WHAT IS “A JAPANESE”? Issues of an internationalizing Japan, from the viewpoint of a Naturalized Japanese Download this Powerpoint Presentation at By ARUDOU Debito Associate Professor, Hokkaido Information University Miyazaki International College, Thursday, April 24, 2008

Alright, I’ll ask you, right now: What is “a Japanese”? There are no right or wrong answers. Just write down your own, personal opinions as you discuss it with your friends. Take a few minutes, go ahead.

じゃあ、 Are these people Japanese or not? Wada Akiko Entertainer Miyazawa Rie Actress Umemiya Anna Model, Tarento Kinugasa Sachio Baseball hero Oh Sadaharu Baseball hero Alberto Fujimori Fmr. Peru Prez

じゃあ、 Are these people Japanese or not? (2) Konishiki Tarento Akebono Pro Fighter Ramos Rui Soccer Hero Amy Daughter Anna Daughter Arudou Debito Yours Truly

Previous Student Surveys: “Who qualifies to be a Japanese?”  In-class, orally, show- of-hands informal survey with discussion.  HIU regular and senmon gakkou intensive classes.  Nationwide: Sapporo, Niigata, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Kokura (recorded), plus Sendai, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Oita (not recorded).  Overwhelmingly male, lower-income bracket, non English majors, ages (plus a few shakaijin).  , with little significant change over time.

Students’ answers (in no order of preference or importance) A person who has lived in Japan 日本に住んだことがある人 A person who considers him/herself "Japanese" 自分が「日本人だ」と思う人 A person who has Japanese citizenship 日本国籍を有する人 A person who has assimilated into Japan 日本に溶け込んでいる人 A person born in Japan 日本で生まれた人 A person who has spent the majority of his/her life in Japan 人生の大半を日本で過ごした人

Students’ answers (2) (in no order of preference or importance) A person who likes Japan 日本が好きな人 A person who has Japanese blood 日本の血が入っている人 A person who knows a lot about Japan 日本について詳しい人 A person using Japanese in everyday conversation 日常会話で日本語を使う人 A person with Japanese parents/grandparents 両親・祖父母に日本人がいる人 A person who is proud of Japan 日本について誇りを持つ人

Survey Results (1)

Survey Results (2)

Interpretations of the data  People voted clearly Japanese, registering more than 85% of the total votes, were the “mixed children” (Miyazawa Rie 95%, Daughter Amy 91%, Daughter Anna 89%, Umemiya Anna 88%).  Almost everyone in the survey was voted to be “a Japanese”, even if they did not have Japanese citizenship (Wada and Oh).

Interpretations of the data (2)  The lone exception, even with “citizenship” was Alberto Fujimori. Even with blood, students said it was his lack of language Japanese ability.  However, Arudou Debito was granted “Japaneseness”, because of his language abilities. This would not have happened if students had only just met him, or had only seen a photo of him, they said.

Now let’s talk about a case in Hokkaido, of “Japaneseness”. Sapporo. OTARU CITY (Distance from Sapporo to Otaru: 31 kms)

Onsen Yunohana in Otaru Otaru’s largest public bathing facility. Established (Photos courtesy

Yunohana’s JAPANESE ONLY sign In Japanese, English, and Russian. (Photos dated Sept 19, 1999)

Visit to Three “JAPANESE ONLY” Onsens, Otaru, Sept 19, 1999  Olaf Karthaus (German, Permanent Resident), his Japanese wife and three children.  Morgan (American), his Japanese wife and child.  Our Chinese friend and her two Japanese children.  Dave Aldwinckle (then an American, Permanent Resident), his Japanese wife and two children.  Other Japanese friends, witnesses, and a Hokkaido Shinbun reporter; total 17 people.

What happened?  Everyone was permitted entry.  Except, however, the three non-Asians: Olaf, Morgan, and yours truly.  Our Chinese friend, however, was unwittingly admitted.

We asked: Why refuse “foreigners”?  Russian sailors foul the bathwater with soap, laundry, and excreta.  Russian sailors carry in vodka bottles, get drunk, and disturb the peace.  Russian sailors are scary and smell bad.  Russian sailors carry lice and disease.  In sum, Japanese customers stay away if Russian sailors are present. Source: Interviews with Otaru onsens “Yunohana”, “Osupa”, and “Panorama” managers,

Why do you refuse us?  We are not Russian sailors. We are residents of Japan with families.  We speak Japanese, and have lived in Japan for over ten years.  We know how to take a bath.  What about Asian foreigners?

Answer: Because we can.  “We cannot just refuse Russians. That would be discriminatory. So we refuse all foreigners equally.”  “Yes, that includes Zainichi Japan-born ethnic Koreans and Chinese. If we know.”  Oops. Kick the Chinese lady out.  “Okay, so it’s discrimination. But if we let foreigners in, we will go out of business. Kindly leave.”

