Like literally im done. This is getting absolutely insane. Im a 6ft South Asian man. Clean, well dressed , skinny to medium complexion skin color. The majority of Japanese people assume im going to steal something if I even sit near them at a Starbucks for example. Like even today, This one guy was about to sit near me , but saw me and then moved to a spot far away from me and then when he ordered his coffee took his valuables with him. And this made no sense as I literally had my own fucking laptop. Then the other day at Daiso, I was in the line and the man in dront saw me and switched his slingbag to the front I am used to the staring and the normal “Gaijin” experience like people not sitting next to me on the bus and train, I understand why they do that. That happens to all foreigners. But this thing of Japanese people assuming im a criminal because I have brown skin is so strange. People keep telling me that ” Japanese people treat all foreigners the same” but im sorry but nobodys gonna hide their handbag or belongings from a white guy lets be real here. Japanese people absolutely judge you based on color.
Can someone please make sense of this to me? Why do Japanese people get so scared around Indian or South East Asian people. I look at the news and I never see Indians or South Asians in general for that matter commiting any crimes. I can only find some cases from like months ago Can someone show me some statistics to explain why most Japanese people view me as walking garbage?
6 comments
> I’ve been described as some Japanese girls as kakoi or Ikemen but I think theyre just saying that to be nice
Dang, that’s more than I could ever hope for.
Of course it makes no sense, especially when you think about how Japan’s population is shrinking fast and the only thing that can save it is immigration. Yet a good chunk of its citizens still blindly hold prejudice, as you described. It’s a classic case of self harm.
>like people not sitting next to me on the bus and train, I understand why they do that. That happens to all foreigners.
Does it? Cause I’d love more space on the train but I don’t seem have that option.
>I heard “Chugoku” come up
So they said, presumably the word China, and you are 100% certain they were talking about you and there was no other possible reason they could’ve said it?
Anyway, here is my advice to you: Stop worrying about what other people do, and stop making assumptions about what they may or may not be doing. If people are being actively racist to you, then yes, feel free to get upset about that. But simply assuming every single thing that happens around you is about you is a bit much.
Ok so you have two options
1 – get really angry over this and try to to be on your best behaviour but after a while realize no matter how smart, educated, rich, handsome, etc you will be treated and be seen as differently due to your ethnic origins.
OR
2 – not give a shit what people think. Improve on your Japanese and cuss people out who give you trouble and befriend Japanese people that aren’t assholes. I’ve found people in the hip hop scene so much kinder to brown people (if you are into hip hop that is).
I’m a 派手な middle eastern woman that grew up in Canada so I know how you feel to an extent.
I sympathise with you but you do know that in Florida the people who assumed you were a genius were being racist too right? it’s just that you were more of a beneficiary of that exact same racism.
A good portion of your posting history seems to be about being treated poorly due to your race.
You’ve also only been here a few months out seems?
While there are certainly racist things in Japan, and some Japanese people absolutely treat non white foreigners worse, it may also be that the new setting and your not fully understanding your surroundings is causing you to misread some things.
Like the train thing might happen because you are a foreigner… But it can also happen because the other person has issues. There’s all sorts of crazy out there. The comments about appearance are unfortunately common. Im not sure it makes it better but it happens amongst everyone here.
I’m sorry you are having a bad experience and I hope it gets better.