments are made.

A sign of things to come? Maybe. We wouldn’t recommend that you stick around to see if it’ll happen to you. Talk to your coworkers, join a union, and make sure that you get covered by Shakai Hoken.

ENDS

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Otaru Onsens 10th Anniv #6: How the J media whipped up fear of foreign crime from 2000 and linked it with lawsuit

Posted on September 26, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. In Part Six of this retrospective on the Otaru Onsens Case a decade on, I talk about how the J media misinterpreted the issues revolving around the “JAPANESE ONLY” signs up at Otaru Onsen Yunohana et al., and how they wound up fanning the fires of exclusionism by spreading fear of foreigners (particularly vis-a-vis foreign crime).

As I chart in book “JAPANESE ONLY“, when we first started this case in September 1999, NJ were seen as “misunderstood outsiders”, impaired by “culture” as their monkey on their back. But following GOJ policy putsches by politicians like then-PM Koizumi and Tokyo Gov Ishihara (who in April 2000 famously called upon the Nerima SDF to prepare for “foreigner roundups” to prevent riots in the case of a natural disaster), NJ became a public threat to Japan’s safety and internal security (even though NJ crime was always less than J crime both as a proportion and of course in terms of absolute numbers). Then more doors slammed shut and more signs barring NJ from entry went up — some of them direct copies of the signs in Otaru. Hey, as those onsens indicated, exclusionary signs are not illegal.

Thus, although we made progress in the first six months of the Otaru Onsens Case, getting signs down in two of Otaru’s three exclusionary onsen, we could not compete with the national government and media saturation, and lost all the ground we gained and then some. The media’s overfocus on NJ crime to this day affects the debate regarding assimilation.

Embedded videos of how the media could not escape linking NJ rights with foreign crime follow. Arudou Debito in Sapporo.

===============================

OTARU ONSENS TAPE (1999-2003) PART FOUR

INDEX OF PREVIOUS PARTS HERE

By Arudou Debito (www.debito.org, debito@debito.org)

6) UHB SUPER NEWS Beginning of the new year special on THE YEAR 2001 (Locally broadcast January 3, 2002) (15 minutes). Discourse on the nature of internationalization. Also brings in the spectre of foreign crime and terrorism, first brought up from April 2000 with the “Ishihara Sangokujin Speech”, and later used to justify further exclusionism towards foreigners. Part One of Two

(Part Two features me trying to explain “kokusaika” in terms of immigration and tolerance; love how the commentators then struggle to square the circles:)

7) NHK CLOSE UP GENDAI on FOREIGN CRIME (Nationally broadcast November 7, 2003) (26 minutes). The fix is in: Foreigners and the crimes they bring is now publicly portrayable as fearful, with no comparison whatsoever made to stats of crimes by Japanese (except those connected again with foreigners). A PSA posing as a news special, to warn Japanese about foreigners and their specific methods of crime.

Part One of Three:

ENDS

Otaru Onsens 10th Anniv #5: How the debate still rages on, article by TransPacific Radio

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. In their own commemorative-edition article, TransPacific Radio last night came out with a synopsis of how the Otaru Onsens Case is very much alive and well today as an issue, at least in terms of the NJ community and a few NJ pundits in particular (one of whom obsesses over it to the point of distraction and inaccuracy). Excerpting TPR:

In the ten years since the case, much has changed and debate over Arudou’s goal and tactics continues apace. As with any heated issue (and human rights issues are always heated), the disagreements range from perfectly legitimate concerns to objections that are, to put it nicely, based on misinformation or incorrect assumptions.

It is no secret that Arudou has many critics (in the interest of disclosure, it is worth it to point out that while we here at TPR pull no punches with the man and feel it necessary to play Devil’s Advocate at the least, we do know him sociably and will say that, politics aside, he’s a likable guy – just exercise caution before bringing up the topic of Duran Duran.) It is also no secret that, for a variety of reasons, his most vocal critics are almost entirely non-Japanese.

Among the most high profile of those critics is Gregory Clark, whose column in the Japan Times gives him perhaps a wider audience than most other writers on the topic. On January 15th of this year, Clark wrote a risible and deeply disingenuous column for the paper headlined “Antiforeigner discrimination is a right for Japanese people”.

In the column, Clark tries to paint a picture of a contemptible rabble-rousing jerk that he very clearly hints is Arudou (it’s not. As far as we can tell, there is no such person as the one Clark is writing about.) Wondering at Clark’s vitriol and some of his more outlandish statements, this observer settled on the following paragraph:

(…)

TPR article continues here:
http://www.transpacificradio.com/2009/09/24/otaru-10-years/
Have a read and a comment there if you like. More TV media from the case blogged on Debito.org tomorrow. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

Otaru Onsens Case 10th Anniv #4: J Media reportage of the Feb 1, 2001 Lawsuit Filing in Sapporo District Court

Posted on September 24, 2009September 24, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. In Part Four of this retrospective on the Otaru Onsens Case a decade on, I talk about how the J media received and reported on our filing of the lawsuit against Otaru Onsen Yunohana on February 1, 2001. The answer: Not well. Comment from me follows embeds:

OTARU ONSENS TAPE (1999-2003) PART FOUR

INDEX OF PREVIOUS PARTS HERE

By Arudou Debito (www.debito.org, debito@debito.org)

4) HBC NEWS (Locally broadcast March 27, 2001) on the OTARU ONSENS LAWSUIT FIRST HEARING (3 minutes). Otaru City claims impunity from CERD responsibilities due to local govt. status, while Yunohana Onsen tries to claim it was the victim in this case.

5) VARIOUS NEWS AGENCIES (Dosanko Wide, Hokkaido News, STV, and HBC) with various angles on OTARU ONSENS LAWSUIT FILING (Locally broadcast February 1, 2001) (15 minutes total). NB: HBC contains the only public interview given by Defendant Yunohana Onsen owner Hashimoto Hiromitsu. This interview was given live (the only way Hashimoto would agree to be interviewed, so that his comments would not be edited, according to reporter sources), where he states that he has never met us (of course; he always refused to meet us; the only time we would ever cross paths would be November 11, 2002, in the courtroom, when the Sapporo District Court came down in Plaintiffs’ favor).

COMMENT: By parroting the views of racists (such as the owner of Yunohana) and the completely negligent City of Otaru (which claimed on record, as you will see in the broadcasts above, that the UN Convention on Racial Discrimination does not apply to local governments; a complete lie obviated by a cursory reading of the CERD (Article 2 1(c))(*), they wound up perpetuating the dichotomy and convincing some that it’s perfectly okay to discriminate. Hey, it’s not illegal, is it?

This is one more, less obvious, reason why we need a law against racial discrimination in Japan. Because if this is not criminal activity, you wind up promoting the racist side as well for the sake of “balance”. For example, when lynchings were not illegal in the US South, you’d get reporters having to “tell both sides”, as in, “that black man looked at that white woman funny” or “he was getting too uppity, had to make an example”. And it becomes an example. However, if it’s illegal, then it’s a crime, and you don’t have to “give the other side” when the other side is already criminalized. Thus you nip promoting further racism in the bud. This does not happen in the broadcasts above, alas. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

(*) Regarding Otaru City’s assertion of exemption under the CERD, they had a good reason to be confident: Unbeknownst to us until April 15, 2002, during cross-examination in court, it turns out the City of Otaru had been coached by the Ministry of Justice, Bureau of Human Rights, Sapporo Branch, on November 29, 1999, that they need not take any measures to comply with the CERD. See original document in JAPANESE ONLY page 347. Why a GOJ agency entrusted with protecting human rights in Japan would coach a fellow government administration not to bother following the CERD remains one of the more disingenuous things I’ve ever seen in my life.

ENDS

Otaru Onsens Case 10th Anniv #3: “KokoGaHen” Feb 28 2001 and their critique of us plaintiffs

Posted on September 23, 2009September 23, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

OTARU ONSENS TAPE (1999-2003) PART THREE

By Arudou Debito (www.debito.org, debito@debito.org)

3) TV ASAHI tabloid show “KOKO GA HEN DA YO NIHONJIN”, on exclusionism in Wakkanai, Monbetsu, and Otaru (Nationally broadcast Feb 28, 2001) (16 minutes). Complete with brickbats for the Plaintiffs for filing suit from the screaming foreign panelists.

If you would like to download and watch this broadcast in mp4 format on your iPod in one part, click here: https://www.debito.org/video/kokogahen022801.mp4. (NB: if you want it to download as a file, not open up in a different browser: right-click for Windows users, or Control + Click for Macs)

There is also a complete transcript and English translation at https://www.debito.org/KokoGaHen1.html
Comment follows video embed (part one):

COMMENT: I remember clearly three things about that evening:

1) That ALL the panelists (the half-baked comment from Terii Itoh notwithstanding) on the Japanese side of the fence were very supportive — in fact, they wished us luck and success in the lawsuit.

2) That ALMOST ALL of the panelists on the NJ side did the same. In fact, it looked in danger of becoming a boring debate because it seemed so cut and dried. It was a tiny minority who stood up to offer brickbats. They were there, at least two of the panelists told me later, because they were chosen precisely because they had strong views antipathetic towards the case. Hence the emphasis, on foreigners who would oppose the lawsuit, as it would make for better television.

3) That Konishiki, sitting next to me, was goddamn HUGE! His chair, custom-made, needed four people to carry it on stage. We had a few words. Nice guy.

Quite honestly, I miss the show. Nowhere else offers opinions from NJ, however raw and ill-conceived, in their own words on a regular basis. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

Otaru Onsens Case 10th Anniv #2: HBC award-winning broadcast Mar 27, 2001 creates contentious dichotomies

Posted on September 22, 2009September 23, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

OTARU ONSENS TAPE (1999-2003) PART TWO
All TV shows in Japanese (no subtitles or dubbing) with amateur editing
By Arudou Debito (www.debito.org, debito@debito.org)

CONTENTS WITH TEACHING NOTES

2) HBC TV award-winning documentary on OTARU ONSENS CASE (Locally broadcast March 27, 2001). Gives the most thorough rundown of the issue and expresses the issue from a more “Japanese point of view” (i.e. the issue less in terms of racism, more in terms of cultural differences).

Starts here, then has a playlist that goes to the next part. Six parts, runs about 50 minutes total. If you would like to download and watch this broadcast in mp4 format on your iPod in one part, click here: https://www.debito.org/video/HBC032701.mp4. (NB: if you want it to download as a file, not open up in a different browser: right-click for Windows users, or Control + Click for Macs)

Comment follows imbedded video:

COMMENT: We have a decent establishment of the issue in part one, then in subsequent parts we have a whole bunch of pundits claiming this is a “cultural issue” (meaning misunderstandings of our unique J culture make refusals of NJ inevitable to some). Or somehow that it’s a Hobson’s Choice between “human rights of the NJ” and “the survival rights of the business” (which was always a false dichotomy — borne out in retrospect that none of the onsens have gone bankrupt since taking their signs down; quite the opposite in the case of Defendant Onsen Yunohana).

What happens is that the show becomes a”Japanese vs Non-Japanese” thing, where we get lots of old J men and women etc. saying how much they dislike NJ, vs NJ bleating about their rights despite having allegedly different and disruptive bathing rules. We even have Tarento Daniel Carr coming off all sycophantic — blaming NJ for their plight and pointing out their foibles. Teeth begin to itch before long.

Nowhere in the show is there anyone J saying, “Look, all you have to do is kick out those who don’t follow the rules. It’s not a matter of nationality at all. Just a matter of ill-mannered people, which is an individual matter, not a cultural matter.” But no. That would remove the drama that TV news reports are such suckers for, alas.

Of course, HBC gave this a good, earnest try, the best of all the shows that would come out, but it still winds up convincing the viewer that “East is East” in the end. I see this pattern constantly in J news reports — most resort to portraying Japanese as somehow victims, while few ever portray NJ as residents with as much right to life here in Japan as anyone else. And never, but never, is the issue shown as something as simple as stubborn and bigoted people butting heads as individuals regardless of nationality.

Arudou Debito in Sapporo

Otaru Onsens Case 10th Anniv.#1: News Station Oct 12, 1999 on Ana Bortz Verdict YouTubed

Posted on September 21, 2009September 21, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

OTARU ONSENS TAPE (1999-2003) PART ONE

All TV shows in Japanese (no subtitles or dubbing) with amateur editing

By Arudou Debito (www.debito.org, debito@debito.org)

Total time: 2 hours 20 minutes. Recorded on one VHS tape in 3X format.

CONTENTS WITH TEACHING NOTES

1) TV ASAHI NEWS STATION on ANA BORTZ DECISION (Nationally broadcast October 12, 1999) (10 minutes). National broadcast. Describes the first court decision regarding racial discrimination in Japan, citing the UN Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and the fact that Japan has no law against racial discrimination.

Imbedded video follows. If you would like to download and watch this broadcast in mp4 format on your iPod, click here: https://www.debito.org/video/anabortz101299.mp4 (NB: if you want it to download as a file, not open up in a different browser: right-click for Windows users, or Control + Click for Macs)

COMMENT: What’s remarkable about this broadcast is how thoroughly it describes the Bortz Case and the UN CERD. Also the videotape, from Sebido Jewelry Store security cameras in Hamamatsu, showing the owner refusing Ana quite forcefully. It is the most sympathetic broadcast to come out during the Otaru Onsens Case, and unfortunately it would come at the very beginning, before the media really lost the point.

(Shortly after being YouTubed, there was a complaint from a viewer in Japanese that this report wasn’t balanced because it didn’t give the store’s perspective. Actually, the store refused to comment for this broadcast.)

The Ana Bortz Lawsuit would inject new energy into the Otaru Onsens Case (which first started in earnest on September 19, 1999, about a month before), offering positive legal precedent for the onsens to take their signs down. Shortly afterwards, one did (Onsen Panorama). The other two, Onsen Osupa, would take until March 2000 and a lot of beers and making friends with the owner. The last one (in Otaru, at least), Onsen Yunohana would take until January 2001, nearly fifteen months and a lot of events later, on the day that we announced that we would be suing them. Then, and only then, and Yunohana only replaced it with a new set of exclusionary rules. It would take several years to prove this, but these moves would be a losing formula for them in court. More in my book JAPANESE ONLY.

Next up, the broadcasts which painted this issue as a matter of “cultural misunderstandings” and lost the point — that this discrimination is a matter of race, not culture.

Arudou Debito in Sapporo

Free Japanese-language courses in Sapporo sponsored by GOJ (deadline for application Oct 2)

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

From: Hokkaido Insider
Date: September 14, 2009 5:27:37 PM JST
To: Hokkaido Insider News
Subject: Free Japanese Course for International Parents

FREE JAPANESE COURSE for international parents.

This program is sponsored by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs for FY 2009.

Please visit our site for more information: http://www.myiay.com/j/b_2e.html

A very detailed explanation and schedule of the classes being offered appear at the link posted above.
Here are some of the key points as to who they are looking to serve and the general requirements.

Target Participants:
Foreign residents currently raising children from toddlers through middle school students
Those who are able to attend at least 80% of the course.
*The 2nd and 3rd Periods teach entry-level Japanese.

Term: From Tuesday, October 13th 2009 through Tuesday, December 22nd (10 Days, 3 Periods / Day)
(As a general rule, all classes are held on Tuesdays, but exceptions may be made due to staffing circumstances.)

Location: IAY
060-0061 Sapporo-shi, Chuo-ku, S1W4 – Hinode Bldg. 6F (connected directly with Odori Subway Station, Exit #10)

Tuition: No charge

Participant Limit: 20 persons (participants will be selected randomly should the applicants exceed capacity)

Application form can be downloaded from the site. (Application deadline is October 2.)

Confirmed participants will receive information by Wednesday, October 7th.

Hokkaido Insider News is free for those who wish to receive the announcements.
Permission is granted to forward this on to others who may be interested.
If you wish to have your name removed, please send a request to me to do so.
If you wish to receive job information, advertise or post something to the list,
please visit http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hokkaido/kenhartmann/index.html for details.

Community’s DMG on how he dealt with too much neighborhood construction noise

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. I have a series of letters here from DMG, writing for The Community, who tells us what he did (relatively successfully) to reduce construction noise in his neighborhood, which was affecting both his work and rest. If you have a similar situation of neighborhood meiwaku, take it to the authorities, talk to the neighbors, and open a dialog with the meiwaku-ers, is the lesson. In his case, it seems to have worked. Good for him. Passing this on as practical advice, Arudou Debito in Sapporo

=======================================

Date: June 20, 2009 11:49:30 AM JST

Community, got a question:

Currently, right beside my apartment, they are building a new community centre. By “right beside”, I could not mean that more literally. In fact, as I write this, they are working on a wall, for which the foundations go underneath my building.

I live in a small building, it is only two floors with two apartments. My door opens in the direction facing the construction site. I am practically living in the middle of this construction.

They have been constructing since February, first demolishing the old building. Currently they are building the foundations that go into the ground. They will continue to construct until the end of next year.

When I was first given a schedule, I knew there would be noise. I have lived near constructions before. But never this close, and to one of this scale.

I tried to just suck it up, but as months go on, it becomes increasingly difficult. Part of the problem is that I do computer related work by contract, which I do at home. So this isn’t just a matter of me not getting sleep on Saturday mornings (they work 6 days a week), this is me not being able to work.

Let me impress upon you that this is not just some knocking and buzzing of hammers and drills. That is what I had erroneously imagined. The noise of their back hoes and 3 story tall drills reaches deafening proportions and vibrates my whole apartment. Work, sleep, or anything involving thought is impossible for much of the week.

I spoke to the manager of the construction site, and, as much as he tried to promise to be considerate of my presence, there really isn’t anything that can be done. The construction will continue, they have tasks that need doing, and I can’t afford to simply pick up and move.

I spoke to some Japanese friends, and they said that they have heard about situations like this before, and in the situations they cited, immediate neighbours were given compensation for the inconvenience.

For some reason, I feel somewhat emotionally resistant to asking for compensation. It feels like I am trying to scam them for easy money or something.

But, on the other hand, it has reached a point where I am at wits end, and if nothing can be done to actually limit the noise, I can’t help but feel it is fair to get some kind of recompense for this massive intrusion into my life.

So, that is my story. The question I am coming to the group is if anyone has similar experience, or in any way can offer points on how I might negotiate the matter.

