entertainment

Comedian suggests using Japanese with American accent to stealthily broach uncomfortable topics

73 Comments
By RocketNews24

Have you ever run into someone, on the subway, perhaps, or in line at a Starbucks, and noticed they’d forgotten to close up the zipper on their jeans or had their skirt tucked into their underwear? Inner conflict follows as you weigh the pros and cons of telling them about it. On the one hand, that person is almost certainly going to think you’re a jerk for pointing out their social faux pas, but on the other hand, you’d be saving them the untold awkwardness of interacting with everyone all day with their underwear half sticking out of their open fly.

There may be a good middle-ground solution though, according to one Japanese comedian: Just tell them what you want to say with such a thick accent that it sounds like a totally foreign language. Sure, the person on the receiving end will think you’re a huge weirdo, but at least they won’t think you’re an A-hole, and being confronted with a bunch of unintelligible jibber jabber from some random will probably cause the person to take a quick inventory of their surroundings, hopefully prompting them to realize their zipper is down or underwear on display.

This is the crux of comedian Terumi Ishii’s comedy routine: even the notoriously confrontation-averse Japanese can broach awkward topics by bringing them up with a "Clueless"-era valley girl drawl thick enough that the listener will have no real idea what you’re saying.

If we’re being perfectly honest – due primarily to cultural differences – this isn’t exactly comedy gold in our opinions, but to a Japanese audience, this is laugh-out-loud, knee-slappingly funny stuff. (Remember, this is a country where grinding your fingers into an unsuspecting person’s posterior is still considered a hilarious prank). What’s more interesting, though, is Ishii’s personal story.

In the video below, Ishii proposes using heavily accented Japanese to say such things as, “Hey man, your ‘social window’ is open,” (side note: This is apparently slang for, “your fly is open” in Japanese, but is this an actual phrase in certain English-speaking regions?) “Your nose hairs are sticking out,” and the like. Ishii really nails the accent, which is surprising from an American perspective, since – as we’ve covered before, English education is not exactly one of Japan’s strong suits.

Ishii, it turns out, actually speaks English fluently, boasting a perfect 990 TOEIC score, and having worked at the prestigious consulting agency, McKinsey and Company, she was on track to a lucrative consulting career when she made the fateful decision to quit after about a year and a half with the company to pursue her dream of becoming a comedian.

Unless you really hit it big in the U.S., you can’t exactly count on a stand-up career paying the bills, but things are even worse in Japan, where only the very top rung of "owarai-geinin" make any significant amount of money, which makes Ishii’s decision to pursue her dreams – giving up, apparently, one of the world’s more illustrious and coveted career positions in the process – all the more significant.

Source: Grape

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- The “doya-gao” phenomenon and where you’re most likely to see it -- Xbox One finally gets a release date in Japan – We hope you’re not in a hurry -- You’re Not Really Japanese Until You Have a Set of Sliding Door Power Outlet Covers

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73 Comments
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There is so much I could say about this "humor" but will start with sick, sad, at bit racist.

17 ( +24 / -9 )

I wonder what would happen if I ground my fingers into an unsuspecting person’s posterior on the Yamanote Line?

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Saw her on Youtube. She's a little bit funny but she's going to have to come up with something different if she wants to make a career out of comedy. One trick pony.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Hmmm, well, maybe YES to sillygirl, but it would be funnier with Japanese accented English. Her English pronunciation is too good.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

No where in the article does it say to use an American accent. So the title is a bit deceiving. I read the article twice looking to find out what an American accent is.

America has literally hundreds of accents. It is the melting pot of the world.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

@Yelnats

Sure, America has a lot of accents, but nobody would have any difficulty is identifying the Yank in a room full of English folk. Or Aussies. Or South Africans.

8 ( +12 / -5 )

That American accent is from where exactly? Valley girl? Sounds more Brooklyn to me.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

After 30 years here, this kind of tasteless humor at the expense of a country is tiring. Mel Brooks, who will make fun of any culture, does it well. For Japan to still be stuck in the proctologist as humor mode, is a sad sign. RocketNews is in the same category: lame.

12 ( +16 / -5 )

Meh, not funny but so are 98% of the comedians here. Since when are accents racist? So many comedians do accents.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Dialect done, done right, is funny. It's not racist. It's just teasing. Now, as I don't speak Japanese a lot of this bit went over my head but I liked the idea. It made me smile. So well done Ishii-san.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

One trick pony.