(Amy (left) and Anna Sugawara Aldwinckle 1996) Born and raised in Japan. Native speakers of Japanese. Japanese citizens.

“Your younger daughter looks foreign. We’ll have to refuse her entry.”

“Sorry, your younger daughter will be refused service. She looks too foreign.” This is discrimination by race. None other.

Japan’s invisible kokusaika  There are around 40,000 international marriages per year in Japan.  International children do not show up in statistics on “registered foreigners”. Of course not. They are citizens.  International children are also invisible statistically. The Japan Census Bureau does not measure for ethnicity.

Conclusions It is increasingly difficult to distinguish between “citizens” and “non-citizens” by physical appearance. Which means... “Japanese Only” signs will also exclude Japanese citizens. This situation is not tenable for Japan’s future. Hokkaido Shinbun Jan. 15, 2000

Sept. 2000: Arudou Debito gets Japanese citizenship.  Returns to Yunohana Onsen Oct 31,  Yunohana manager:  “We accept that you have citizenship.  “But you don’t look Japanese.  “So to avoid misunder- standings, we will have to refuse you entry.”

If you want more about this case: (Akashi Shoten Inc and 2004, revised 2006)

More Profound Conclusions  “Japanese Only” signs violate Article 14 of the Japanese Constitution.  Said signs violate the UN Convention on Racial Discrimination, which Japan effected in  Ten years later, there is still no law against racial discrimination in Japan.  Thus, “Japanese Only” establishments are unconstitutional, yet not illegal.

Conclusions to the research  “Japaneseness” and “language ability” might not be seen as a matter of race in future. More and more people who do not “look Japanese” are speaking Japanese.  This is good news for Japan’s emerging multicultural, multiethnic, and multilingual society.

Research Conclusions (2)  But in Arudou Debito’s view, “A Japanese” is someone who has Japanese citizenship. Nothing else.  You must make “Japaneseness” a matter of citizenship--something you can earn. Any other conditions for “Japaneseness” are too vague and arbitrary for clear judgment.  Why? Let’s take a look at Japan’s multicultural, multiethnic future:

“The Japanese labor force will probably drop by 10 million by 2030.” Economisuto, Jan 15, 2008 pg 18

By 2050, the majority of Japanese will be beyond a productive working age (15-64) Source: Ekonomisuto Jan 15, 2008 pg 16

The Immigrants probably outnumber the Zainichis as of last year In any case, soon close to a million NJ will be here to stay, permanently

“NEWCOMERS SUSTAIN SECTORS WHERE JAPANESE AREN’T ABLE OR WILLING TO PICK UP THE SLACK.” --NEWSWEEK SEPT 13, 2006

Yet Japan is the only major industrialized nation without any form of a law against Racial Discrimination. And it shows.

. Sapporo Otaru Monbetsu Wakkanai. Rumoi Nemuro. Ohtaki-mura.... More information and photos at MISAWA, AOMORI PREF. AKITA CITY TOKYO OGIKUBO TOKYO AOYAMA DOORI TOKYO SHINBASHI TOKYO SHINJUKU-KU TOKYO KABUKICHO KOSHIGAYA, SAITAMA PREF. TODA CITY, SAITAMA PREF. KOFU, YAMANASHI PREF. NAGOYA ISESAKI CITY, GUNMA PREF. KYOTO KURASHIKI CITY, OKAYAMA PREF. HAMAMATSU, SHIZUOKA PREF.. OKINAWA URUMA CITY. HIROSHIMA OHTA CITY, GUNMA PREF. KITAKYUSHU CITY FUKUOKA PREF DAITOU-SHI, OSAKA PREF

“JAPANESE ONLY” signs and rules have been found at: Bathhouses, bars, discos, stores, hotels, restaurants, karaoke and pachinko parlors, ramen shops, barbershops, a swimming pool, a billiards hall, a sports store, and a woman’s footbath boutique.

The moral to this tale: If you don’t have the legal means to stop discrimination, it spreads. Nationwide.

Research Conclusions (3)  If you don’t make “Japaneseness” a matter of legal status, i.e. something earnable, you create unchangeable conditions, such as blood or birth.  Making “Japaneseness” a matter of physical appearance will hurt many international children with Japanese passports. Also many long-term international residents and taxpayers.

That’s what we’re fighting for... Hokkaido Shinbun Nov. 17, 2003: “Visiting exclusionary bathhouse in Monbetsu. “Olaf Karthaus and Arudou Debito ask for foreign sailors to be permitted entrance.” NB: Bathhouse was then opened to all foreigners.

And yes, we are making progress. Erstwhile exclusionary onsen Osupa manager Mr. Ohkoshi and newfound friend enjoy a soak... Photo courtesy Kyodo News/Kumanichi Shinbun, from nationwide feature article Jan 12, 2002

More on this and other issues: English and Japanese ISBN

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