It is Shibuya Ku’s community centre, so I imagine the city is footing the bill. I don’t know if they have paid out to a company to handle all matters, or what. But I will ask around and ultimately find who is responsible.

Also, financial compensation is not the only option that would satisfy me. If they were to move me, I suppose, that might also work. I’m not really sure, but anyway, the point is that I’m not hell bent on getting money. If something tangible can be done to actually stop me from going insane from this noise, that would be good. The compensation merely represents the only realistic option given the fixed issues.

Any advice or help would be much appreciated.

====================================

UPDATE

Date: July 13, 2009 5:00:34 PM JST

Community,

I would laugh were it not for the knowledge of how much my life is going to suck for the next little while.

Today I finally got a chance to go down to the kuyakusho and talk to the person in charge of the construction happening beside my place. No promises were made, but there was talk about at least trying to rectify the problem. One possibility was putting a wall on one side of my apartment that would help cut down noise.

I came home feeling good about having at least started a dialogue. What, if anything, can be done remains to be seen, but at least I’ve got a channel of communication going.

And then, literally right as I arrived home, there was a guy on my doorstep placing something in my mailbox. It was a notice informing me that there will be *another* construction right beside me. There is another empty lot adjacent to where I am, and they will begin laying foundations at the end of this month. I talked to the guy a bit, and he was saying he was sorry for the noise that will happen, but I told him that being sorry for the noise is not good enough. Neither is the giri-gift-towel he wanted to give me.

I did find out something interesting though. The person I spoke to at the city office mentioned that there have been complaints from other neighbours, and she even told me which buildings they were in.

This new construction has raised the stakes a bit, but now I know I also have potential allies. I also have some real estate lawyers I’ve worked with before. So I think I’m going to talk to my neighbours a bit and see if we can’t do something about this.

======================================

UPDATE:

Date: July 31, 2009 2:35:43 PM JST

Community,

Just as an education in what happens when you negotiate with Japanese bureaucracies…

I’ve spoken to both the people building the community centre on one side, and the people building the apartment building on the other.

Both were very nice and not at all what I expected. I had expected somewhat gruff older men. The community centre person was a very professional woman about my age, and the apartment building representative was a young guy, about college age, in jeans and kind of hapless.

The city hall built sound proofing around my front entranceway. Of course, it doesn’t stop the noise, but, surprisingly, it helps cut out certain noises. Maybe more importantly, as the building rises, the construction workers are no longer looking directly into my front door.

The apartment building people agreed to constrain their working hours to be the same as the other construction, so at least I’m not facing any more hours of noise. And they also agreed to not have larger trucks pass in front of my building any earlier than 9 AM.

It makes a huge psychological difference to have spoken to someone, had my concerns heard, and at least some effort made to resolve the problem. In reality, the sound proofing is more of a gesture than a difference, but the gesture goes a long way.

In both cases I thanked them for their understanding, but also said we’ll see how it goes, to keep my options open.

The main lesson is one I learn over and over again. Dialogue helps. Assuming they would do nothing and be confrontational kept me at bay for too long. I should have spoken up earlier.

ENDS

Mainichi: Shizuoka bureaucrats force Brazilian woman to take “Repatriation Bribe”

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

twitter: arudoudebito
Hi Blog. Case number #4534 of why one does not allow untrained bureaucrats to make Immigration decisions: The potential for misunderstanding and abuse.

Last April, the GOJ decided to offer unemployed Nikkei workers (only — this did not apply to Chinese etc. “Trainees and Researchers” because they did not have the correct blood) a 300,000 yen Repatriation Bribe for airplane tickets “back home”, not only asking them to void their visas and give up their paid-in pensions, but also to go elsewhere and just be somebody else’s problem.

Now, according to the Mainichi of Sept 14, 2009, a local government tried to make any possible welfare benefits to a NJ contingent upon promising to take the Bribe and go home — a Catch-22 if ever there was one.

Not too surprising. This is the same prefecture which around up to ten years ago restricted or denied NJ the right to sign up for the National Health Insurance (kokumin kenkou hoken) because they weren’t “kokumin” (citizens) .

Fortunately, this case came out in the press. How many others have been duped here and elsewhere and forced to go home without it being reported?

Shame on the GOJ for creating this policy avenue for abuse in the first place. Arudou Debito back in Sapporo

////////////////////////////////////////////////

National News
Local gov’t makes foreign welfare applicant sign up for cash to return to Brazil

(Mainichi Japan) September 14, 2009, Courtesy of David P

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090914p2a00m0na010000c.html?inb=rs

FUKUROI, Shizuoka — The Fukuroi Municipal Government has promised to apologize to a Brazilian woman of Japanese descent after forcing her to sign a pledge to use government assistance to return to her country when she applied for a welfare payment.

The assistance program provides government funds enabling jobless people of Japanese descent and their families to return to their countries when they decide to give up working in Japan.

When questioned by the Mainichi, a municipal government representative admitted the city’s error, saying, “The payment of welfare benefits and the support to return to one’s country are separate things. Our behavior disregarded the person’s wish to live in Japan.” The city has promised to annul the pledge and apologize to the woman.

The woman, a third-generation Japanese-Brazilian in her 20s, lives with her 5-year-old son. She came to Japan about 10 years ago. In mid-July, she was dismissed by the cell-phone parts manufacturer she had worked for, and she applied for livelihood protection payments on Aug. 31.

The woman and city officials said that when she applied, a worker told her, “Unless you promise to undergo procedures to apply for financial support to return to your country, we will not accept the application for livelihood protection.”

When the woman said that she wanted to continue to work in Japan, the worker reportedly told her, “You have no driver’s license and you can’t speak Japanese, so you can be 100 percent sure you won’t find work. It would be better for you to take the 300,000 yen (payment to return to Brazil), and go home.”

Along with the application for welfare payments, the woman was handed a blank A4-sized sheet of paper. On it she wrote a message in Portuguese saying that she would apply for assistance to return home. She reportedly signed it and marked it with a fingerprint.

Commenting on the incident, a city official initially said that the city had received a notice from the government saying that when livelihood protection benefits were provided, if there were other payments that could be made, such as pension payments or allowances, then those payments should take precedence. Accordingly, the city judged that assistance to return home fell into that category, the official said.

Later, however, a city representative said, “Livelihood protection is for people facing adversity while living in Japan, and making the support money to return home apply to the utilization of other laws and policies constituted a mistaken interpretation of the government notice.”

Commenting on the incident, the woman said, “In Brazil I have ageing parents and a sick younger sister. Even if I go back home I don’t have the freedom to work, and I can only work in Japan. To think that they went as far as to make me write a pledge …”

Original Japanese story:
http://mainichi.jp/select/seiji/archive/news/2009/09/14/20090914ddm041010047000c.html

生活保護：申請の日系人に帰国支援手続き強制　誤り認め謝罪へ‐‐静岡・袋井市

不景気で失業して生活保護費の支給を申請した静岡県袋井市の日系ブラジル人に対し、市が、国の帰国支援制度を利用するとの誓約書を書かせていたことが分かった。制度は、日系人失業者が国内での再就職を断念して帰国する場合、国が家族分も含め帰国支援金を支給しており、今回の市の対応は帰国を促す措置だ。毎日新聞の取材を受けた市は「生活保護の支給と帰国支援は別もの。日本で生活したいという本人の意思を踏みにじる行為」と誤りを認め、誓約書の撤回と本人への謝罪を約束した。【小玉沙織】

誓約書を書かされたのは、息子（５）と２人で暮らす日系ブラジル人３世の２０代の女性。約１０年前に来日し、７月中旬に携帯電話の組み立て工場を解雇され、８月３１日に同市へ生活保護の支給を申請した。

女性や市によると、申請の際、女性は職員から「（日系人離職者に対する）帰国支援事業の手続きも行うと約束しなければ、生活保護の申請は受け付けられない」と言われた。女性は「まだ日本で仕事がしたい」と訴えたが、職員は「あなたは運転免許もないし、日本語も話せないので、１００％仕事は見つからない。（帰国支援金の）３０万円をもらって帰ったほうがいい」と主張した。女性は生活保護を申請するとともに、職員から渡されたＡ４判の白い紙に「帰国支援の手続きをする」などとポルトガル語で書いてサインしたうえ、右人さし指で指印を押したという。

取材に対し、市しあわせ推進課は当初、「生活保護の支給については、年金や諸手当など他の方法で受給できるものがあれば優先するという国からの通達（生活保護の「他法他施策の活用」）があり、帰国支援事業の利用はそれに該当する」と説明。その後、「生活保護は日本で困窮しながら暮らす人が対象で、帰国支援金を他法他施策の活用に当たるとするのは、通達の誤った解釈だった」と回答した。

女性は「ブラジルにいるのは、年老いた両親と病気の妹。帰っても働く余裕はなく、日本で働くしかないのに、誓約書まで書かされるとは」と話した。

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

■ことば
◇日系人離職者に対する帰国支援事業

南米諸国に国籍がある日系人失業者のうち、日本での再就職をあきらめ、母国へ帰国する本人に３０万円、扶養家族に１人２０万円を国が支給する。不況を受けた緊急支援で４月から受け付けを始めた。当初、国は支援金の目的外使用を防ぐため、支援金受給者は「当分の間」再入国を認めないとしていたが、日系人らから「もう来るなということか」との批判を受け、政府は５月に「３年をめどとする」ことを明らかにした。

ENDS

Bumping into Ramos Rui, one of my heroes, by chance in Nagoya

Posted on September 12, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Just a quick blog entry for today. I was in Nagoya a few days ago finishing up one of my intensive courses on Media Professionalism, and at checkout from my hotel who should I bump into on the elevator but somebody I could have sworn looked just like one of my heroes.

Ramos Rui, a famous soccer player who has done a great deal in my opinion for assimilation of NJ (he even naturalized in 1989), toughing it out in what would become the J-League, then the Japan National Team, was standing right there. I asked him, he acknowledged, and we had a quick conversation in Japanese about things.

I don’t think he knows as much about me as I do about him (of course — why should he?), but he was very cooperative when I asked if I could take a quick snap with my camera. Here it is:

Again, Ramos-san is one of my heroes: I have a poster of him on my office wall from the GOJ, encouraging people to vote IIRC, captioned “nihonjin to shite”. Bravo. I think he should be leading the Japan Team, not Okada. But again, what do I know about sport (and J soccer in particular), except that he’s one of the few who toughed it out — and succeeded in making a name for himself! Good for him. Arudou Debito in Yokohama

LA Times: “Charisma Man: An American geek is reborn in Japan”

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. One of the most controversial characters I’ve ever seen come out of the NJ (Eikaiwa) community has been the character of “Charisma Man”, as described in the LA Times below. Compare and contrast him with McDonald’s “Mr James”. I won’t right now, but readers feel free. Arudou Debito in Tokyo

=======================================

latimes.com

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Charisma Man: An American geek is reborn in Japan

The anime character is coming back from hiatus to his Calvin and Hobbes-type fantasy world in which he is super. But he has his own version of debilitating kryptonite.

By John M. Glionna September 1, 2009

Reporting from Tokyo

From his window seat in the Roppongi bar district, Neil Garscadden eyes an exotic street parade: the reggae-styled hipsters, the Nigerian nightclub hawkers, the soft-stepping geishas, the secretaries in miniskirts and impossibly heavy eye shadow.

The nuances of the scene, Garscadden insists, would be lost on a mere tourist.

This, he says, is a job for Charisma Man.

With his blue eyes, tousled blond hair and foreign passport, Charisma Man is a sake-sipping man about town, suavely negotiating the intricacies of Japanese culture. Women adore him. Men respect, even fear, him. Life in the East bends to his every whim.

“It’s great to be a Western guy in Asia,” he says. “I’ve got lots of money, chicks dig me — everybody respects me.”

Well, not everybody.

In this land of anime, Charisma Man is a comic strip character created in 1998 by Larry Rodney, a Canadian then teaching English in Nagoya, to lampoon what he saw as the absurd hubris of many Western men in Japan. Capitalizing on their novelty status, they prowled for cheap thrills, an easy paycheck and sex — not necessarily in that order. Many were slackers posing as teachers (a job for which they were underqualified) to continue the charade of their low-wattage celebrity.

Even with Charisma Man’s limited knowledge of Japanese language or culture, he nonetheless sees himself as a self-styled Superman — albeit with a debilitating kryptonite: Western Woman.

“She sees him as the loser he really is,” says Garscadden, who penned the comic strip after Rodney returned to Canada. “When she’s around, he reverts back into an average Joe Blow.”

After an eight-year run in an alternative expat magazine, the black-and-white five-panel monthly strip was discontinued in 2006.

But now Charisma Man is back.

Following their 2002 collection of the first four years of Charisma Man adventures, Rodney and Garscadden are teaming up to publish a book containing both old and new installments. And there’s even talk of a new monthly strip.

(They dismiss Charisma Man comics between 2002 and 2006, saying the writers took the character in an uncharismatic direction after Garscadden also left the picture.)

The reprise comes at a much different time than the 1990s heyday, when fewer Westerners living in Japan meant bigger egos for the ones who were there.

But Charisma Man still reigns supreme, the pair says.

“Part of his success comes from the fact that many Japanese women are frustrated by their choices — Japanese men who often are very conservative, old-fashioned and not very romantic,” says Rodney, 41, who now lives in Vancouver.

“And even after all these years, many still have a romanticized view of what Western men are all about.”

Stereotypical fantasy is a main theme of the comic strip. Charisma Man is like the boy in the Calvin and Hobbes comic whose stuffed tiger comes alive only when he’s alone.

In the presence of Japanese women, Our Hero is a muscular he-man. Readers only see his true loser self when Western Woman shares the frame. Likewise, the Japanese girls in Charisma Man’s arms are all Barbie-like — until someone else shows up. Then they’re often rather plump.

“I guess I spent too much time on trains without much else to think about,” Rodney says of his inspiration for Charisma Man. “Maybe I saw too many of these geeky social misfits living above their station in Japan. Something snapped.”

In the strip, Charisma Man hails from the planet Canada, where he works as a McDonald’s fry cook, scorned by the opposite sex.

In an early strip, he snags a job in Japan over a much more qualified Western Woman, leading his foil to seek revenge.

One favorite strip by Garscadden, a former editor at the now-defunct Alien magazine, which carried the series, features the character as Commander Charisma, a submarine captain who spots an approaching battleship just in time to save his crew.

The final frame shows Charisma Man at a bar with his cronies hiding from “the battleship”: Western Woman, who strides through the joint.

For years, Charisma Man ruled Tokyo, at least among expatriates.

“I found references to Charisma Man in academic journals dissecting cross-cultural aspects of Asian studies,” Rodney says. “Years after I moved back to Canada and forgot all about the character, I mentioned to some guy who used to live in Japan that I invented Charisma Man. He shook my hand like I was Mick Jagger.”

There were some critics. One reader of the 2002 collection complained that the entire strip was one joke repeated.

“I loved that,” Garscadden says, “because that’s exactly what Western Woman would say about Charisma Man.”

Garscadden, 43, from Dayton, Ohio, says he recently called Rodney about reviving the character: “I just said, it would be stupid to let this guy die.” Under the new arrangement, Rodney will write the strip and Garscadden will edit.

“I’m already thinking of new directions,” Rodney says. “There might be a new foil other than Western Woman — a new sexy Western Man who threatens to usurp Charisma Man’s powers.

“That would be his worst nightmare.”

john.glionna@latimes.com

ENDS

Interview by JapanTechTalk on NJ rights, courtesy of Mondo Books Nagoya

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. My last night in Nagoya (as in last night) I had an immensely enjoyable interview with JapanTechTalk’s Robert Sanzalone over tebasaki.

Have a listen! http://twaud.io/tg

Amazing how six hours after an interview takes place it can be all over the Net.

Thanks to an introduction by Mike and Jose at Mondo Books Nagoya. http://www.mondo-books.com/
on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nagoya-Japan/Mondo-Books-/218012530513

Two autographed signed copies of HANDBOOK FOR NEWCOMERS, MIGRANTS, AND IMMIGRANTS available at Mondo. First come, first purchased! How to get there at above links!

Arudou Debito in Nagoya, off to Tokyo for a movie screening of SOUR STRAWBERRIES with Amnesty International tonight.

Reminder: Screenings of SOUR STRAWBERRIES Tokyo & Yokohama Sept 10-12

Posted on September 9, 2009September 10, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

twitter: arudoudebito

Here’s the schedule. Director Daniel Kremers will be in attendance as a special guest:

===================================
UPCOMING SPEECHES 2009
Hosting screenings of SOUR STRAWBERRIES: A documentary directed by Tilman Koenig and Daniel Kremers of Leipzig, Germany, anywhere in Japan in late August-Early September 2009. Please contact Debito at debito@debito.org to arrange a screening.

========= WHAT THE MOVIE IS ABOUT =========

The documentary “Sour Strawberries – Japan’s hidden guest workers” was shot in March 2008 by a German-Japanese film crew in Tokyo. The movie shows migrants fighting for their rights as workers and citizens. The persons concerned are always at the centre of interest. While describing their situation, they are the protagonists of the movie. Contains interviews with NJ workers on their treatment, with input from people like migration expert Dr Gabriele Vogt, Dietmember Kouno Taro, Keidanren policymaker Inoue Hiroshi, labor rights leader Torii Ippei, Dietmember Tsurunen Marutei, and activist Arudou Debito, who gives us an animated tour of “Japanese Only” signs in Kabukicho.

More information and stills from the movie at
https://www.debito.org/SOURSTRAWBERRIESpromo.pdf
A three-minute promo of the movie at
http://www.vimeo.com/2276295
If you can’t make the screenings but would like to order the movie directly from the directors, go to
http://www.cinemabstruso.de/strawberries/main.html

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL SCREENINGS WILL HAVE A VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION OF 500 YEN PER PERSON. (The directors went to great time and expense to create this documentary; let’s do what we can to compensate them.) Debito will also have copies of the DVD available for purchase for 1500 yen.