Same could be said for all of the owarai-geinin out there

7 ( +8 / -1 )

There may be a good middle-ground solution though, according to one Japanese comedian: Just tell them what you want to say with such a thick accent that it sounds like a totally foreign language.

How about this, if a person sees someone with their zipper down, be an adult and point it out to them discreetly and not yell it out and try to be funny about it. If you are the person with your zipper down by mistake, take the advice of the stranger, zip your pants up and say "Dommo" and leave it at that. Chances are you will never see each other again, and if the person does talk about you, then you will never know since you didn't know them in the first place.

Not too hard to do if you both are adults.

8 ( +12 / -4 )

I think living here in Japan, a lot of us have a different perspective and think this kind of comedy is unfunny and borderline annoying. Tomonori Jinnai took a stand-up comedy routine to the U.S. and people were roaring with laughter though I thought it was corny.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Can't be bothered to watch the video, but can you imagine the uproar had this 'comedienne' been a non-Japanese and used a thick Japanese accent as part of her routine?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Booo!

This reinforces the lazy stereotype that non-Japanese people can't pronounce Japanese properly. Moreover, it is illogical that a non-Japanese person would be able to produce a grammatically correct sentence, even a complicated one, but mispronounce the heck out of it. In reality, faulty attempts by elementary learners of Japanese as a foreign language are much more likely to get it the other way around - pronounce the words fairly accurately, but use the wrong words or structures etc.

Disappointing that someone with such an 'international' background would recycle the old prejudices.

7 ( +11 / -6 )

So this is suggesting real or occasionally awkward social situations in Japan are more approachable in a fake foreign accent?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Uh... that was canned laughter wasn't it?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Labels often get thrown around here, shall we say, 'liberally' - 'comedian', 'singer', 'actress'. You get the idea.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I'd like to nominate Maria Ozawa.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

(Remember, this is a country where grinding your fingers into an unsuspecting person’s posterior is still considered a hilarious prank).

Is this an insult?lol

0 ( +0 / -0 )

More pride, more inability to tell the facts, like using non-Japanese words to express problems in Japanese society which have Japanese words, such as rape (強姦), domestic violence / DV (暴力) but it is 'too shocking' in Japanese. Grow up and accept these issues aren't 'alien' from Japan or the Japanese. If you're human, their your society's problems too.

17 ( +18 / -1 )

In reply to the "she nails it" comment, tonally it sounds "American", but the way of speaking is totally off. Learners of Japanese don't talk like that, which means its not mimicry and more like mockery that the average Japanese viewer will unquestioningly believe. Well she has got a high TOEIC score and yada yada.

The usual giveaway is learners stressing certain sounds in a word when Japanese is usually flat, albeit with certain weak vowels. A classic example of inappropriate stress is people talking about the atomic bomb dropped on hi ro shee ma, not hi-ro-shi-ma. It's especially noticeable with the weak Japanese vowels of u and i

Takarazuka (takaraz ka) becomes Ta ka ra zoo ka Nishinomiya (nish' nomiya) becomes Ni shi noh miya

Some learners also fail to fully extend doubled vowels, so Osaka (oh saka) becomes closer to osaka (usaka?).

I'm sure there is other stuff as well, but the main point is that its not that unintelligible BS she comes out with which is only going to reinforce the idea some people have that all Japanese spoken by non Japanese looking people is unintelligible.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Oh my, how hysterically funny. I must grab a needle and thread to sew up my split sides. A one-trick pony - I can't wait to see her doing the same schtick on every "variety" (good job, Misnomer-Man) show every night for the next six months.

Nearly as good as that bloke who said "Gets" and pointed at the camera.

The day laughter died, Japan was taken in for questioning.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

More of Japan's racist, moronic 'humor', that if you attack as being the stupidity that it is, will be told, "You can't understand it because you're not Japanese". I hope this goes the usual route: the comedian sees a rapid rise to the top of 'red carpet' shows, as the token Japanese representative at a US movie premiere, and then finally on a talk show with an American guest she pulls her schtick and when the American person not only doesn't laugh, but can't figure out if Terumi is perhaps mentally impaired, the Japanese audience will say, "You mean... maybe it's not funny?" and this person will be forgotten in a week. The whole thing will have transpired in about a month, tops.

There are so many things you could do to point out how wrong this is: speak in a stupid Japanese accent and bow excessively when bumping into someone or something, but it would be completely lost on them and if they DID get it, they wouldn't think the comparison is valid, or the reverse "funny" and still insist that Terumi is. Quite sad.

