Attitudes about foreigners that some Japanese hold

Because of unique aspects of their language and culture, the Japanese
generally find it far easier to deal with each other than with foreingers.
In some Japanese, this unease can lead to some unappealing attitudes and
behaviors.

The Japanese maintain a very clear distinction between an individual's public
and private faces, so that it is rare to catch them expressing hostile views
of foreigners. Nevertheless, every now and then, a politician's remarks will
land him in trouble.

You might find the enclosed article interesting. By the way, Ishihara spent
two weeks denying that he had done anything wrong and only apologized in the
past couple of days.

Regards,

Eugenio

Ishihara acknowledges word was inappropriate

Yomiuri Shimbun

Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara late Wednesday acknowledged in a
statement
that it was "inappropriate" for him to have used the word
"sangokujin" and
said that he regrets having caused misunderstanding and
hurting foreigners in
general by using the derogatory term in a recent speech.

It was the first time that Ishihara had clearly admitted to
having hurt foreign
residents by using the word, which has discriminatory
connotations.
"Sangokujin" literally means "people from third countries."
Yet it was used
after World War II as a derisory term for people from former
Japanese
colonies, primarily Koreans, living in Japan.

On April 9, he told members of the Ground Self-Defense Forces
in Tokyo
at a ceremony, "Atrocious crimes have been committed
repeatedly by
sangokujin and (other) foreigners who have illegally entered
Japan. It is to
be expected that they will riot in the event of a major
disaster."

Although he used the word to refer to those who have
illegally entered the
country, it had a different meaning from what he meant to
say, he said.

"I did not intend to hurt Korean or other foreign residents
in Japan, and I am
extremely regretful," Ishihara said in the statement,
promising that he would
never again use the "inappropriate word," which is prone to
cause
misunderstanding.

On April 14, he expressed regret over his remarks, but
stopped short of
acknowledging the derogatory import of the word "sangokujin"
and failed to
apologize for having hurt the feelings of foreigners.

Wednesday's statement was made in response to demands from
metropolitan assembly members of Minshuto (Democratic Party
of Japan)
asking that he retract his remarks and make a public apology.

Ishihara handed the statement to senior Minshuto members of
the assembly
after they held a meeting earlier in the day.

The statement, to which Ishihara will affix the governor's
official seal, will
become an official document.

Hidejiro Kawai, secretary general of the Minshuto group
within the
assembly, said, "An official document carries weight, which
will be
tantamount to the governor's withdrawal of his remarks and
apology,"
indicating that the group will not take the matter further.