SCHEDULE OF SCREENINGS:

TOKYO SHIBUYA: Thursday September 10, 2009, 7PM (doors open at 6:30), The Pink Cow restaurant, for Amnesty International AITEN (CONFIRMED) SPECIAL GUEST: DIRECTOR DANIEL KREMERS

TOKYO AKIHABARA: Friday September 11, 2009, 7PM, Second Harvest Japan (CONFIRMED) SPECIAL GUEST: DIRECTOR DANIEL KREMERS

YOKOHAMA: Saturday September 12, 2009, 3-6PM for group “Drinking Liberally” at The Hub bar in Hiyoshi, Yokohama (CONFIRMED): Directions: Hiyoshi is on the Tokyu Toyoko line about 25 minutes out of Shibuya. Besides from Shibuya, Hiyoshi can also be reached from/connected to from Ebisu (Hibiya line), Meguro (Meguro line – continuation of the Namboku and Mita subway lines terminates at Hiyoshi) and Oimachi (Oimachi line connecting at Oookurayama to the Meguro line). The Hub is a 2 minute walk from the Hiyoshi station. Map here. Facebook entry here. SPECIAL GUEST: DIRECTOR DANIEL KREMERS

May I add that I have seen the movie, and it is excellent. We have sold out of three press runs of the DVD, and will be selling more at the venue.

If you can’t make the screenings but would like to order the movie directly from the directors, go to
http://www.cinemabstruso.de/strawberries/main.html

If you’d like to see my previous speeches, handouts, and powerpoints (so you can get an idea what I talk about), please click here.

ENDS

TheWorldGame.com on why Brazilian footballers in Japan are so footloose

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. I received this from the author yesterday for its mention of McDonald’s “Mr James”, but hell, I thought the article interesting enough (I know little about the subject) that I thought I’d bring it up here for comment. Those more in the know, fire away. Debito in Nagoya

==================================

Brazilians no mercenaries in dash for cash
By Mike Tuckerman | 6 September 2009 | 17:43
http://www.theworldgame.com.au/brazilians-no-mercenaries-in-dash-for-cash-232312
Courtesy of the author

SUBTITLE: There was a monumental shift in Japan this week, and it wasn’t Leandro’s decision to up sticks to Al-Sadd.

After a near-unbroken half-century in power, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party was turfed out by an electorate simmering with anger.

The LDP had become synonymous with corruption – its 50-year stronghold leaving the Japanese economy teetering on the brink.

It was time for change, and the citizens of Japan duly delivered one.

Meanwhile, Gamba Osaka striker Leandro followed a well-beaten path when he cashed in his yen to join Qatari club Al-Sadd for a fee in excess of $12 million.

The powerful forward had been at the Kansai side for barely nine months, having joined at the start of the year from local rival Vissel Kobe.

His departure has the potential to unleash catcalls that Brazilian players are only in the J-League for the money.

Well, so what if they are?

In a country where xenophobia is a softly-spoken secret – how’s this for McDonald’s latest Japanese ad campaign?– can anyone really blame Leandro for hopping on the first available flight to Doha?

Brazilian migrants first started arriving in Japan in the early 1900s.

Brazilian footballers have been an ever-present in the J-League since it kicked off in 1993, with Japanese coaches quick to harness the selfishness of Brazilian strikers in front of goal.

But for every Leandro jetting off to the Gulf – or Emerson, or Magno Alves, or Baré – there’s a Zico, a Toninho, or a Fernandinho.

There are plenty of Brazilians in the J-League committed to the cause.

Some, like the high-profile Zico, are afforded star status.

But others toil in relative anonymity, happy to ply their trade far from their homeland, struggling to overcome cultural and language barriers.

Often their contracts are terminated with no fanfare and little regard for their welfare.

When diminutive midfielder Fernandinho requested a transfer from Shimizu S-Pulse in 2008, he was granted an immediate loan move to Kyoto Sanga.

His return to Nihondaira Stadium with Kyoto was greeted by a chorus of jeers from Shimizu fans, clueless as to the reasons for his departure.

Deeply religious, Fernandinho had actually moved back to the Kansai region to be closer to his congregation.

Every year, dozens of Brazilian players are summarily informed by J-League clubs that their services are no longer required.

Often the news means up-rooting home and family to look for a new club overseas.

It’s a draining lifestyle – one I can attest to – and I don’t begrudge a single Brazilian player who chooses to make a living in Japan, or one who departs for pastures anew.

Japan Times columnist Andrew McKirdy’s illuminating insight into the life of Croatian defender Mato Neretljak proves it’s not just Brazilians willing to make a fist of things in Japan.

Leandro will be replaced –Gamba signed Pedro Junior on the day of Leandro’s exit – and there are plenty more Brazilians to try their luck in the J-League.

In an ideal world we would judge them for their exploits on the pitch, and not on their cut of big-money intercontinental transfers.

Japan Times interviews Dave Spector on Japanese Media

Posted on September 5, 2009September 5, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. We’ve been talking about the media quite a bit lately. Now let’s read an interview with someone on the other side, who is, according to the Japanese media polls, one of the, if not the, most trusted and popular commentators in Japanese TV. Dave Spector. Yes, Dave Spector, who incidentally has been a very kind supporter of Debito.org. Excerpt from JT article follows. Arudou Debito in Osaka

=======================

The Japan Times, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009

WHO’S WHO
Spontaneous Japanese TV keeps Dave Spector on his toes

By EDAN CORKILL By Staff writer

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090804ww.html

Michael Jackson’s death meant a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For Japanese television celebrity Dave Spector, it meant being woken on the morning of June 26 at 6 a.m. and spending most of the next two weeks either studying or commenting on the performer for the benefit of Japanese television audiences.

“The extent of the interest has surprised me,” the 55-year-old Chicago-native said late last month. “But, you know, there are so many angles to the story, so many unanswered questions.”

And, as has become the norm whenever major news breaks in the English-speaking world, Spector has been busy appearing on dozens of programs, helping the Japanese viewers make sense of it all.

Article continues at:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090804ww.html

Dave Spector’s media ranking this year: (pdf file, click to download)

spectorpoll2009

ENDS

Japan Times JUST BE CAUSE column Sept 1 2009 on McDonald’s “Mr James” campaign: Why it’s a problem

Posted on September 2, 2009October 19, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Japan Times Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009
JUST BE CAUSE
Meet Mr. James, gaijin clown
Not everyone is laughing at McDonald’s Japan’s latest wheeze, a hapless foreigner who’ll never fit inhttp://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090901ad.html
By DEBITO ARUDOU

“Director’s Cut” with links to sources:

If you want to sell stuff, it helps to have a recognizable “mascot” representing your company. Disney has Mickey Mouse, Sanrio Hello Kitty, Studio Ghibli Totoro. These imaginary characters grace many a product and ad campaign.

However, McDonald’s Japan dropped a clanger on August 10 with its new burger meister: “Mr. James”.

Fronting the “Nippon All Stars” campaign (American hamburgers with a Japanese twist) for three months is a bespectacled grinning Caucasian wearing mismatched red shirt and chinos. Created by ad agency Dentsu, “Mr. James” is touring the burghers of Japan, offering money for photo ops. His blog effuses perpetual wonderment at all things Japanese. His obsession is McDonald’s: he’s a burger nerd.

http://mcdonalds.dtmp.jp/blog/

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1918246,00.html

Not necessarily a problem so far. But some non-Japanese residents have protested that this (human, not imaginary) character perpetuates Japanese stereotypes about other humans — foreigners.

“Mr. James” (defying standard etiquette of addressing adults with “last name plus -san”, reflecting how Japanese manners aren’t always applied to Caucasians) effuses in fluent katakana only. Everything is in broken accented Japanese. “Watakushi nippon daisuki” etc.

What’s the matter? Put the shoe on the other foot: Imagine McDonald’s, a multinational long promoting cultural diversity, launching a new “McAsia Menu” in America, featuring a deep-bowing grimacing Asian in a bathrobe and platform sandals saying, “Me likee McFlied Lice!”, or “So solly, prease skosh honorable teriyaki sandrich?”

This would of course occasion protest from minority groups and the Japanese embassy (as happened in Hungary in 2003, regarding a racist TV show).

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20030516b5.html

And rightly so. But so far the media reaction towards “Mr. James” has been mixed. The Japanese press has ignored it. The Western press has been nonplussed. Respectable websites have quoted some Asian-Americans’ acidulous Schadenfreude: “Karma’s a bitch.” As in, Asians have suffered Western stereotyping long enough, so this is cosmic retribution towards Caucasians.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/disgrasian/in-mcdonalds-new-japanese_b_263770.html

Others fail to see beyond the weird or exotic (of course; not everyone lives here or understands what straight katakana does to Japanese speech). Still others think it’s just humor, so let it go: Get a life, you humorless killjoys.

http://consumerist.com/5340185/japanese-mcdonalds-campaign-makes-fun-of-white-people-foreigners

But this overlooks what activists are trying to do: Give a point of view that goes against the mainstream — because Japanese media generally stereotypes foreigners in an unbalanced and unfair manner. Mr. James is but the most recent incarnation, and an offensive one at that.

I personally have three tests for whether stereotyping is offensive or unfair:

1) Does it suit the purposes of humor and satire, or is it just mean-spirited?

2) Has it any redeeming social value?

3) Is there turnabout in fair play?

Regarding 1), yes, I grant that “Mr. James” is disarmingly funny. However, it still takes mean cheap shots at foreigners for a purported lack of language ability. Allow me to elaborate from decades of personal experience what this stereotype does:

When asked if the Japanese language is difficult, I say it isn’t. What’s difficult is talking to Japanese people. One has to overcome so much ingrained baggage — often instilled from childhood in approved textbooks — that foreigners, particularly the non-Asians, are “guests and outsiders” — illiterate, inscrutable, and incomprehensible. Thanks to this, I daresay in the majority of random interactions, foreigners who do not “look Japanese” have to prove every day to new listeners that they speak Japanese just fine.

http://debito.org/TheCommunity/communityissues.html#gaijinimages

It’s like having to untangle your headphones before you listen to music. Every. Single. Time. And “Mr. James” just pulls the knots tighter.

Now 2) Redeeming social value. For example, when we see stereotyped characters on TV show “The Simpsons”, fun is poked. But eventually the characters become humanized, part of the neighborhood in The Simpsons’ universe. Is “Mr. James” similarly humanized and included?

Well, “Mr. James” has a backstory, but it’s one of “bedazzled tourist and guest”. It’s not one of inclusiveness: no matter how hard he tries (especially since McDonald’s rendered his every utterance in katakana), he’ll never be Japanese. He is the perpetual “other”.

Nothing new, since “othering foreigners” into a skin of differences is a national pastime. But it’s not pleasant for Caucasians who actually live here, and now have to deal with the reconfirmed “Mister First-Name-Outsider-speaking-incomprehensibly” stereotype in public as far down as children (one of McDonald’s target customers). Besides, how many will get the online backstory? Most will only spot his banners and full-body cutouts and see him as a flat cartoon, not a potential neighbor.

Will McDonald’s ever wink to the audience that it’s “all in fun”, and let on that “Mr. James” is a member of this society after all his hard work fitting in and fawning? Highly unlikely. Because by design he doesn’t belong here.

That leads us to 3) “fair play”. Is everyone “fair game” for stereotyping, and do the stereotyped have the chance to reply and balance views? I would argue no. The Japanese media very rarely gives a voice to non-Japanese residents, offering their perspective on life in Japan unadulterated. In fact, the image most often transmitted is that Japan is that of the hackneyed “unique island society” — and foreigners, however long-established, even married to Japan, have enormous difficulty fitting in and expressing themselves.

To test “fair play”, imagine if roles were reversed, with a Caucasian in Japan unilaterally poking fun at Japanese? I can, from experience. Outrage, even cries of racism. Domestic media isn’t fair, and most non-Japanese who try to balance their praise with critique or criticism get tossed aside as “Japan-haters”. Only “Japan-lovers”, as “Mr. James” is to the core, need apply as foreign shills.

https://www.debito.org/chibikurosanbo.html

https://www.debito.org/chibikurosanbo.html#parody

In sum, the “Mr. James” character is a “gaijin” — the embodiment of an epithet. Something for Japanese to feel comfortable with, even if non-Japanese bear the brunt. McDonald’s Japan is pandering to Japanese stereotypes without offering any sense of balance or inclusion.

You are welcome to disagree and see this as not worth protesting. I’m just making the case for protest and beginning a discussion. What I don’t quite get is why people, especially those affected by this campaign, snarl: “I personally don’t find ‘Mr. James’ offensive, so shut up.”

That’s the thing about how one “takes offense”. It’s not just subjective. It’s subliminally contextual as well. Read history. Any number of media icons once seen as inoffensive now cause cringes: The Yellow Kid. Gollywogs. Minstrel shows. Jose Jimenez. Aunt Jemima. Little Black Sambo. Stepin Fetchit. Fu Manchu. Charlie Chan. Mr. Moto. Plenty more. You watch and wonder what people were thinking back then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Jiménez_(character)

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

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

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Moto

Yet these characters survived for decades as mainstream icons, regardless of how overgeneralizing or degrading they might be to the ethnicities they portrayed. That’s because those ethnicities did not speak up, or were not heard when they did. So apparently nobody “took offense”.

Times change. Minorities assembled into pressure groups and shifted the very parameters of the debate. Raising public awareness of how stereotyping affects them is precisely what made the stereotypes cringeworthy. Even when there are lapses, such as Abercrombie and Fitch’s “two Wongs can make it white” Chinese-laundry shirts in 2002, minorities complain and product lines get discontinued.

http://www.hawaiistories.com/archives/004641.shtml

http://www.geocities.com/tarorg/shirts.html

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/04/18/MN109646.DTL

Protesters want the same thing to happen to “Mr. James” in 2009. That’s what’s so weird: Did McDonald’s seriously think there are no Caucasian minorities in Japan who might be affected or bothered? That a multinational company, with decades of experience selling goods to other societies, can show this degree of insensitivity? That nobody would cringe at the very sight of “Mr. James”?

Let me quote Ben Shearon, one officer of the newly-registered lobbying group FRANCA (Foreign Residents and Naturalized Citizens Association; which, in the interests of full disclosure, your correspondent chairs):

“The people complaining about this ad live in Japan, pay taxes here, and in some cases have naturalized and become Japanese citizens. We find this campaign reinforces unwelcome stereotypes that affect our lives here. I have been denied housing, bank loans, and even entry to businesses specifically because of my race/nationality.

“By pandering to the ‘hapless foreigner’ stereotype, McDonald’s is reinforcing the idea that non-Japanese cannot speak Japanese or conduct themselves properly in Japan. A multinational corporation like McDonald’s should be more careful about the subliminal messages they put out, and we are just trying to bring that to their attention.”

That’s it. We’ve made our case. Still think that “Mr. James” is not worth protesting? That’s your prerogative. But don’t tell people who feel adversely affected by media campaigns to just suck it up. That’s not how minorities finally gain recognition and a voice as residents in a society.

McDonald’s Japan should have known better, and it is reacting to the pressure: A letter in English (responding to FRANCA’s letter sent in Japanese, naturally) has Director of Corporate Relations Junichi Kawaminami claiming, “no offence was meant” (oh, so that’s okay then), but not apologizing or promising any changes. Meanwhile, certain restaurants in areas with concentrations of non-Japanese don’t seem to be carrying the “Mr James” campaign.

https://www.debito.org/?p=4243

And suddenly “Mr. James’s” blog has hiragana too. Maybe after enough complaints he’ll be a quick study in kanji. If he’s not cringed out of commission. And rightly so.

Debito Arudou coauthored the “Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants.” Twitter arudoudebito. Just Be Cause appears on the first Community Page of the month. Send comments on this issue and story ideas to community@japantimes.co.jp
ends

Get Japan Times today: JUST BE CAUSE column on McDonald’s Japan “Mr James”

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

Hi Blog. Take a look at my column today in the Japan Times, where I make the case with historical context that McDonald’s Japan’s “Mr James” campaign is something that should be discontinued. I’ll have the full text up here for comment here hopefully tomorrow for comment.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090901ad.html

Arudou Debito in southern Shikoku

Starting tour screening SOUR STRAWBERRIES (Okayama, Tokyo, Yokohama, perhaps Nagoya) Aug 30-Sept 14, blog updated less often

Posted on August 27, 2009August 27, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

twitter: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Just to let you know, I’m leaving the keyboard starting August 28, heading south for a couple of weeks. I’ll be touring movie SOUR STRAWBERRIES between Okayama, Yokohama, and Tokyo and giving speeches. So I probably won’t be able to update the blog and approve comments more than once a day for the next couple of weeks. FYI. Debito

Here’s the schedule:

========= WHAT THE MOVIE IS ABOUT =========

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL SCREENINGS WILL HAVE A VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION OF 500 YEN PER PERSON. (The directors went to great time and expense to create this documentary; let’s do what we can to compensate them.) Debito will also have copies of the DVD available for purchase for 1500 yen.

SCHEDULE OF SCREENINGS:

OKAYAMA: Sunday August 30, 2009, 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM, Okayama International Center (CONFIRMED) SPECIAL GUEST: DIRECTOR DANIEL KREMERS

TOKYO SHIBUYA: Thursday September 10, 2009, evening, The Pink Cow restaurant, for Amnesty International AITEN (CONFIRMED) SPECIAL GUEST: DIRECTOR DANIEL KREMERS

TOKYO AKIHABARA: Friday September 11, 2009, 7PM, Second Harvest Japan (CONFIRMED) SPECIAL GUEST: DIRECTOR DANIEL KREMERS

YOKOHAMA: Saturday September 12, 2009, 3-6PM for group “Drinking Liberally” at The Hub bar in Hiyoshi, Yokohama (CONFIRMED): Directions: Hiyoshi is on the Tokyu Toyoko line about 25 minutes out of Shibuya. Besides from Shibuya, Hiyoshi can also be reached from/connected to from Ebisu (Hibiya line), Meguro (Meguro line – continuation of the Namboku and Mita subway lines terminates at Hiyoshi) and Oimachi (Oimachi line connecting at Oookurayama to the Meguro line). The Hub is a 2 minute walk from the Hiyoshi station. Map here. Facebook entry here. SPECIAL GUEST: DIRECTOR DANIEL KREMERS

May I add that I have seen the movie, and it is excellent. We have sold out of three press runs of the DVD, and will be selling more at the venue.

If you can’t make the screenings but would like to order the movie directly from the directors, go to
http://www.cinemabstruso.de/strawberries/main.html

If you’d like to see my previous speeches, handouts, and powerpoints (so you can get an idea what I talk about), please click here.