14 ( +16 / -4 )

So yet another Japanese comedian is not remotely funny to anyone with even half a brain.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

I live in USA and when I have to speak to American who are not used to hear my speech, my Calif born daughters assist me and tell "My mother has heavy Japanese accent" and I speak in my English and she tells in her Calif English. And uneducated type people think my daugher is bilingual But American accented Japanese? First time I heard. . Here we tell Broken English, Maybe /broken Japanese?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I don't think that this has anything to do with racism or even stereotypes but just the comedy of the absurd where meaningful Japanese is made to sound like English gibberish. It is sort of the reverse of Tamori, and Sid Ceasar's double-talk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SqEmkwADmY. RIP.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

There used to be a British "comedian" in the 1970s who did a similar schtick: "What about them blacks/ pakistanis/ chinese, eh? They can't talk right, can they? There's one in our chippy, he says 'you want foken tray?' I says 'you'll get a foken smack in the mouth, you'"

Bigots used to love him. Most people considered him foul.

Do the same routine here and it's the unique Japanese humour, and if you don't lap it up it's because you're not culturally sensitive enough.

Bet you a pound to a penny she has a false nose on by the end of next month. Because, you know, them foreigners, they've got big noses, haven't they? Have you seen 'em? Big noses, them foreigners, haven't they, eh? And don't they talk funny?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

She should've stuck with the consulting career.....Oh well no worries!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Lucab: I have been at conferences where the majority in the room for question and answer sessions threw me. I had to ask in my slowest speaking ability available to me, where certain people were from as they were very difficult to understand. All were American...born a raised there.

Plus, I get lots of people asking me if I come from England or Australia. Never knew a Queens Long Island...New York City accent sound like those other people from abroad.

And if you ever get anyone telling you Long Island is not NY City, tell em off,

There is no straight general American accent. But, news casters are trained to talk as if they are from The North Mid States. Neutral and we can all understand it.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I don't think this is racist or offensive at all. Just painfully unfunny. Even the audience seemed to be laughing out of politeness.

The whole premise of trying to remove the awkwardness from gestures of kindness by being more awkward and not even getting the intended message across doesn't make much sense. It seems like an excuse to use that funny accent, which itself isn't really that funny. Definitely not funny enough to build a whole routine around.

I would tell her to keep her day job, but it seems like it's too late for that... Everyone's a critic!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I'd like to nominate Maria Ozawa. yes her english with Japanese accent is average, but shes not known for her english skills anyways

0 ( +1 / -1 )

man, some of you need to chill. it's a joke for japanese people. lots of foreigner don't get seinfeld. but they don't go on message boards complaining about how iditotic it is. if it makes people laugh and takes them away from the monotony of this life then let it go.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Not my humour but I do have admiration, and respect for Ishii’s dreams over wealth, merry making over money making attitude, I hope Ishii bucks the trend, and knocks em bandy.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I am not against her and her comedy schtick, I just don't think it is funny. My Japanese wife doesn't get why I laugh at shows like MST 3K (a lot of Americans don't get it either). Not saying that the world should have one set of "funny" and don't find her act racist in any manner.

My comments were on the situation that she is joking that it should be used in. Instead of trying to avoid an uncomfortable situation and be viewed as "non offensive" just take the adult direct approach with another adult is all I's saying. If people point out to me that I have something stuck to my shoe, I acknowledge and say thanks, remove it and move on.

I don't think that makes me less of a person or a failure, but I guess I just view things differently than some Japanese.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Each country/society has its own type of humor, criticizing it because "it is not funny" to you is not fair. And using the accent of people from other countries, is a very common tool in comedy around the world.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Not particularly funny, but also not racist. Voices, accents, and culture have been comedic launching points for comedians everywhere in the world. Look at the late, great Robin Williams's live acts - he rolls through ridiculously exaggerated French, Scottish, Japanese, Canadian, Indian, Russian, American, Italian, Irish, and Martian accents to much laughter, and without accusations of being culturally inaccurate or insensitive. It's true that, as an insular society, there are plenty of ignorant attitudes and ideas in Japan about the international world, but don't let that turn you overly sensitive that every little joke is evidence of a greater, sicker, racist attitude. Racism exists. This is stand-up comedy. There's a difference.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Look at the late, great Robin Williams's live acts - he rolls through ridiculously exaggerated French, Scottish, Japanese, Canadian, Indian, Russian, American, Italian, Irish, and Martian accents to much laughter, and without accusations of being culturally inaccurate or insensitive.

