> I’m never going to be Chineses, same as he’s never going to be Japanese. If that bugs him why not go home? No one’s making him stay in Japan.
I’m so happy to read this comment. I lived in Japan for 4 years and had the same feeling. People are always upset they’re not seen as Japanese despite the fact they are indeed not Japanese. I could see an argument if you were a child of a western parent, born and raised in Japan with Japanese values constantly having to remind people that you are a Japanese national but these are just foreigners living in Japan with a chip on their shoulder because they weren’t born Japanese.
I hear you, but I also notice how different the expectations and standards are around race in the west. If we transplant some of the things said above into America, I notice I have a very different reaction.
Eg, “[Because he’s not white] he’s never going to be American. If that bugs him, why not go home? Nobody is making him stay in America.”
“[Immigrants] are just foreigners living in America with a chip on their shoulder because they weren’t born American”
(Edit to be really clear I’m not condoning or condemning. Just noticing.)
America actually is unique among countries. I could move to Japan, but I'll never be Japanese; I could also move to Denmark, but I'll never be a Dane. But I moved to America and now I am American.
The vast majority of countries don't work this way, nor would it be better for all of them to. But it's great that at least one does.
> Eg, “[Because he’s not white] he’s never going to be American. If that bugs him, why not go home? Nobody is making him stay in America.”
No, because America is not a racially homogenous society. Japan mostly is. Japan's residents are 98% japanese and most of the other 2% are other asians.
Race probably not the issue there, at least not tonthw degree some assume it is.
I've seen the very same santiment "you will never be X" from the people which emigrated to the countries where the wast majority is of the same race.
If you happen to be in a visually homogenous society (i.e. rural America, or Japan), you're gonna be treated differently because you stand out.
This common occurrence for American-born children of non-white immigrants in American.
"Where are you from?" "Kansas City" "No, where are you really from?"
This being said, America's had more immigrants come in than Japan, so by collective experience, America should be more open-minded about outsiders than Japan. Which is what we see in big cities like New York.
The same thing is true for anyone in the US though. They always describe themselves as being [insert grandparents’ nationality before coming to the US].
Downvoted; the author clearly doesn't have much problem with not be seen as Japanese, he has a problem with being seen as a human being one should not sit next to.
I’m so happy to read this comment. I lived in Japan for 4 years and had the same feeling. People are always upset they’re not seen as Japanese despite the fact they are indeed not Japanese. I could see an argument if you were a child of a western parent, born and raised in Japan with Japanese values constantly having to remind people that you are a Japanese national but these are just foreigners living in Japan with a chip on their shoulder because they weren’t born Japanese.