ENDS

Reuters THE GREAT DEBATE column on how this election in Japan just might change everything

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. I was asked by Reuters to write a little something at the end of last month. This popped out in a little more than 45 minutes. Felt good, hope it reads well and rings true. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

===============================
THE GREAT DEBATE: REUTERS
06:58 August 25th, 2009
Japan: The election that might change everything
By: Arudou Debito
http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2009/08/25/japan-the-election-that-might-change-everything/
– Arudou Debito, is a columnist for the Japan Times, activist, blogger at debito.org, and Chair of the NPO Foreign Residents and Naturalized Citizens Association. The opinions expressed are his own –

Japan’s famous mantra is that things don’t change much or very quickly. But I have a feeling that this approaching Lower House parliamentary election on August 30 just might prove that wrong.

But first some background. Japan has been ruled essentially by one party since the end of World War II — the Liberal Democrats (LDP). That’s longer than in any other liberal democracy, competing with other countries that have no other parties to choose from.

There are many theories as to why that happened. Some might insist that risk-averse Japanese weren’t ready to tamper with the status quo, when economic growth was running so smoothly between 1950 and 1990, and everyone was feeling prosperous.

But that theory breaks down when you realize that Japan is the only developed economy which actually SHRANK on average over the past twenty years. If prosperity breeds contentment, two decades is enough time to voters make the elected feel their winter of discontent.

I believe there just hasn’t been a viable opposition party until now. The previous #2 party for most of the postwar era, the Socialists, were essentially a one-issue group, holding just enough seats to block any revisions to Japan’s “Peace Constitution”. They succeeded. Our peacetime constitution has never been amended.

But the Socialists imploded in 1995 when their leader made a Faustian bargain to take power briefly from the LDP. Ineptitude and three decades of opposition politics soon tripped them up, and the LDP was back in power within a year.

Arising from the ashes, eventually, was the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which eventually convinced enough voters that it wasn’t going to similarly implode. It’s only taken 15 years and a lot of horse trading (and some years holding the basically powerless Upper House) before it proved itself a viable second party.

It really proved itself earlier this July, when it ambushed the LDP in the Tokyo Government elections. For the first time in 40 years, Japan’s largest city has the opposition in control. This is riding the wave of a shambolic LDP, with three disastrous (and unelected) prime ministers after the famously-charismatic Koizumi. The current PM, Aso, is essentially an oblivious political Brahmin, who has made it clear that his only claim to power is his personal sense of entitlement. Tellingly, he has refused to give up the LDP leadership even after the July ambush, and is driving his party into the ground.

It is now clear how deep the rot runs. A near-majority of people in the LDP hold “inherited seats”, meaning they are sons, daughters, or blood relatives of former Dietmembers — some for several unbroken generations. This degree of cosy entitlement has only encouraged more elitism, rot, and preservation of a status quo that is long run out of excuses for Japan’s relative lack of prosperity. The LDP are the party resisting change, and the only weapon they have left in their arsenal is that you can’t trust the opposition party because it’s never held the reins. But that fear by circular logic isn’t selling this time.

I think, as do most people, that we will have a change of government, with the DPJ taking power in September. Will it change anything, however?

It just might. The DPJ Manifesto (They were the party that started this earlier this decade. How revolutionary! Making your policies clear to the voter!) is already out and it’s saying some pretty ambitious things. Paying families sizable amounts to support their children. Making schools up to junior high free. Making our toll highways free. Breaking the stranglehold the bureaucrats have over our policymaking levers. And quite a bit more that is ambitious if not a bit vague. (But that’s quite normal.) According to my backdoor channels, there’s even the promise of the DPJ facing up to the task of dealing with Japan’s decreasing population by broaching that taboo topic (until after the election) — loosening up the borders to let more immigration happen! That would mean EVERYTHING changes!

Many of these may turn out to be merely political promises, of course. But they’re still better than anything the LDP has come up with, and the DPJ is setting the agenda for this election. Being in control of the debate is a good thing. And it has had the intended effect. Although a month is a long time in politics, I think at this time the attitude is, “Well, why not give the DPJ a try? Can they really do all that worse than the LDP are doing now?”

I am an American-born naturalized citizen of Japan. Have been for nearly a decade now. I’ve voted in several elections. This is the one I’m most looking forward to.
ENDS

DPJ changes its slogan from “Kokumin” to “Anata…”

Posted on August 25, 2009August 25, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. I watched the LDP and the DPJ’s respective political advertisements on NHK yesterday, and had quite a surprise:

Well, two actually. First was I thought the LDP’s was better (the DPJ’s, despite the catchy song, was too corny). But never mind. I don’t think it’s going to make a huge difference, what with recent polls forecasting DPJ landslide victories.

The bigger surprise was the DPJ’s slogan in the TV spot. Their campaign slogan has been “kokumin no seikatsu ga daiichi” (the citizens’ livelihoods are the most important thing). It says as such on their Manifesto and their website.

However, in the TV spot (and on the back of the Manifesto) it was “ANATA no seikatsu ga daiichi” (your livelihoods are the most important thing).

For reasons I can’t elaborate upon at this juncture, I have been giving a lot of feedback and input to DPJ Hokkaido in recent months. One of my recommendations has been to remove the “kokumin” in favor of “shimin” or “juumin”, so that NJ are not excluded. But “anata” will do just as well. I’d like to believe my suggestions some impact.

Meanwhile, one policy issue I didn’t bring up, because I didn’t think it was tenable now, was the issue of suffrage for long-term NJ. But as we’ve seen on Debito.org, DPJ Head Hatoyama has come out in favor of that when it really wasn’t necessary in this election. That suggests some pretty nice potential changes on the drawing board after the DPJ more than likely wins.

After all, PM Aso just keeps on gaffing. His latest? Insinuating that people who don’t have enough money should not get married last Sunday. I think the remaining LDP candidates are just facepalming their way through this election.

Arudou Debito in Sapporo

McDonald’s Japan “Mr James”: Reports of improvements

Posted on August 23, 2009August 23, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. I am hearing of improvements in the infamous and controversial katakana-speaking “gaijin” character “Mr James”, advertising McDonald’s hamburgers. Just wanted to confirm with Debito.org readers:

1) Peach reports the “katakana tray inserts” (meaning these):

are not being used anymore. Visited a McDonald’s in Tennouji, Osaka today and discovered this.

2) Justin commented to Debito.org:

Submitted on 2009/08/19 at 9:54pm
One interesting note about the “Mr. James” ads: There aren’t any in the McDonalds across from Kamiyacho Station, just down the hill from the Hotel Okura. This is a gaijin-heavy area, with lots of us staying in the hotel or working in the offices nearby. If the “Mr. James” ads are so inoffensive, why is McDonalds Japan keeping them out of its restaurants in foreigner-heavy neighborhoods?

3) As has been reported in the SCMP and other media outlets, the “backstory” of this character has become more sophisticated, depicting him as a tourist from Ohio, not a resident of Japan, burgering his way through Japan’s burghers (dare him to come to Hokkaido!) and blogging his experiences. Although this doesn’t excuse his being rendered in katakana. For those wishing to give McD’s the benefit of the doubt (I don’t), one could argue that this man is just a Japan otaku, not the typical gaijin. But you still got the huge billboards outside the restaurant with Mr James — you don’t even have to go inside the restaurant to get “Jamesed”, let alone take the trouble to visit online and get the backstory. Collateral effects.

4) Mr James has suddenly become a quick study in Japanese. His blog posts are no longer exclusively in katakana, although his Japanese remains a bit on the broken side (all the nouns are gaijinized in katakana) with nary a kanji to be seen.

Are others seeing these improvements? And are there any more adjustments to report?

These are all evidence that McDonald’s Japan is taking complaints about this campaign seriously. But I still say the campaign must be suspended entirely. They may be trying to make him a character with more redeeming characteristics. But he’s still, in my book, a gaijin — an epithet made flesh; that’s how he was designed, and now McDonald’s Japan, for better or worse, is saddled with him. Get rid of this albatross.

Arudou Debito in Sapporo

South China Morning Post on McDonald’s Japan “Mr James” Campaign, quotes FRANCA

Posted on August 21, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. SCMP reports:

======================
Foreigners fail to see joke over McDonald’s dorky-white-guy ad
Julian Ryall in Tokyo
South China Morning Post, August 21, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2c913216495213d5df646910cba0a0a0/?vgnextoid=9dedf41d04833210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=teaser&ss=Asia+%26+World&s=News (registration required)

He’s white, dorky and speaks mangled Japanese.

Meet Mr James, McDonald’s Japan’s fictitious white envoy, who has managed to outrage foreigners’ rights groups, which labelled him an offensive racial stereotype.

The chain began its “Nippon All Stars” campaign on August 10, fronted by what the Foreign Residents and Naturalised Citizens’ Association (Franca) said was an “oddball-looking Caucasian” praising a new line of burgers in pitifully broken Japanese.

With trousers worn high, Mr James’ thick-framed glasses and polo-shirt-and-tie combination is unmistakably nerdy. He is travelling around Japan and keeping a blog of the places that he visits. As part of the advertising campaign, people who see him are encouraged to take a photo and send it to McDonald’s, with the best one photo winning a 100,000 yen (HK$8,220) prize.

“The idea behind the campaign is that Mr James used to live in Japan as a student, heard about the new McDonald’s product and wanted to try it again, so he has come back to travel around the country,” spokesman Junichi Kawaminami said.

The actor playing Mr James, whom the company declined to identify or provide contact details for, was until recently in the southern city of Fukuoka.

“McDonald’s has obviously put a lot of money into this campaign as there are full-length posters and banners in every restaurant that I see as well as by the side of roads here, and the company is apparently not concerned that they are offending people and hope we continue to buy their burgers,” Franca chairman Debito Arudou, a naturalised Japanese born in the United States, said.

“This is untenable in a Japan with ethnic minority residents,” he said. “They are being ill-portrayed by this stereotype and their lives may be affected by this careless campaign by one of the world’s most influential multinational companies.”

McDonald’s Japan confirmed that it had received complaints about the campaign and said it was examining the matter. Similar complaints to its US headquarters have been referred back to the Japanese firm.

“What really angers me is that no one involved in the process here thought that anyone would take offence to see a caricature such as this advertising their company,” Mr Arudou said. “Can you imagine the outrage there would be in the US or any other country if a restaurant chain used an image of a Japanese man with big, round glasses, buck teeth, geta sandals and a kimono telling people to `buy flied lice, is velly good! “That’s the sort of thing that gets embassies and global human rights’ groups angry and involved,” he said.
ENDS

McDonald’s “Mr James” Campaign: FRANCA’s downloadable protest letter in Japanese

Posted on August 20, 2009August 26, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Here is the Japanese translation for the FRANCA letter protesting the “Mr James” burger campaign currently underway at McDonald’s Japan. You can see the original English here.

Please feel free to copy and send this letter to McDonald’s yourself via their feedback inlets on their website. (try here in particular) Better yet, take it to your local McDonald’s doing this campaign, ask for the manager, and hand them this letter to express your disgruntlement. You can download the Word version of it here:

https://www.debito.org/FRANCAMrJamesJpublic.doc

Please also consider not buying food at McDonald’s for the duration of this (three-month) campaign. Maybe tell the manager that when you submit your letter.

Talked to the media yesterday. An article on this issue should be appearing in the South China Morning Post tomorrow (Friday). It’s already appeared on Consumerist.com. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

================================

NPO Foreign Residents and Naturalized Citizens Association

（一般社団法人）日本永住帰化移民住民協会

会社法人等番号 4300-05-005413 www.francajapan.org

〒163-1339. 本社住所, 東京都新宿区西新宿6－5－1 新宿アイランドタワー
日本マクドナルド株式会社　代表取締役会長　原田　泳幸　様当店舗担当者　方

拝啓　ますますご繁栄の事をお喜び申し上げます。

突然の失礼をお許し下さい。在日外国人・帰化人のための非政府組織であり人権擁護団体「日本永住帰化移民住民協会」（FRANCA Japan）と申します。FRANCAは、下記の目標を達成するために努めております：１）外国人及び複数の文化背景を持つ日本人に対するマイナスイメージ及びステレオタイプの公の場からの除去に努めること。２）人種・国籍・民族・出身地などによる差別の除去に努めること。３）移民及び文化の多様性の利点に関する理解を広めるのに努めること。FRANCAは長期間にわたる効率的な陳情・情報交換・広報を通じて、日本国民の意識を高めることにより、上記の目標を達成することを目標としております。

今月、貴社が全国的に打ち上げた「Mr.ジェームス」のキャンペーンの件ですが、たいへん不快な気持ちを受けたことをお伝えしたいと思います。

白人のマスコットは日本流のマクドナルドハンバーガーを過剰に評価するキャラクター認識しておりますが、以降はたいへん遺憾な内容であることを申し上げます。

１）「ニッポンタマランデス」「ニッポンサイコーデス」「ワタシニッポンダイスキ」などの片言日本語、ましてはカタカナ日本語。日本に住んでいる外国人や外見が外国人みたいな人の過半数は日本語が堪能です。しかし、宣伝から「ガイジンは日本語ができないだろう」という印象は強まるでありましょう。このようなステレオタイプを助長してはいけません。

２）「Mr.ジェームス」という名称。なぜ「Mr.（下の名前）」にしましたか。言うまでもなく日本のマナーは「名字」＋さんです。「ガイジン扱いをやめよう」と努めている弊団体にとっても、国際化を目指している日本にとっても、これは時代と逆行しているという宣伝にならないでしょうか。これから「ガイジンの場合はマナーを守らなくてもいい」と助長したいのでしょうか。

３）「Mr.ジェームズ」のイメージ。いくら「元気なオタク」というイメージでも、日本の白人住民にとって非常に恥ずかしいイメージであります。これからも永年にわたり、暮らす者の立場を考慮なさいましたでしょうか。

もっと分かりやすく例えると、海外のマクドナルドで新しいライスのメニューをキャンペーンしようとしたら、小柄で眼鏡をかけ少し前歯が出ている、アジア人と思われる男性が片言英語で「Ah so solly, prease to eeto honorable McLice!」を言うキャラなら抗議の対象になるでしょう。国内のマイノリティも「差別」と叫んで人権擁護団体もキャンペーンを取り止める要求もきて、不買運動もすることがよくあるパターンです。

同様に、この「Mr.ジェームス」キャンペーンをすぐに撤回することを要求します。このように日本国内のマイノリティに対するステレオタイプを助長することは一流企業としての良識とは思いがたいのです。こちらでも不買運動を検討しております。

ご返答をお待ちしております。宜しくお願いします。敬具
平成２１年８月２０日　有道　出人（あるどう　でびと）FRANCA Japan 会長
ENDS

From the food tray inserts:

From stickers on every table:

At every restaurant, a full-size cutout of “Mr James”:

Close up of the cutout:

Outdoors in Sapporo, so you don’t even have to go into the restaurant itself to see the image perpetuated (photo taken August 15, 2009, Sapporo Nakanosawa Branch):

ends

Aso presides over sinking LDP ship, slams DPJ Hatoyama for being open to NJ suffrage

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Election season has officially kicked off, as of yesterday (whadda time for me to take a vacation!), and here we have the slow and steady disintegration of the LDP (Japan Times speculates not on whether opposition DPJ will win, but by how much). Even former LDP independent Tanaka Makiko just joined the DPJ.

But where this dovetails with Debito.org is the long-standing issue of suffrage for Permanent Residents (particularly the Special PRs, who have lived here for generations as foreigners). DPJ head Hatoyama is making liberalizing overtures, while PM Aso tries to claim Japan for the Japanese only. This according to a Japan Times article courtesy of John I’ve excerpted below.

Personally, I’m glad Aso stayed on as LDP head after the disastrous Tokyo Prefectural elections last July. He’s running the party into the ground. And making it all that much easier for the DPJ to assume the reins. One fear, however, a friend expressed to me this morning is that too much defection to the DPJ might make it the same party with a different name. But I’m not going to go all that pessimistic yet. A change of political party after five decades is good.

Eyes on the election, everyone. And I should have a Japanese letter of protest for you to take to your local McDonald’s re the ludicrous “Mr James” Campaign up here by tomorrow. Arudou Debito on holiday. Kinda.

=========================================

The Japan Times Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009
PARTY POWERS
Down in polls, Aso says only LDP can provide security (excerpt)
By MASAMI ITO

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090819a6.html

… Aso also expressed his disapproval of DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama’s willingness to give local-level suffrage to foreign nationals with permanent residency.

“Hatoyama says that Japan is not a country just for Japanese, but if that is the case, then whose country is it for?” Aso asked. “Honestly speaking, this isn’t something that will be resolved by just granting (foreigners) suffrage and it is likely that there will be many more difficult problems.”

While many lawmakers in the DPJ and New Komeito are for granting foreigners the right to vote in local elections, many conservative LDP members have expressed strong reluctance.

The prime minister added that the number of descendants of Koreans who lived in Japan before the war and were forced to take Japanese nationality at that time is declining and that “we must consider various things like whether (suffrage for foreigners) is even necessary.”

ENDS

J population drops, Internal Ministry converts it into rise, excludes NJ from tally.

Posted on August 15, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Here’s one way to tip any undesirable downward trend in statistics: change the paradigms. In this case, the Internal Ministry considers “Japanese population” not only as births and deaths, but also inflows. That is, inflows of citizens only. Once again, inflows (or current residency) of foreigners are not considered part of the “population”, even though they pay taxes and contribute to Japanese society like any other living breathing soul.

Know of any other G8 country which refuses to include its foreign population as part of its total population? The fact is, given that we get plenty more than 45,914 foreigners per year coming in, the main thing keeping Japan’s population in the black is immigration. But again, that’s a taboo topic in public. We can’t act as if Japan actually needs foreigners, after all. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

=======================================

Number of citizens residing in Japan rises for 2nd straight year
Wednesday 12th August, 03:08 AM JST
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/number-of-citizens-residing-in-japan-rises-for-2nd-straight-year

TOKYO —

The number of Japanese citizens residing in the country rose for the second year to over 127 million as of the end of March, partly because more people returned to the country than left after Japanese companies pulled back from overseas operations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said Tuesday.

The total number of citizens residing in Japan now stands at 127,076,183, up 10,005 from a year earlier, when calculated based on the number of citizens listed on basic resident registers nationwide, the ministry’s data showed. Japan saw more deaths than births, translating into a net drop of 45,914, but the decline was offset by factors including an increase in the number of Japanese people returning from overseas.

ENDS

Interview with the Berlin Institute for Population and Development

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

(title deleted since I fundamentally disagree with it, and it sounds like a quote from me when it isn’t)
INTERVIEW WITH THE BERLIN INSTITUTE FOR POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT
of Arudou Debito, Hokkaido Information University
http://www.berlin-institut.org/other-publications/as-a-foreigner-you-are-only-a-guest-in-japan.html
Interview by Sabine Sütterlin, August 3rd, 2009

Author and civil rights activist Debito Arudou was called David Christopher Aldwinckle originally and was born in 1965 as an American citizen. In 1991, he settled in Sapporo on Hokkaido Island. He regularly deals with xenophobia and exclusionism he finds in Japan. Since 1993, he has taught English and Debate at the private Hokkaido Information University. Since 2000, he is a Japanese citizen.

Only 1,7 per cent of Japan’s population – which in 2007 totalled 127,77 million people – are foreigners. This is one of the lowest percentages worldwide. Why are there so few? Where do they come from? And what has brought them to Japan?

After opening to the world now nearly 150 years ago, Japan has had a long history of bringing in foreigners. First as advisors to get Japan “caught up” technologically after centuries of isolation. Then as laborers from the Japanese empire at that time to man its war machine. Then as leftover former citizens of the empire, moreover educators, researchers, students and regular workers during its postwar reconstruction.

The most pronounced period of importing foreign labor began in 1990, when Japan inaugurated a new visa regime to bring in laborers from poorer countries, particularly China, South America, and South-East Asia. Japan had a huge labor shortage in the dirty, difficult, and dangerous industrial jobs which Japanese workers eschewed. Policymakers saw benefit in bringing in laborers who would be willing to work for less than those Japanese workers. Consequently, this visa regime has more than doubled the number of non-Japanese residents in Japan since 1990.

But why are there still so few?

Japan has no official immigration policy. In fact, its policy is for “revolving-door” employment. That means people have term-limited visas dependent on having a job in Japan, as in the factory “trainees” from China. Other example: Foreigners of Japanese ancestry can come here for as long as they like, work in factories and contribute to the national pension plans, but then have been offered bribes to go back home and forfeit all their investments as soon as economic conditions turn sour; this happened last April. There is little governmental preparation for assimilation or assistance in helping people settle in. And it is quite difficult to get Permanent Residency. The official attitude is: As a foreigner, you’re a guest. Enjoy your time here, make some money, then go back.

How did you manage to become a Japanese citizen?

It is a procedure like naturalization anywhere, with some arbitrary requirements about acculturation that I managed to overcome.

You reflect on some of these arbitrary requirements on your website: For example, you were asked to submit a form to indicate whether your relatives approved of your naturalization. According to other sources, officials would sometimes recommend applicants to change their names so that those sound more Japanese.

You have to show how Japanese you are, and that includes permission from family and neighbors. Other officials wanted to see how Japanese the contents of applicants’ refrigerators or their children’s toys were. These are basically means for inspectors to refuse you if they feel something “funny” about you, I guess. It didn’t happen to me, and I am pretty “funny”. And according to government naturalization statistics, they accept almost anyone who passes the initial screening interview and files the paperwork.

But if Japan decides it does not want or need immigrants – what is wrong with that?

Because it doesn’t reflect reality. We have had a UN report that stated, at least one Prime Minister who acknowledged, and several important domestic organizations who admitted, that Japan needs immigration. Now. Our society is aging and our tax base is decreasing. We are on the cusp of a demographic nightmare, a future with a society that cannot pay or take care of itself. Either way, people will come here, even if it means they find an enfeebled or empty island to live in. Might as well do it now while we have more energy and choices.

The people who represent us or make decisions for us are not necessarily that receptive to understand that people who appear to be different are not a threat. We cannot expect them to lead us to a world they cannot envision. It’s our country, too.

Japanese demographers emphasize that the shrinking of the population has also positive effects like having more space or more land for agriculture.

More land is great, but who will farm it? We are already seeing the depopulation of the countryside in Japan. Our farmers have so much trouble finding wives that many import them from abroad. Meanwhile, things are centralizing in the urban areas and becoming even more crowded. I do not think there is a move to “return to the garden” yet, like one sees when people retire to the country overseas. I think things will continue on the same steady decline for at least the next few years.

How does Japan manage to keep its productivity on the long term without enhancing its labor force with immigrants?

I do not think anyone knows. A society with the most elderly as a percentage of the population in modern history is an unprecedented development. Business federations and think tanks in Japan wanly talk about robotics and automation, employing women and old people more effectively. That is about all. But it seems that talking about “immigration” as a means to fixing the problem is taboo at the moment.

How do Japanese react when they hear about integration problems in Europe?

It is used to make the ramparts even firmer. Politicians here cite riots and intercultural strife overseas all the time. This stops our country from even considering an immigration policy. So we bring in unofficial labor force anyway and end up with much the same problems. Blinkered viewpoints and scare tactics all around. It is disappointing, and untoward for a society this educated and literate.

Interview by Sabine Sütterlin, August 3rd, 2009

The interview may be reprinted with indication of source (Sabine Sütterlin / Berlin-Institute).
ENDS

Japan Times: NJ visas now contingent on enrollment in Japan’s health insurance program starting April 2010

Posted on August 3, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Here’s a good article describing issues of health insurance and pensions, and how recent revisions clarifying that every resident in Japan (including NJ) must be enrolled may expose the graft that employers have been indulging in (“opting out” of paying mandatory social security fees, encouraging NJ not to pay them, or just preying on their ignorance by not telling them at all) to save money. The problem is, instead of granting an amnesty for those employees who unwittingly did not pay into the system, they’re requiring back payments (for however many years) to enroll or else they get no visa renewal! Once again, it’s the NJ employee who gets punished for the vices of the employer. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

================================

THE ZEIT GIST
New law: no dues, no visa (excerpt)
Enrollment in Japan’s health insurance program tied to visa renewal from 2010
The Japan Times, Tuesday, July 28, 2009
By JENNY UECHI

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090728zg.html

In your wallet or somewhere at home, do you have a blue or pink card showing that you are enrolled in one of Japan’s national health and pension programs? If not, and if you are thinking of extending your stay here, you may want to think about a recent revision to visa requirements for foreign residents. The changes, which the Justice Ministry says were made in order to “smooth out the administrative process,” may have major consequences for foreign residents and their future in Japan.

On a drab, rainy Sunday in June, a group of foreign workers gathered at the office of the National Union of General Workers Tokyo Nambu in Shimbashi to discuss an equally drab topic: social insurance. According to a new immigration law passed by the Diet earlier this month, foreign residents will be required to show proof of enrollment in Japan’s health insurance program in order to renew or apply for a visa after April 1, 2010…

The bottom line is that all residents of Japan … have to be enrolled in one or other of the two systems. The revised visa laws, therefore, should pose no threat to anyone’s visa renewal, because every foreigner in Japan should already be enrolled. However, the reality is that most foreigners in Japan do not have either form of insurance…

Louis Carlet, deputy secretary of Nambu, laid it down for everyone in the room to understand. There are a few basic things that all foreigners in Japan have to know, he explained: first, that everyone over the age of 20 in Japan is required to enroll in an approved Japanese government health insurance scheme and pension fund. If you are under 75 and working at a company that employs more than five people, this most likely means the shakai hoken (social insurance) program; if you are unemployed, self-employed or retired, the equivalent system is thekokumin kenko hoken and kokumin nenkin (national health insurance and pension). The only people exempt are sailors, day laborers, and those working for companies employing less than five people, or for firms without a permanent address (e.g. a film set).

The two systems cover different ground, all of which is explained in detail at www.sia.go.jp/e/ehi.html….

Rest of the article at:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090728zg.html

Weekend Tangent: Naturalized Caucasian Korean becomes SK’s National Tourism Org leader

Posted on August 1, 2009February 21, 2018 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. It’s the weekend and the summertime, so how about a little diversion? Here we have a case of how a naturalized citizen in South Korea has been given a significant administrative post.

Good for him, and good for Korea. This is a country with only recently established a law against racial discrimination (at last) in 2007, and their democracy’s much younger than ours. What’s holding Japan back? The LDP’s primacy? Not for long, I bet, and there are hundreds of thousands of naturalized citizens here to choose from. I know at least eight of them. Let’s get cracking. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

Naturalized Korean Lee Charm named tourism head

The Korea Herald, July 29, 2009, Courtesy of MS

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/07/29/200907290099.asp

Media personality Lee Charm was named chief of the Korea National Tourism Organization Wednesday, the first naturalized Korean to take a top government post in Korea, according to Yonhap News.

Lee, 55, is the first German male ever to become a naturalized Korean citizen, and his appointment is anticipated to pave the way for others like him to assume government positions, a pledge by President Lee Myung-bak during the 2007 election.

“I became a Korean citizen to help the country in some way,”

Lee said in an earlier interview with Yonhap after it was known he had been nominated. “I hope this new role will bring me closer to that goal.”

Lee will hold the post for three years from Thursday, when he will officially be appointed to the post by Culture Minister Yu In-chon.

“The ministry had requested the president to consider Lee for the post, considering his global experiences which will help boost the domestic tourism sector,” the culture ministry said in a press release.

Having come to Korea in 1978 as Bernhard Quandt, the catalyst for Lee’s move was a post with a European cultural foundation, where he helped with academic seminars on international issues.

Over time, Lee has played many different roles in Korean society, including a German teacher, English teacher, consultant, actor and broadcaster.

Lee became one of only a few dozen Caucasian citizens of South Korea in 1986. He has since become a prominent figure in Korean media and politics, and worked for President Lee’s campaign during the 2007 elections.

Lee Charm currently hosts a Korean culture and food show on KTV, a government channel, and is member of the state-run Korean food promotion body.

2009.07.29

Update: Ibaraki Police’s third new NJ-scare poster

Posted on July 29, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. The Ibaraki Police are at it again. JR Mito Station, July 18, 2009, courtesy of AM:

Yep, that’s another one of those police posters up in a public place explicitly making the case that Japan’s shores have to be defended from foreigners, and calling for public assistance to help the armed police surround and subdue them.

Again, it’s the third poster in as many years. Despite the addition of the red, it’s arguably more subdued than last year’s (click to expand in your browser), where they bore automatic weapons and did Normandy Beach maneuvers:

Or the original and classic from two years ago:

More on these classics at https://www.debito.org/?p=2057.

But the question still remains. Where’s the budget for these redesigns coming from? And why does Ibaraki think it’s specially prone to invasion? It’s not like it’s the only prefecture with a coast (almost all prefectures have one — in fact, pop quiz: name the landlocked prefectures; don’t cheat and look at a map). It’s not even facing the usual suspects for invasion China or North Korea (I shudder to think what posters might go up in Fukui or Ishikawa; any Sea of Japan siders out there?). Even Otaru and other Hokkaido seaports with all their Russian sailor issues didn’t have officially-sponsored police posters like these (naw, they just had exclusionary signs from local-business vigilantes; way better. /sarcasm). So many mysteries created by our vigilant boys in blue, in this case garnished with black riot gear.

Arudou Debito in Sapporo

Naturalized J citizen Jiei stopped by Osaka cops for Gaijin Card check. Shitsukoidom ensues

Posted on July 25, 2009July 25, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Here’s an important bellwether essay from Jiei, a fellow naturalized Japanese citizen who was singled out for a Gaijin Card Check by Osaka Cops last night. He tells the story of how he stood up for himself despite being explicitly suspected of being drunk or on drugs, and for sitting on a swingset while white when taking a break from jogging in a park. He cites the law back to the cops chapter and verse, but they undeterredly continue the questioning and racial profiling. I won’t give away the ending.

The point is, this is going to happen more and more often as more people naturalize, and more Japanese of international marriages come of age and get hassled for not looking “Japanese” enough to allay cops’ suspicion. This is not legally sanctioned, in any case. Which means people must learn about their rights and assert them, because there are no other checks and balances here. Read on.

Thanks to Jiei for bringing this up to government-registered human rights group FRANCA. Join us if you like. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

REPORT BEGINS
============================
Like Debito, I am a former American naturalized Japanese citizen. While I don’t look Japanese, I also had to jump over many hurdles for my naturalization application to be accepted by the government a year ago, and now I’m proud to call myself a Japanese and be recognized as a fully contributing member of this country.

Living here has had its ups and downs; I’ve been stopped at least 10 times by the police when I was a foreigner (once when I was leaving my apartment in the morning to go shopping because I “just looked suspicious”!), yet I never tried to exercise my full rights as Debito did, partly because of ignorance and partly because of fear.

However, tonight (09/7/25) I just had my first experience being stopped by the police as a Japanese citizen, and the situation was different. This time, I was going jogging around the park near my house in Osaka prefecture around midnight (something I always do since I work late and cannot go jogging during the daytime.) The park is a popular spot for teenagers to hang out at night, so I was not alone that night.

I took a short rest on the swings and then tried to leave the park from the main entrance to continue my run, when two “around 30” police officers on bicycles approached me from behind and suddenly stopped me with a loud “Konbanwa! Doko ikun’ desuka?” I removed my headphones and took a deep breath since I knew exactly where this was heading, and tried to prepare myself for the coming debate.

The two officers “greeted” me again and the proceeded to surround me on both sides as if to stop me from escaping easily. I was looking down at my cell phone the time, so the officer on the left asked if I was drunk or on drugs. Slightly amused, I closed my eyes and touched my nose with my index fingers to show that I wasn’t drunk. The one on the right looked at my face and simply said “Torokusho!” I asked him what he was talking about, and he repeated “Gaikokujin torokusho!” while making a rectangular symbol with his hands.

I stared at him for a moment and replied, “I am a Japanese citizen, I don’t have any alien registration card.” He looked genuinely shocked and asked me again twice if I was indeed Japanese. I simply responded,”I am Japanese.” When asked to show my driver’s license to prove it, I replied, “I refuse!”

The officer on the left then ordered me to empty my pockets and show my identification, so I said “Sure, I have my identification right here!” and pulled a copy of the “Keisatsukan Shokumu Shikkou Hou” that I always keep in my wallet, and showed the officer on the right the letter of the law concerning voluntary questioning by police officers.

Surprised, he asked, “What is this? Why did you pull something like this out?” I told them it’s the law concerning police activity and asked them if my actions (kyodou) seemed strange (fushin) to them and if they had probable cause (soutou na riyuu) to stop me.

When they both responded with a strong and clear “yes,” I asked if going for a jog is a crime in Japan. They both responded no, and then asked if I lived near the park. I deflected the question and said that it was quite rude of them to approach me and assume I was a foreigner and treat me like this.

The officer on the right laughingly apologized but then continued to ask if I was “haafu” or where I was born. I told them I refuse to answer any questions because police questioning is voluntary. They asked me “Why do you keep a copy of the law in your pocket? Are you trying to hide anything?” I spread my palms out to show I had nothing hidden, and replied that I was studying law and asked them if they were aware of the constitution or the code of criminal procedure.

The officer on the left said, “then you must know that voluntary questioning by police officers is a legally sanctioned activity (keisatsu katsudou.) I replied “That’s true, and it is also voluntary, so I have the legal right to refuse your questioning.” The officer on the right then repeated, “but we have the right to stop and ask you.” I repeated, “I have the right to not answer.”

This was repeated many times and after calmly debating with them for five minutes about what the meaning of “voluntary” (nin’i) is, and after repeated requests to show my license, the officer on the right asked if this was my first time getting stopped by the police, to which I said, “What do you think? With a face like this I’ve been stopped many many times in my life.”

The officer on the left finally changed his attitude and said, “Well then, at least tell us your name, job, family member’s names and where you live!” Naturally, I refused this also and said, “if you want to search me or see my license, you first need to arrest me or have a warrant. I am not on drugs, nor am I a criminal. I have been singled out for looking different many times now and I refuse to put up with it any longer. I know the law, so I honestly want to be arrested and take this to court; I’m sure I’ll win in the end even if I have to take this to the Supreme Court!”

After asking if they had their handcuffs ready and if they were going to arrest me, they both laughed and the officer on the left said, “Who’s talking about arresting you, we just want to see your identification! Don’t you have anything?” I then pulled out my wallet and waved it around. “My identification is in this wallet but I refuse to show it and if you want to see it, arrest me here and now.”

After more repetitive requests to identify myself and prove I am Japanese, they received a police report on their walkie-talkies, and finally sped off on their bicycles without saying anything or even looking back at me.

All in all, they were actually very calm about the whole thing; they seemed half amused to debate the meaning of the law with a “suspicious foreigner looking type” like me. To tell the truth, I was surprised at how easily they gave up without ask me to go to a police station with them, trying to search my pockets, or even actually see my driver’s license.

While it may sound that I was fearless, I was actually quite nervous and my legs and hands were trembling, so I forgot to ask to see their badges and note their information or try to walk away during the questioning.

Yet when I returned home and told my native Japanese friends about this, they were not so supportive of me. They all simply asked why I didn’t show my license first and not go through any hassle. I told them that this was a bigger issue about legal rights. I am definitely not the fighting type, and I basically keep to myself and try not to make any waves. However, I refuse to be treated as a second-class citizen in my own country, and if need be, I am absolutely willing to risk being arrested for standing up for what I believe in.

I’m sure that I will be stopped again in the future many times, along with all other non-Asian looking people in Japan, but I plan to stand up for my rights every time. While confronting the police and asserting your rights so clearly like this is not for everyone, I hope that my experience proves that calmly using the law to assert your rights does work in Japan, and can make a difference!

ENDS

ADDENDUM:

By the way, concerning the legality of photographing police officers’ badges…unfortunately Japan has no clear law concerning image rights (shozoken) and the leading supreme court decision in the Hayashi Masumi case found that while people generally have the right to not have their images taken and published without reason, image rights still have to be considered specially in each case based on the situation…leaving things still unclear.

However, considering that they were public servants on duty and I needed to confirm their identity since I didn’t have a pen to write it doen, I think that I would have a case if it went to court. However, it would take a clear Supreme Court verdict to give a definitive answer. In any case, as seen from the many shokumu shitsumon videos uploaded on YouTube, the police aren’t actively pursuing fighting this.

ENDS

JIPI book on “The Concept for a Japanese-Style Immigration Nation” by Sakanaka Hidenori

Posted on July 24, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. I received this book from Director Sakanaka Hidenori at JIPI (Japan Immigration Policy Institute) two days ago. “The Concept for a Japanese-Style Immigration Nation”. Nice little handbook, haven’t read it yet, but here are scans of the cover, the contact details for you to get your own copy, and table of contents. You see, despite the virtual taboo on considering immigration as an option within some public fora, other people are still willing to put pen to paper and give it a good think.

The book is not on sale, so contact JIPI directly for details. More of Sakanaka’s writings regarding Japan’s future of immigration on Debito.org here. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

(click on images to expand in your browser)

ends

Review of SOUR STRAWBERRIES in Kansai Scene July 2009

Posted on July 24, 2009July 24, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Good morning Blog. Here’s a nice review of documentary SOUR STRAWBERRIES that reader SD advised me of a couple of days ago (I’m too far north to get this publication). From Kansai Scene magazine July 2009. Click on the graphic to expand in your browser.

If you’d like to see the movie for yourself, I’m hosting another tour Aug 30-Sept 13 between Okayama and Tokyo. Schedule here. If you’d like to order a copy for educational purposes etc., click here. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

A spate of Debito.org-related news links, on PR, visas with kids, NJ unemp insurance, and Roppongi drink spiking

Posted on July 16, 2009July 16, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. It’d probably take many days of blogging to get all these articles out individually, so let me just lump them together for your reference. Thanks to Anonymous and JK. Arudou Debito

============================
Guidelines revised to allow illegals with kids to stay longer
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20090711TDY02308.htm
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 11, 2009)

The Justice Ministry announced on Friday revised guidelines under which non-Japanese staying in the nation illegally with school-age children could be granted special residence permission to stay longer.

While the revision of guidelines regarding permits for people staying in Japan illegally has not officially eased residency requirements, it looks to reduce the estimated 130,000 people staying in Japan illegally by giving them an incentive to voluntarily contact the authorities.

The justice minister is authorized to issue special permits to non-Japanese who challenge deportation orders. The guidelines released in 2006 state that the permits are to be issued for humanitarian considerations.

But the guidelines’ standards have been criticized for being ambiguous and for discouraging foreigners from contacting the authorities out of concern they will be deported.

The revised guidelines state that people caring for seriously sick relatives or who have children enrolled in primary to high schools in Japan may be eligible for the permits if they voluntarily contact immigration offices.

They also stipulate that the children should have lived in Japan for at least 10 years in principle.

But the revised guidelines also say that stays may be denied to those who have entered Japan on fake passports.

Tomoyuki Yamaguchi, a representative of the APFS (Asian People’s Friendship Society), a Tokyo-based nonprofit organization supporting foreigners staying in Japan, said: “Many foreign families [staying illegally in Japan] live in Japan in hiding as they’re afraid of being discovered by the authorities. If they realize they have a better chance of obtaining these permits by reporting themselves voluntarily, more of them are likely to cooperate.”
(Jul. 11, 2009)

================================
New special residency permit guidelines established
(Mainichi Japan) July 10, 2009
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20090710p2a00m0na004000c.html

New guidelines for special residency permits issued by the Minister of Justice to foreigners who have received deportation orders for illegal overstays have been established, the Ministry of Justice announced Friday.

Listed as having grounds for positive consideration include: those who are raising biological children in elementary, junior, or senior high school and who have lived in Japan for 10 years or more; those who have lived in Japan for 20 years and are firmly rooted in Japan; and those who turn themselves into authorities for illegally overstaying and have no records of other law violations.

Meanwhile, those who have illegally issued or received passports, or entered the country on fraudulent passports or visas are unlikely to be eligible for special residency permits. Even those who have lived in Japan for 20 years or more, will be considered for deportation if they have been convicted of illegally issuing or receiving passports.

While special residence permission is left to the justice minister’s discretion, guidelines for granting permission were established by the Ministry of Justice for the first time in October 2006. The latest revision took place because of a supplementary provision written by both ruling and opposition party legislators into the amended Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law that passed during the current Diet session to “increase the transparency of special residence permissions.”

In 2008, 8,522 foreigners were granted special residency permits, meaning that a little over 70 percent of all petitions for permission have been granted. In March 2009, Justice Minister Eisuke Mori granted special residence permission to a 14-year-old Saitama girl who was born and raised in Japan and whose parents had been deported to the Philippines for illegally entering Japan, given that she lives with her relatives.

在留特別許可：小、中、高生の親に配慮　法務省が新指針
毎日新聞　2009年7月10日　東京夕刊
http://mainichi.jp/select/seiji/archive/news/2009/07/10/20090710dde001010081000c.html
　不法滞在などで退去強制処分となった外国人の在留を法相が特別に認める在留特別許可について法務省は１０日、許可判断の参考とする新たなガイドラインを策定したと発表した。許可を積極的に考慮する事情として学校に通う子を持つ親や日本への定着性のほか、自ら入管に出頭した場合も盛り込み不法滞在者へ出頭を促した。

　許可する積極要素として、日本の小中高校に在学し、１０年以上の相当期間日本に在住する実子と同居▽滞在が２０年程度の長期間に及び定着性が認められる▽不法滞在を申告するため自ら入管に出頭－－などと列記。許可する方向で検討する例として「日本で生まれ１０年以上経過して小中学校に通う実子と同居し、自ら入管に出頭して他に法令違反がない」などを挙げた。

　一方、旅券の不正受交付や偽造旅券、在留資格偽装による入国は消極要素とした。２０年以上在住しても、旅券の不正受交付の刑を受けた場合は退去の方向で検討するとした。

　在留特別許可は法相の裁量によると定められているが、法務省は０６年１０月、ガイドラインを初めて策定。今国会で成立した改正出入国管理法の付則に、与野党の修正で「在留特別許可の透明性向上」などが盛り込まれたため見直しが決まった。

　０８年、在留特別許可を受けた外国人は８５２２人。申し立ての７割強が許可されている。法務省は見直しで不法滞在者の出頭が増えると見込んでいる。今年３月には森英介法相が不法入国で退去強制処分を受けた埼玉県のフィリピン人一家のうち、日本で生まれ育った中学生の長女を親類との同居を条件に許可した。【石川淳一】

在留特別許可

　出入国管理法は、不法滞在などで退去強制処分となった外国人に対しても、特別な事情があると法相が認めれば在留を特別に許可できると定めている。可否は法相の裁量に委ねられるが、日本人と結婚したケースが大半を占める。
================================

U.S. warns of drink-spiking in Tokyo
(Mainichi Japan) July 11, 2009
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20090711p2g00m0dm007000c.html
TOKYO (AP) — The U.S. Embassy on Friday advised Americans to avoid drinking in a Tokyo nightlife district, warning that some customers have fallen unconscious and been robbed after their drinks were spiked.

It was the second such alert in four months about bars in the Roppongi district.

“The U.S. Embassy continues to receive reliable reports of U.S. citizens being drugged in Roppongi-area bars,” the embassy said in statement.

Tokyo is among the safest big cities in the world, but the embassy has reported a rise in incidents of American customers being rendered unconscious or extremely sleepy. Victims awake hours later to find credit cards missing or fraudulently charged for big amounts.

“These cases are very hard to investigate,” said Masahito Fujita, vice head of the Azabu police station overseeing Roppongi. “It’s difficult to know whether people were just drinking too much or if they were actually drugged.”

Canada, Australia and Britain have also warned their citizens to beware.

Canada says in a travel report on Japan that drinks should “never be left unattended.”

Roppongi became a nightspot for foreigners shortly after World War II when the U.S. military was posted nearby. It remains popular with tourists and Western expatriates drawn to its hundreds of bars, lounges and dance floors.

(Mainichi Japan) July 11, 2009
==============================

入管法改正案：「外国人監視強化だ」支援団体反発　便利だが罰則厳しく
毎日新聞　2009年6月27日　東京夕刊
http://mainichi.jp/select/wadai/news/20090627dde041010029000c.html
-recognition that immigration revision is possibly too strict
入管法改正案：「外国人監視強化だ」支援団体反発　便利だが罰則厳しく

　外国人登録制度に代わる「在留カード」による新たな在留管理制度を盛り込んだ入管法改正案が与野党３党による修正を経て衆院を通過、参院に送られた。改正案は不法滞在のあぶり出しを強める一方、外国人の利便性を向上させる「アメとムチ」の内容となっているが、支援団体などは「外国人監視を強める法律だ」と反発する。

　外国人登録者数は９０年に初めて１００万人を突破し、０７年には２１５万人に増加した。現行の在留管理では適正な把握が困難で、行政サービスも提供しにくくなるとの考えから、改正が提案された。

　新制度は、９０日以上日本に滞在する外国人に、入管が在留カードを発行。入管は市町村から居住地の情報提供を受け、留学先や雇用主からも報告を受ける。実態が情報と異なれば、不法と判別できる。従来は在留資格がなくても市町村の窓口で外国人登録証が発行されたが、改正後は不法滞在者に在留カードは発行されず、身分が証明できない。一方で利便性向上のため、在留期間の上限を３年から５年に延ばし、再入国許可も緩和する。

　新制度について、自由人権協会の旗手明理事は５月２３日の東京都内の集会で情報の一元管理を「情報を分析し危険な外国人を浮かび上がらせるシステム。不法残留の外国人は生きていく最低限の行政サービスも受けられない」と述べた。

　また「移住労働者と連帯する全国ネットワーク」の鳥井一平事務局長は５月８日の衆院法務委員会に参考人として出席し「適正な滞在者にも非常に厳しい罰則規定がある。非正規滞在の人たちも、働いて税金も払っている」と強調した。

　こうした声を受け、修正案の付帯決議で、在留資格取り消しの弾力的運用などが盛り込まれた。また、在日韓国・朝鮮人などの特別永住者に交付する「特別永住者証明書」についても、与野党の修正で常時携帯義務は削除された。【石川淳一】

=========================

外国人参政権推進を評価　韓国大統領、公明代表と会談
Nikkei.net June 28, 2009
http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/seiji/20090628AT3S2800B28062009.html
-promoting suffrage rights for PR
　韓国の李明博（イ・ミョンバク）大統領は28日午後、公明党の太田昭宏代表と都内で会談した。公明党がかねて推進してきた日本での永住外国人への地方参政権付与問題について、太田氏は「国民の理解も得ながら推進していきたい」と発言。大統領は「公明党には前向きに取り組んでもらっている」と高く評価した。
　両者は北朝鮮核問題の解決に向けた連携や日韓経済連携協定（ＥＰＡ）の推進、気候変動問題での協力でも一致した。(00:15)

==========================
外国人労働者の労働保険　失業手当を受け取れない人も　／滋賀
毎日新聞　2009年6月30日　地方版
http://mainichi.jp/area/shiga/report/news/20090630ddlk25040607000c.html
-some foreigners not getting unemployment pay

外国人労働者の労働保険　失業手当を受け取れない人も　／滋賀

　◇ほとんどが制度未加入　義務付け無視、企業の食い物に
　日系ブラジル人など南米の外国人労働者が集中する県東部で、外国人労働者から相談を受けた個人加盟の労働組合が、相談者らが所属していた外国人中心の県内の派遣会社２７社の雇用条件を調べたところ、わずか１社しか労働者を労働保険（労災保険と雇用保険）に加入させていなかったことが分かった。労使双方で負担する労働保険は加入が法的に義務付けられているが、労組が各社に是正を申し入れたところ、いずれも「労働者が希望しなかった」などと弁明したという。徐々に景気回復の兆しも見え始めたが、いまだに失業手当すら受けとれない外国人もいる。【稲生陽】

　労組は非正規労働者のための「アルバイト・派遣・パート関西労働組合」（本部・大阪市）。不況が深刻化した昨年秋以降に県内の外国人労働者約１３０人から労働に関する相談を受け、相談者の雇用契約書を精査したり勤務先に問い合わせたりして雇用条件を調べたところ、県外に本社のある１社を除く全社が労働者を保険に加入させていなかった。「給料から保険料を天引きすると、外国人が集まらなくなる」として、日本人従業員のみ保険に加入させるケースも多かった。交渉すると、大半は雇用開始にさかのぼっての保険加入に応じたが、「保険料に回す資金がない」「健康保険や年金と一緒でないと入れず、労働者の負担も高額になる」などとして応じない社も数社あった。

　９１年に来日した日系ブラジル人男性（４５）は昨年９月、派遣先の同県近江八幡市内の工場で、倒れてきた約２００キロのコンクリート金型の下敷きになった。大けがをしたが、翌日、長浜市内の派遣会社から「もう会社にはいらない」と告げられ解雇された。今も胸や背中に痛みが残るが、労災保険未加入のため、病院は会社負担で一度受診したのみだ。失業保険はさかのぼって適用することが可能だったが、手続きが遅れたため受け取れず、現在は生活保護を申請中だ。「私にも日本人の血が流れているのに、日本は冷たい」と唇をかんだ。

　労働基準法は労災事故での療養中の解雇を禁じているが、同社の担当者は取材に対し、「解雇は男性の無断欠勤など別の理由からで、休業補償と解雇予告手当を兼ね４０万円を支払った」と説明。「外国人を専門に雇う派遣会社はどこも労働者を保険に加入させていない。違法と分かっていても、好況時なら、保険料を天引きすると労働者から不満が出る」と理解を求めた。

　同労組は「制度すら知らなかった外国人がほとんど。分からないのをいいことに企業の食い物にされてきた」と指摘する。「再び好景気になれば、また保険なしの雇用が息を吹き返す。同じことを繰り返してはいけない」と話している。
ENDS

Kyodo: Resident NJ numbers rise yet again in 2008, according to MOJ

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Registered foreign population in Japan hits record-high 2.21 million
Japan Today/Kyodo Saturday 11th July, 06:50 AM JST
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/registered-foreign-population-in-japan-hits-record-high-221-million

TOKYO —
The number of registered foreign residents in Japan hit a record high of 2,217,000 at the end of 2008, marking an increase of around 50% in the last decade, a report released by the Justice Ministry said Friday. The registered foreign population accounts for 1.74% of Japan’s total population, it said.

Chinese nationals accounted for the largest group of foreign residents at around 30%, or 655,000 people, followed by Koreans at 589,000, Brazilians at 313,000, Filipinos at 211,000 and Peruvians at 60,000. The number of permanent residents increased to 492,000, up 11.9%, and that of nonpermanent residents with skilled labor visas rose by 21.6%. Most foreign nationals resided in Tokyo, with 402,000 registered, followed by Aichi and Osaka prefectures.

ENDS
Source: Ministry of Justice home page
http://www.moj.go.jp/PRESS/090710-1/090710-1.html

COMMENT FROM DEBITO: Quite honestly, I’ve been in a funk these past few months, starting with the Nikkei Repatriation Bribe, adopted April 1 of this year. Given that I’ve come to the conclusion that the GOJ deliberately keeps on instituting a formal revolving-door labor policy towards NJ (keep them here temporarily, suck them dry of the best years of their working lives, take their taxes and pension monies, and then send them back as soon as they become inconvenient regardless of how much contribution they make), the study of Japan’s internationalization (and the looming demographic nightmare) has become a dismal science. I’ve got a pile of books I’m supposed to be reading, most of which come to the conclusion that Japan’s internationalization and multiculturalization is inevitable (an argument I too have made constantly this decade), and it’s now become winceworthy reading. Again, quite honestly, I’m just not sure the elites who govern Japan will allow people like us to save Japan from itself.

Then I see statistics like the above. NJ are still coming here, to stay, to live. More NJ Permanent Residents than ever before, and the numbers have only slowed from an average of 15% (2002-2006) to 12%.

I have a feeling that the numbers of registered NJ residents may actually drop for the first time in nearly five decades in 2009. But if even then, with all the GOJ’s disincentives towards immigration, numbers keep rising, then I’ll snap out of my funk and resume my arguments about the multicultural inevitability. It’s a shame that without tabulations in real time, we have to wait another year to find out.

Arudou Debito in Sapporo
ENDS

New Immigration Law with IC Chip Gaijin Cards passes Diet

Posted on July 9, 2009July 9, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. This is it, then. We lost. The new IC Chipped Gaijin Cards will be a reality. Gonna have to start looking on the bright side of things, like the fact that NJ will now have juuminhyou instead. Commentary and links from Anonymous. Add some more English-language articles in the Comments section (with links, please). Thanks. Arudou Debito

As I’m sure that you’ve heard, today was a not a good day for NJ rights. The immigration revision formally passed the upper house today, July 8, 2009. With the various changes, we may need a 2nd edition of your Handbook.
Several news clippings:
==========================
http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/seiji/20090708AT3S0800B08072009.html
改正入管法成立、在留外国人の情報を一元管理
NIKKEI NET 2009年7月8日
　国が在留外国人の情報を一元管理する改正出入国管理・難民認定法が８日午前の参院本会議で自民、公明、民主各党などの賛成多数で可決、成立した。３年以内に施行される。
　同法は現在、市町村が扱っていた在留外国人の住所や勤務・通学先などの情報を国が在留資格や出入国情報とともに一元的に管理する内容。市町村発行の外国人登録証を廃止し、法務省が新たに「在留カード」を発行する。在日韓国・朝鮮人らについても「特別永住者証明書」を発行して国に情報を集約する。
　在留カードは常時携帯することが義務付けられるが、特別永住者証明書に関しては自民、公明、民主各党の修正協議で携帯義務を撤廃した。現在は在日韓国・朝鮮人らにも外国人登録証の携帯が義務付けられている。(11:46)
=====================
http://www.asahi.com/politics/update/0708/TKY200907080106.html
改正入管法が成立　在留カード交付、３年以内に施行
朝日新聞　2009年7月8日10時56分
印刷ソーシャルブックマーク
　３カ月を超えて日本に滞在する外国人を対象に新たな在留管理制度を導入する改正出入国管理法などの関連法が８日の参院本会議で可決、成立した。従来の「外国人登録証」（外登証）を廃止し、新たに「在留カード」を交付するのが主な内容で、日本の在留制度の大きな転換点となる。新制度は３年以内に施行される。

　外登証を持つ外国人は０８年末に約２２１万７千人で過去最多を更新した。在留管理を厳格化して不法滞在者を減らしつつ、外国人の利便性も高めるのが改正の狙い。

　外登証は不法滞在者でも取得できたが、今後は適法な滞在者に在留カードを交付し、住民基本台帳にも登載する。住所変更などは自治体を通じて法務省も継続的に管理。職場や学校に対し、受け入れた外国人の情報を国に提供する努力義務を課している。

　一方で、適法な滞在者の在留期間は上限を３年から５年に延長。１年以内の再入国は原則として許可を不要とするなど利便性も高める。

　今後は国内に約１３万人とみられる不法滞在者の扱いが課題になる。新制度の対象外となるため、「地下に潜り、犯罪に走る恐れがある」との懸念がある。法務省は「在留を認めるべき外国人は受け入れる」として、在留特別許可のガイドラインを見直して自主的な出頭を促す方針だ。

　約４２万人いる在日韓国・朝鮮人らには別途、「特別永住者証明書」が交付される。国会審議の過程で、歴史的な経緯に配慮し、常に証明書を携帯する義務は課さないよう当初案が修正された。

　低賃金労働の温床との批判があった「研修・技能実習制度」の改正も盛り込まれている。「技能実習」という在留資格を新設し、１年目から最低賃金法や労働基準法を適用する。この改正については１年以内に施行される。（延与光貞）
===============================

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/policy/090708/plc0907081102003-n1.htm

　改正出入国管理及び難民認定法（入管難民法）が８日、参院本会議で可決、成立した。国による新たな在留管理制度で、中長期間滞在する外国人の利便性を向上する一方、不法滞在者対策をはかり、「外国人と日本人とが共生する社会の基礎」（森英介法相）になる。同法は公布後、在留カード交付など最長３年以内に段階的に施行される。
　３カ月を超える中長期滞在の外国人について、これまで法務省では上陸時と在留許可申請時の情報しか得られず、在留中は国が委託した自治体で実施する外国人登録の情報で管理していた。だが、居住実態などが正確に把握できず、就学や保険、手当など自治体の事務にも支障を来たしているほか、外国人登録証（外登証）が不法滞在者にも交付され、就労や在留継続を容易にするなどの問題が生じていた。
　改正法では外登証を廃止し、正規滞在者だけに新たに「在留カード」を交付。在留情報を国（法相）が一元管理することになった。
　在留カードは新規入国者は上陸時に、在留者は各地の入国管理局でそれぞれ作成。写真のほか届け出事項の氏名、生年月日、性別、国籍、住居地、在留資格・期間などが記載される。常時携帯が求められるほか、記載事項変更時は入国管理局への届け出義務もあり、いずれも違反すると罰則が科せられる。また届け出事項については入管の事実調査も可能になった。
　カードには登録情報を収めたＩＣチップが入り、偽変造などには、懲役や罰金などの罰則が科せられる。
　一方、戦前から日本で生活する在日韓国・朝鮮人の特別永住者には同様の「特別永住者証明書」を交付するが、歴史的な背景を考慮し、常時携帯義務はない。
　また、低賃金労働などの事例が問題になっていた外国人研修制度では、新たな在留資格「技能実習」（最長３年）を作り、１年目の技能習得段階でも企業と雇用契約を結ばせることで、労働基準法や最低賃金法など労働関係法令の適用を可能にし、保護する。
　このほか、在留期間を従来の３年から５年にするなど、利便性を高める。
　　　　　　　　◇
●改正入管法の骨子●
・国が在留情報を一元管理、外国人登録証は廃止
・中長期の在留者に「在留カード」交付、常時携帯義務
・特別永住者に「特別永住者証明書」交付、携帯義務なし
・外国人の在留期間を３年から５年に伸長
・外国人研修制度で在留資格「技能実習」を創設。労働関係法令適用で、搾取を防ぐ
・在留資格「留学生」「就学生」の一本化
ENDS

**********************************************************************
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 2009年7月8日
　　　　　　　　　　★IMADRインフォメーション★
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　【No.153】
**********************************************************************

───────────────────────────────────　
◆目次◆
───────────────────────────────────　
１）入管法・入管特例法、住民基本台帳法・改定案成立に抗議する
２）IMADR-JC第20回総会が開催されました
３）ボランティアガイダンス
４）イベントなどの予定
５）IMADR-INFO配信について

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
１．入管法・入管特例法、住民基本台帳法・改定案成立に抗議する
───────────────────────────────────
本日（7月8日）の参議院本会議にて、入管法・入管特例法、住民基本台帳法・
改定案が可決、成立しました。IMADR-JCも参加する「在留カードに異議あり！」
NGO実行委員会は本日、十分な議論を経ていないこの法案成立をうけて、参議院
議員会館にて記者会見を開催し「改定入管法・入管特例法・住基法の成立に対
する抗議声明」を発表しました。

記者会見では、「入管法改定案は与党がおしてきた案であるとともに、グロー
バル企業と法務省の連携が可決につながった。グローバル企業の勢力が日本の
法案に強い影響を及ぼし、国会の機能が低下しはじめている」（衆議院議員
（社民党）保坂展人さん）、「入管法改定の大きな目的の1つに、日本の産業を
担ってきた非正規滞在者を『使いにくく管理しにくい労働力』として国外へ追い
出し、代わりに『使いやすい労働力』として労働権・人権を制限された外国人
研修生・技能実習生の受け入れシステムを固定化する、ということがある」
（全統一労働組合・鳥井一平さん）といった問題が指摘されました。

IMADR-JCはこれに先立ち、参議院での審議が進行中の6月30日、これらの法案
成立への動きに抗議する声明を発表し、参議院法務委員会委員長および理事に
送付しています。

IMADR-JC声明「外国籍者の管理強化ではなく、権利確立を─入管法・入管特例
法、住民基本台帳法・改定案成立への動きに抗議する」の全文は以下をご覧
ください。
http://www.imadr.org/japan/statement/imadrjc/post_19/

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
２．IMADR-JC第20回総会が開催されました
───────────────────────────────────
反差別国際運動日本委員会(IMADR-JC)の第20回総会が6月30日に開催されま
した。今年度（2009年4月1日〜2010年3月31日）の活動の重点課題として、引き
続き、国内における人種主義・人種差別の解決に向けた活動、インドやスリ
ランカなどの被差別マイノリティとの差別撤廃に向けた連帯などに取り組んで
いくことが確認されました。加えて、アイヌ民族の先住民族としての権利確立
に向けた取り組みに連携していくことも確認されました。80人の参加者から
なる総会は、「マイノリティ間、マイノリティとそれ以外の人びとが、国内で
あるいは国境を越えて結びつくことを通じて、差別撤廃・人権確立を推し進め
る力をはぐくんでいくために引き続き全力を尽くしていく」とするアピール文
を決議して閉会しました。

アピールの全文は以下をご覧ください。
http://www.imadr.org/japan/statement/imadrjc/imadrjc20/

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
３．7月18日　ボランティアガイダンス
───────────────────────────────────
反差別国際運動(IMADR)ならびに反差別国際運動日本委員会(IMADR-JC)は、さ
まざまなプロジェクトの運営をはじめ、活動をいっしょにつくってくださる
ボランティアを募集しています。次回のボランティアガイダンスは以下の通り
です。

■日時：2009年7月18日（土）午後1時〜午後2時

■場所：IMADR/IMADR-JC事務所
　東京都港区六本木3-5-11　松本治一郎記念会館　地階
　東京メトロ南北線「六本木一丁目」　出口1より徒歩5分
　東京メトロ日比谷線・都営地下鉄大江戸線「六本木」出口5または3より
　徒歩7分
　地図：http://www.imadr.org/japan/contact.php#access

※ご参加を希望される場合は事前にご連絡ください。
　（連絡先は末尾参照）

詳しくは、以下をご参照ください。
http://www.imadr.org/japan/joinus/

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
４．イベントなどの予定
───────────────────────────────────
◇7月◇
　18（土）IMADR/IMADR-JCボランティアガイダンス
　　　　　http://www.imadr.org/japan/event/imadr_imadr-jc_main/post_49/

　23（木）廃案までもう一歩─7・23共謀罪に反対する院内集会

◇9月◇
　 1（火）第18回ヒューマンライツセミナー
　　　　　「先住民族アイヌの権利確立に向けて」
　　　　　http://www.imadr.org/japan/event/imadr_imadr-jc_main/hrs18/

　　　　　　　　　◇IMADR-JC入会・参加のご案内◇
　　　　　　　 http://www.imadr.org/japan/joinus/

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
５．IMADR-INFO配信について
───────────────────────────────────
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除を行って下さい。メールアドレスを変更される際は、現在のアドレスへの配
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購読登録・解除用アドレス
http://www.imadr.org/japan/joinus/#a000200

**********************************************************************
発行元：
　反差別国際運動（IMADR）　　　
　　Tel: 03-3586-7447　 Fax: 03-3586-7462 E-mail: imadris@imadr.org
　反差別国際運動日本委員会（IMADR-JC）　
　　Tel: 03-3568-7709　 Fax: 03-3586-7448 E-mail: imadrjc@imadr.org

　〒106-0032　東京都港区六本木3-5-11　　Website: http://www.imadr.org
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ENDS

Japan Times JUST BE CAUSE Col 17 July 7 2009 on Roppongi Urine Samples: “Cops crack down with ‘I pee’ checks”

Posted on July 7, 2009July 7, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

twitter: arudoudebito
JUST BE CAUSE
The Japan Times: Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Cops crack down with ‘I pee’ checks
By ARUDOU DEBITO
Column 49 for the Zeit Gist Community Page/Column 17 for the JBC column
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090707ad.html
Version with links to sources

My blog has been getting periodic pings about rumblings in Roppongi: Tokyo cops cleaning out pesky foreign touts before Olympic inspectors see them; the U.S. Embassy warning Americans to stay away from the area after reports of drugged drinks and thefts.

The latter was particularly embarrassing (coming from the Americans, of all people) given Japan’s reputation for having the world’s safest streets. So police have begun reasserting their control, cracking down on — you guessed it — foreigners. And where might you find them? You guessed that too.

I heard about police raids in Roppongi in May and June. But now they are going beyond ID checks for visa overstayers. Regular customers have been apprehended for drinking while foreign, bundled into police vans and shuttled off to HQ for urine tests for drugs. According to their associates, those testing positive for controlled substances have been deported.
https://www.debito.org/?p=3709

What triggered this drugs dragnet? A few months ago, several sumo wrestlers (Japanese and otherwise) were discovered possessing and puffing marijuana. Then it turned up in universities and rugby teams, and suddenly reefer madness was toking its toll on Japan’s youth. Some reeferers referred the cops to foreign dealers in — where else? — Roppongi.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ss20080903a1.html

This justified a budget for new trooper toys. An alert Debito.org reader sent in an article reporting that the National Police Agency bought 78 spectrometers in May from Thermo Fischer Scientific Inc. designed for quick drug analysis.
http://www.thermo.com/com/cda/newsevents/news_detail/0,3081,20517,00.html

Back to the Roppongi smoke-out: Witnesses told Debito.org they saw foreigners being rounded up at bar exits for a piss take. However, few people who looked Japanese were detained, they said.

Of course, if cops are looking for the dealers (as opposed to users) who corrupted our youth, I’m not sure how a tinkle test would uncover them. But never mind — the police have to do something, or at least be seen to be doing something.

But watch the policy creep beyond suspected dope dens. Another blog reader, motorbiking at sunrise to a Roppongi dojo in April, said that patrolling cops ignored him parking until he took off his helmet. Then they made a beeline and demanded to search his luggage compartment. “I hear that marijuana is pretty popular in Canada,” one cop commented after finding out he was Canadian, implying that he was possibly carrying the demon weed. Finally, they had him reach for the sky while they searched his pockets.

Yet another reader reported that he was approached last March in Roppongi Hills by a young trainee cop who demanded his bag for inspection. Explicitly accusing him of carrying drugs and knives, moreover talking down to him like he was “a child or a mental incompetent,” the cub cop kept snarling until his handler intervened. Seeing their prey was a Hanshin Tigers fan ,they let him go. Phew. Go Tigers!

But the metastasis of the surveillance society is only just beginning. Reports from Tokyo’s Shibuya, Yoyogi and Akihabara indicate that even Japanese are being targeted for these surly satchel searches. Meanwhile, The Japan Times reported on June 26 that spy cameras — staffed by neighborhood associations, not trained professionals — are being installed in 15 other residential areas nationwide. So don’t expect this to be a temporary anticrime campaign.

Again, as I’ve argued before (Zeit Gist, July 8, 2008), this is a case of “gaijin as guinea pig.” Laws bent to target foreigners will ultimately be stretched to target everyone else.
https://www.debito.org/?p=1802

And here’s what’s bent: By law, cops need a warrant to do a bag inspection, not to mention take a urine sample.

Last Wednesday, I telephoned Azabu Police Station to find out how this circle was being squared. I was connected to a Mr. Teshima, who was in no mood for questions. After identifying myself by name and affiliation (that of human rights group FRANCA), he repeatedly refused to give me straight answers.

I did get Mr. Teshima to confirm that the police were subjecting foreigners to urine tests. But, he averred, not only foreigners. When I asked him to explain the criteria for deciding whom to stop and detain, he refused to elaborate.

When I asked if a warrant for a pee check was necessary, he said it depended on the situation. What kind of situation? Not gonna say, but if the individual agrees to submit to this wee procedure, “we no longer need a warrant.” What happens if they don’t submit? Not gonna say.

When I asked if noncooperation could lead to arrest, he said he was now too busy to answer any more questions. When I asked him what his position was in the police department, he enforced his right to remain silent and hung up on me.

In a separate inquiry, The Japan Times wrung these clarifications out of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Public Relations Center: 1. Police raids on businesses only happen after a reliable tip; 2. Urine testing is not a new procedure, and has always been done whenever necessary; 3. Only those who look wasted on drugs will be asked for a urine sample; 4. Urine samples are only ever taken after persuasion, never under threat.

Sure. But something still stinks. Much ink has been expended exploring how the Japanese police lack accountability. They can detain you for “voluntary questioning” with or without probable cause for days at a time, convert that into an arrest for up 23 days, carry out unrecorded grillings that famously crack detainees into making false confessions, interpret the constitutionally guaranteed right to remain silent as a sign of guilt, and otherwise just make your life miserable in detention if you don’t “cooperate.”
https://www.debito.org/whattodoif.html#arrested

The police, however, as Mr. Teshima demonstrated, often see themselves as under no compulsion to cooperate — even when you need information to make your rights and their legal obligations clear.

If this were a contractual relationship, and an agent took advantage of your ignorance to lock you into a punitive agreement, it would be considered fraud. But police hold themselves to a different standard. Never mind informed consent — your ignorance becomes leverage for them to detain, arrest and imprison you.

Thus, without checks and balances, things stretch to their logical extremes. Random street stoppages have crept beyond simple ID checks into “I pee” checks. These are clearly more invasive, more intrusive, and more easily mixed up (urine samples require scientific precision — they can be spilled or misplaced; it’s not as if they have photo ID). They are in any case beyond the current bounds of the law regarding search and seizure without a warrant.

Don’t get me wrong. I believe that drugs are a bad thing and that people must obey narcotics laws. But there are also issues of law enforcement here that must be obeyed.

These checks take on added importance since it seems these “random” pee searches, done without accountability or appeal to counteract “false positives” (such as from poppy seeds, nasal sprays, medicines for colds, migraines and allergies, and even tonic water), may in fact not be all that random after all. One mistake and your life in Japan as you know it is over.
http://www.askdocweb.com/falsepositives.html

So let me enlighten. This is the law:

Police cannot search your person, property or possessions without a warrant. Ask for one: “Reijou ga arimasu ka?”

If they threaten to take you to a police box for questioning, refuse and don’t move. Police cannot force you to go anywhere without a formal arrest (taiho).

But be careful. Do not raise your voice. And never ever touch the cop, or they could arrest you for “obstruction of duty.” This is why sometimes you see street standoffs between cops and questionees during which nobody moves or talks until somebody gets tired and goes home.

Know your rights by checking out www.debito.org/whattodoif.html, or read more in our “Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants, and Immigrants.” But don’t assume the police will give the public the same cooperation they demand from the public. Accountability gets in the way of their modus operandi. Laws protecting people against invasive procedures interfere with keeping the streets safe from foreigners.

Anyway, shouldn’t Roppongi also be protesting this? Inconveniencing customers to this extent without probable cause is bad for business.

It’s also bad for society in general. What happens to a small minority sets precedents for the rest of the population. Ignore this at your peril.

Debito Arudou is the author of “Japanese Only.” Twitter arudoudebito. Just Be Cause appears on the first Community Page of the month. Send comments to community@japantimes.co.jp
The Japan Times: Tuesday, July 7, 2009
ENDS

Japan Times: JCLU’s Hatate opposes IC Chip Gaijin Cards

Posted on July 5, 2009July 5, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Next in the series on the IC Chip Gaijin Card controversy (the first two were on the politicians’ views, the second on the bureaucrats‘, and why they were both proponents), the Japan Times’s Matsutani-san now presents the activists’ view from the Left in opposition. The Japan Civil Liberties Union’s Hatate explains his viewpoint. Right after the view from the Extreme Right (who are also in opposition because it’s not tough enough!). Excerpt follows. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

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The Japan Times, Tuesday, June 30, 2009
CONTROLS ON FOREIGNERS
Activist sees holes in bills to snare illegals
By MINORU MATSUTANI, Staff writer
Third in a series
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090630f1.html

Making a stand: Akira Hatate, director at the nongovernment organization Japan Civil Liberties Union, speaks with The Japan Times at a cafe in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on June 23. He is among the key activists opposing legislation to tighten control of foreign residents. MINORU MATSUTANI PHOTO

Activist Akira Hatate opposes the bills to tighten control of foreign residents, arguing they will not serve the government’s goal of clarifying who is in the country illegally because transgressors will see little benefit in turning themselves in.

“What (the bills will) achieve is to tighten control of law-abiding foreigners, who have no need to be under tight control,” Hatate, director of the nongovernmental organization Japan Civil Liberties Union, told The Japan Times…

“The bills are very unbalanced because the government will not be able to control the intended target: undocumented foreigners,” Hatate said. “Instead they will greatly tighten the leash on properly registered foreigners, who do not need monitoring.

“To me, this is the government’s reinforcement of infrastructure to control foreigners. Fingerprinting at airports is to control entrants and the bills are to control residents. The government probably thinks it needs to do this because the number of foreigners will inevitably increase,” he said.

Full article at http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090630f1.html

ENDS

Japan Times on critics of new IC Chip Gaijin Card bill from the Right: too lenient!

Posted on July 4, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. The Japan Times is still at it, getting viewpoints regarding new legislation controlling NJ movements and visas and traceability (which looks like it will pass the Diet) from Dietmembers, bureaucrats, and left-wing opponents. Now we have the view of someone who thinks the laws, which will tighten things in directions Debito.org is not comfortable with, are too lenient! Excerpt follows. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

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The Japan Times Wednesday, July 1, 2009
CONTROLS ON FOREIGNERS
Visa overstayers given too many breaks: rightist
By MINORU MATSUTANI, Staff writer
Fourth in a series
Full article at http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090701a3.html

…Arikado also takes issue with the humanitarian reasons often cited by the justice minister when granting an illegal foreigner special permission to stay in Japan.

“Some foreigners claim to be political refugees. But in many cases, they just want to work,” he said. “Some Japanese died of hunger after they lost their jobs, so is it right to prioritize helping foreigners? Right now, everybody in Japan is losing their spirit as Japanese nationals.”…

Arikado cited the case of the Calderon family as an “obvious example” of the government’s softness.

Justice Minister Eisuke Mori ordered the undocumented Filipino parents, who entered Japan using someone else’s passports, to leave Japan in April. But he allowed their daughter, Noriko, 13, who was born and raised in Japan and speaks only Japanese, to stay.

“Mori established a precedent that children get to stay if illegal foreign parents beg,” he said, criticizing the media for overly sympathetic coverage of the family…

Arikado said he has no problem with giving the justice minister a certain amount of discretion in granting special permission to stay, but he wants the minister to prioritize the welfare of Japanese over foreigners.

Despite the faults he finds with the bills, he still praises them for boosting the government’s ability to wield greater scrutiny over foreigners. Hopefully, punishment for violating the regulations stipulated in the bills will be more strictly imposed than now, said Arikado, whose day job is as a journalist at the Chuo Tsushin news service.
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EXCERPT ENDS
Full article at http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090701a3.html

“Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants, and Immigrants” featured in Legal Scriveners magazine

Posted on July 3, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito

Hi Blog. Trying to limit myself to one post per day, and timing is off with Roppongi Piss Issue. Let me post this briefly, then send something later after midnight.

Just heard from Akira today. Our book (“our” meaning friend Akira Higuchi and myself) HANDBOOK FOR NEWCOMER, MIGRANTS, AND IMMIGRANTS (Akashi Shoten Inc.) has just been featured (well, listed, anyway) in this month’s “Nihon Gyousei”, a national magazine for legal scriveners.

Great news. The book has really come into its own. If you don’t have a copy, you really oughta consider getting one. It deals with things you need to know to make a better life in Japan. Debito.org does its best, but the Handbook is one-stop shopping. And if you want to support Debito.org’s activities in some financial way, consider purchasing.

More on what’s in Handbook and how to get a copy here. (Amazon.co.jp is not the best way, BTW.) Arudou Debito in Sapporo

ENDS

Next Diet protest of proposed IC Chip Gaijin Cards Thurs July 2, noon – 1PM, Diet Upper House

Posted on June 27, 2009June 27, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

Please pass the infromation below to your friends. Thank you.

Sonoko Kawakami
AI Japan
————————-
Assemble on July 2 (Thu), 12:00 – 13:00
Discussion is not enough!
We won’t accept the reforms to the Immigration Law or the Basic Resident
Registration Law!

LISTEN TO US!

Date/time: July 2 (Thu) 12:00 – 13:00
Place: Upper House Diet members office building
(A gate pass will be provided at the entrance.)
Organizer: NGO Executive Committee to say NO to the new residency
(zairyu) card system
Programme: – Comments by asylum seekers, foreign nationals
– Comments from diet members, etc.

On June 19, three reform bills — the Basic Resident Registration Law,
the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, and the Special Law
on Immigration Control — were passed in the Lower House of the Diet,
with alterations.

These reform bills are supposed to improve convenience for foreign
nationals who reside in Japan legally. In fact, they diminish
foreigners’ rights and impose stricter controls on them, for example by
increasing the fine for failing to notify officials of any changes to
personal details. Also, once these reform bills are passed in the Upper
House and become law, it would connect governmental systems, immigration
control, and municipal systems for residents registration. Thus it would
undermine municipal autonomy. Moreover, as the new Basic Resident
Registraion Law will not register undocumented people and asylum
seekers, they will become “invisible”.

Despite the serious impact these reform bills will have on foreign
nationals , they have not been fully discussed. The Diet has never asked
for the opinions of foreign nationals. We consider that is a big
problem. Almost no official information has been provided to foreign
nationals even now.

We will hold the 6th assembly in the Diet Member Building in order to
listen to views of foreign nationals who have not yet been consulted.

* For details of the reform bills http://www.repacp.org/aacp/index.php

Contact:
Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan (SMJ)
TEL：03-5802-6033
Amnesty International Japan
TEL：03-3518-6777

Sonoko Kawakami
Campaign Coordinator
Amnesty International Japan
2-2-4Ｆ Kanda-NIshiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 101-0054 JAPAN
TEL:+81-3-3518-6777 FAX:+81-3-3518-6778
E-mail:ksonoko@amnesty.or.jp
ENDS

Bernama.com on new proposed “points system” for NJ work visas

Posted on June 24, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

Hi Blog. I’m not sure what to say at this point, since this “points system” may be a step in the right direction for an objective, clear system for determining who gets what visa and why. There’s been too much “discretion” left to the Immigration Bureau, especially when it comes to doling out statuses such as Permanent Residency. We’ll just have to see how the proposed system shapes up. Again, the GOJ is recognizing the need for migrant labor, just not in any way that seems to actually promote immigration. If done right, however, this system might be one of the first steps towards an actual Immigration Ministry with an actual immigration policy. Wait and see. Arudou Debito in Sapporo
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June 22, 2009 12:29 PM
Japan To Introduce ‘Point System’ To Attract Foreigners
Bernama.com (Malaysian National News Agency), courtesy of Matt Dioguardi
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=419721

TOKYO, June 22 (Bernama)– The Japanese government plans to introduce a ”point system” to give preferential treatment such as residency permit extensions to foreigners with advanced expertise, Kyodo news reported quoting government sources as saying on Sunday.

The government plans to evaluate foreigners by awarding points for their qualifications, working careers, research achievements and other qualities and to give preferential treatment when their points exceed a certain level, the sources said.

The new system will form part of a reform of the residency permit system amid intensified international competition for engineers and other experts with advanced expertise.

A Justice Ministry panel will discuss the plan soon to begin mapping out the new system.

The government is expected to study simplifying procedures for residency permits and reentry, extending the maximum duration of residency permits from three years at present and shortening the period of residency required before securing the right to permanent residency from 10 years in principle.

The ministry will decide on the jobs to be included under the new system in consultation with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and other ministries and agencies.

A government panel compiled a report last month that included a study on the introduction of the new system.

Similar point systems have been introduced in Britain and Canada. In Britain, the system is applied to scientists, entrepreneurs, engineers and teachers, who can obtain the right of permanent residence in five years if they are recognised as experts with advanced expertise.

— BERNAMA (Malaysia)
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Text of proposed amendments to new Immigration Law, including IC Chip Gaijin Cards

Posted on June 22, 2009June 22, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

Hi Blog. I asked the author of the recent Japan Times articles (here and here) on the passage of the new laws on IC Chip Gaijin Cards et al. to send me his source materials. He very kindly complied. Thanks very much!

Here are fifteen pages of very thick and oddly-formatted pages of legal changes. It’s cumbersome wading through it. So rather than wait until I read everything before commenting, I might as well put these up so we can all read them at the same time.

Revisions to the Juumin Kihon Daichou Hou (which governs how people are registered with local governments, as in juuminhou), followed by the interestingly-titled “shutsu nyuu koku kanri oyobi nanmin nintei hou oyobi nihonkoku to no heiwa jouyaku ni motozuki kokuseki o ridatsu shita mono tou no shutsu nyuu koku kanri ni kansuru tokurei hou no ichibu o kaisei suru tou no houritsu an ni taisuru shuusei an” (draft of the revisions for one part of the draft of the laws governing administration of immigration, administration of recognized refugees, and the special law governing administration of immigration of people who have renounced their Japanese citizenship from countries with a peace treaty with Japan).

What a mouthful. I’m wondering what inspired the special-law conceit about having a peace treaty (does this weed out Russians and North Koreans?). Any ideas out there?

Alright, have a read. Order is as received from the Japan Times. Click on any thumbnail to expand in your browser. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

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Japan Times: New IC Chip Gaijin Card passes Lower House, expected to pass Upper too

Posted on June 21, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

Hi Blog. Here it comes. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

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ALIEN RESIDENCY REVISION ADVANCES
Lower House passes bill revising foreign residency rules
The Japan Times, Saturday, June 20, 2009
By MINORU MATSUTANI
(excerpt)

…Foreign residents will be listed on the Juki Net resident registry network, a computer network linking municipalities that contains demographic information of Japanese residents.

Visas, typically good for three years, will be extended to five. Also, foreign residents will no longer be required to obtain re-entry permits if they return to Japan within a year.

On the other hand, the punishments for failing to report one’s address and other personal information will become harsher. In order to curb fake marriages, the bills give the justice minister the authority to revoke the spousal visas of those who fail to conduct “activities spouses normally do” for six months. Special consideration would be given to spouses who live separately because of mitigating circumstances, including abuse.

According to the bills, the government must review the new immigration law and make necessary changes within three years of enforcement. If enacted, the new law will be enforced within three years of its announcement to the public.
=============================

Full article at
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090620a3.html
ENDS

MMT on Aso Admin’s plans for “secure society”: reforms in five areas. But not immigration.

Posted on June 20, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

Hi Blog. MMT sends this article on PM Aso’s proposed reforms. But as he notes, the informal taboo on discussing the future of Japan involving immigration is still in effect. With this, it looks pretty official to me. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

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COMMENT FROM MMT: Seems the government has decided to focus on 5 areas to ensure an (economic, prosperous) secure future for Japan.

Quote: “To realize a secure society, the panel called for reforms in five areas—employment, child rearing, education, medical care and pensions, with employment being the central axis in a coordinated reform of all five areas.”

But no mention of where the money is going to come from with a falling tax base and extinction-level birth rates? Hello? Immigration? MMT.

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Gov’t proposes reforms in 5 areas to achieve ‘secure’ society
Japan Today.com, Tuesday 16th June, 06:15 AM JST
http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/govt-proposes-reforms-in-5-areas-to-achieve-secure-society

TOKYO — A government expert panel proposed to Prime Minister Taro Aso on Monday that Japan needs to reform five areas centering on employment in order to construct a ‘‘secure’’ society amid widening social and financial disparities.

To achieve a secure society, consensus building would be needed on costs and their financial resources, the 15-member panel said in a report, indicating that discussions will be needed on raising the nation’s consumption tax rate to finance the measures.

The report said, ‘‘If it becomes clear that the tax burden would be used for specific benefits in return, it would be a great help to dispel distrust (in social security) and build consensus to strengthen social security,’’ the report said without specifically mentioning the timing and scale of the consumption tax hike.

‘‘It is definitely true that Japan’s tax burden rate is low. We cannot allow any delay in squarely discussing the tax burden issue including the consumption tax,’’ Hiroshi Yoshikawa, professor at the University of Tokyo, said at the meeting.

To realize a secure society, the panel called for reforms in five areas—employment, child rearing, education, medical care and pensions, with employment being the central axis in a coordinated reform of all five areas.

The report called for enhancing support not only for the elderly but also younger generations in areas such as employment in order to provide ‘‘unbroken’’ social security.

To provide support for younger people, the report called on the government to implement such measures as giving benefits to low-income households and expanding social insurance for non-regular employees in the next three years.

‘‘It is important to provide (social) security for young people and the generations who are still working,’’ Aso said at the meeting, noting that the social security coverage has been overly concentrated on the elderly.

Education reform will lead to the creation of a society that supports long-term employment, while stable employment will enhance security in post-retirement years, the report said, adding that improving medical care would lead to the nurturing of the next generation.

The panel also called on the government to implement emergency measures including alleviating the burden associated with receiving advanced education, introducing a social security number and realigning administrative bodies.

In seeking a secure society, the panel said the country should construct a distinct ‘‘Japanese free-market economy’’ that integrates social equity and a market economy, referencing an apparent departure from a U.S.-style market economy.

The prime minister plans to have the report reflected in the government’s basic policies for fiscal management and to have some parts included in the Liberal Democratic Party’s manifesto for the upcoming House of Representatives election.
=================================
ENDS

Japan Times: New Gaijin Cards bill looks set to pass Diet

Posted on June 19, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

Hi Blog. Looks like we lost this one. Arudou Debito in Sapporo

VOTE LOOMS FOR IMMIGRATION BILL
Immigration revision set to be passed
The Japan Times: Friday, June 19, 2009
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20090619a1.html
Compromise paves way for state-issued foreigner cards
By MINORU MATSUTANI, Staff writer, courtesy lots of people.

The ruling and opposition camps have revised a contentious set of immigration bills in a way that increases government scrutiny of both legal and illegal foreign residents while extending additional conveniences, according to a draft obtained Thursday by The Japan Times.

Legislators from the Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc and the Democratic Party of Japan hammered out the bills to reach a balance on how the estimated 110,000 undocumented foreigners living in Japan should be tracked. Currently, municipalities issue alien registration cards and provide public services to foreigners, even if they know they are overstaying their visas.

The revised bills, expected to be passed Friday by the Lower House, will abolish the Alien Registration Act and revise the immigration control and resident registration laws with sweeping changes that put information on foreign residents completely in the hands of the central government.

“The bills are well made. Foreigners obeying the law will be treated better,” said Hidenori Sakanaka, director general of the Japan Immigration Policy Institute, a private think tank. Sakanaka headed several of the government’s local immigration offices, including the Tokyo bureau.

According to the draft, authority for managing foreign residents will shift from municipalities to the Immigration Bureau, allowing it to consolidate all personal information collected from foreign residents, including type of visa and expiration date.

Documented foreigners will be given more conveniences, including five-year visas and permit-free re-entry as long as they return within a year.

Undocumented foreigners, however, will have to keep in hiding, request special permits to stay, or face deportation.

To prevent illegal residents who have legitimate reasons for staying from being deported, the bills state that the Justice Ministry, which oversees the Immigration Bureau, must clarify and announce the standard for granting such permits so illegal residents will be motivated to turn themselves in.

“We have to make sure overstaying foreigners who are behaving as good citizens as ordinary Japanese will not have to be deported or go underground,” said DPJ lawmaker Ritsuo Hosokawa, who helped draft the bills in the Lower House Justice Committee.

“We need these bills to be enacted. We need to know how many foreigners there are and where they live. So consolidating information into the Justice Ministry is necessary,” Hosokawa said.

The draft also says a new form of identification called a “zairyu” (residence) card will replace the current alien registration cards, and the personal information and code numbers on them will be given to “the justice minister.”

The bills also have a provision to prevent the ministry from using that data improperly, a decision that was made to ward off criticism that “the minister” could abuse the zairyu card number to violate foreigners’ privacy. But no penalty for such abuse was listed.

The practice, dubbed data-matching, was outlawed by the Supreme Court in regard to its use on Japanese citizens.

The provision says “the justice minister” must limit the use of foreign residents’ personal information to the minimum required for managing such residents and that the information must be handled with care to protect the rights of individuals. But no penalties or methods for enforcing such compliance are listed in the bills.

In addition, foreign residents will also be required to be listed on Juki Net, the contentious nationwide resident registry network that lists data on all Japanese residents in each municipality.

On the other hand, the Immigration Bureau will tighten control of foreign residents by stripping away their residential status if they fail to report changes in address, marital status or workplace within three months. No regulations for that exist under current law.

In addition, those who fail to report such changes within 14 days or are found not carrying their zairyu cards could be hit with a ¥200,000 fine, the same regulation as the current law.

To crack down on fake marriages, the bills allow the justice minister to cancel the residential status of foreigners holding spouse visas who have not conducted “normal spousal activities,” such as living together, for six months without legitimate reason. Legitimate reasons include things like domestic violence, Hosokawa said.

The bills also say, however, that foreigners who lose their spouse visas for such reasons should be made eligible to receive other types of visas.

Special permanent residents, who are typically of Korean or Taiwanese descent, will not have to carry special permanent resident cards, but will still need to possess them.

Special permanent resident status is normally given to people who moved to Japan from the Korean Peninsula and Taiwan during Japan’s colonial rule in the early 20th century, and lost their Japanese citizenship due to peace treaties, and their descendants.

The bills also state that the government is to review the new immigration law and make necessary changes within three years after it comes into force. If enacted, the new law take force within three years after it is announced.

Paperwork on foreign residents, including changes of status and renewal of their alien registration cards, are usually handled by their municipalities. If the new law is enforced, they will have to go to the nearest immigration office to handle everything except for changes of address, which will still be handled by their municipalities.

The Japan Times: Friday, June 19, 2009
ENDS

Japanpodshow: Tokyo Podcast on Arudou Debito by Joseph Tame

Posted on June 15, 2009June 16, 2009 by Debito Arudou, Ph.D.

mytest

Hi Blog. Turning the keyboard over to Joseph Tame. Thanks Joseph! Debito

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Hi Debito,

It was a pleasure to meet you recently. 🙂

Your interview is now live online.

http://pokya.jp/japanpodshow/guests/arudou-debito/
I’ve made it available in a couple of formats, as:

– in its entirety as an MP3

– In its entirety as a streaming video on Vimeo.com

– In 6 parts as You Tube videos

– In six parts as downloadable mp4 video files.

In this interview Debito talks about:

The first few years of his life in Japan

The Otaru Onsen Case
The new Gaijin cards and associated human rights issues, and what you can do to stop their introduction
Foreigners who defend discrimination against other foreigners claiming that ‘We are guests in Japan’
Has the situation improved for foreigners in Japan in recent years?
His public image, and new beard, Arthur.

I have also created a page just for you on my site, which should help get the interview to the first page when people do Google searches on you.

The page can be found at

http://pokya.jp/japanpodshow/guests/arudou-debito/
Joseph
ENDS