The difference is, though, that Ms Ishii is not exaggerating something that already exists. She is creating an entirely fictitious way of speaking which is never heard from non-native speakers of Japanese and instead only ever heard from Japanese people making fun, inaccurately, of the way non-Japanese people speak Japanese.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it racist and it is not particularly offensive, but it is mildly annoying because it is built on nothing and designed to make a Japanese audience comfortable in the warm glow of telling themselves that nobody can learn to speak 'their' language properly.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

it is mildly annoying because it is built on nothing and designed to make a Japanese audience comfortable in the warm glow of telling themselves that nobody can learn to speak 'their' language properly.

She's speaking Japanese in a way that makes it sound like she's speaking English (and pretty convincingly). She's not speaking Japanese in an exaggerated foreign accent as some people seem to be assuming. It's kind of like this girl on Youtube who went viral making gibberish sound like various languages in a very convincing way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybcvlxivscw

It's still more of a neat trick than a comedy act though.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

One trick pony? But she has something to fall back on: here career as an infrastructure consultant at her former firm or any other firm. Anyway, she went to Tokyo University (Todai東大, Japan's best university), so she will always have a job. And make more money than anyone. No sour grapes please.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

nakanoguy1: "man, some of you need to chill. it's a joke for japanese people."

And if white people make jokes using a "black voice" and said you should chill out because it's "just a joke for white people" it'd be the same thing. Racism is racism, and when it's poor humor to boot this sad woman deserves nothing but ridicule for her cheap attempts at being funny. It's sad that you defend it with the usual, "it's for Japanese people" garbage.

Daniel: "Each country/society has its own type of humor, criticizing it because "it is not funny" to you is not fair. And using the accent of people from other countries, is a very common tool in comedy around the world."

It may be used in some cases, for sure, and that's unfortunate, but nowhere does using it in a racist manner, as she is doing, forgive it. Everyone has a right to criticize it, and they should. Just wait for her to pull the long nose out of her pocket when she wants to approach someone with something awkward and then use the 'funny American voice'. Or maybe paint her face black? That's probably get a few chuckles and a few defensive "it's funny for Japanese -- you don't understand it" comments as well.

7 ( +12 / -6 )

Hi gokai_wo_maneku, Real life bites burning bridges when you resign, it's a surefire career carnage, prospects? Well it's like driving coach and horse over your CV. McKinsey consultants are two a penny, as are Ernst & Young and, Deloitte. It is momentum is advancing one client base, comedy does not inspire confidence, it's no laughing matter...

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Very funny. I love Japanese comedy : )

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

itsonlyrocknroll, It's only "career carnage" if you don't know how to remake yourself for a new career. I'm 35 and on my third career. No problems because I took the time to figure it out. Also, where does it say she "burned bridges"? She went to Todai, so I'm sure she has the brains to remake herself into whatever she wants.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

smithinjapan: Totally agree with what you have written here. Perfect.

Thanks

Yelnats

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Just shite

0 ( +0 / -0 )

HI gokai_wo_maneku, I am 28 I have reached a point in my career that I am very wealthy, am influential to my superiors. and am able to enjoy the trappings of that wealth and success. Terumi Ishii’s burnt bridges when resigning from McKinsey and Company, I know this because I worked and continuing to work closely with senior partners from the European arm of that company but a in very different field. Invariability there is no going back because some advancement is taken out of one hands. Good luck with your third career.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Most native English speakers do have a thick accent in most foreign languages (the "r"s are particularly telling) and so do French, Russian, German, Indian, Chinese...etc. etc. I think it's fine to make fun of accents and it is in no way racist. If only I had a penny for every time an American comedian made fun of a foreign accent (including Japanese), I'd probably be able to pay for that Olympic stadium.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In USA, people speak with different dialect accents. Not racism but in our city in USA, Calif accented people tend to get better positions.

She must be brilliant to speak in American Japanese. When you don't speak Japanese every day, our Japanese speaking get funny, Japanized Englisg?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The speaking Japanese with an American accent routine is quite funny TBH. I've heard some trying an English accent too. I never thought Americans were so thin-skinned as to be offended by it. For centuries those of in the West have taken the Mick out of the way non-white people look and sound so what's wrong with a bit of the reverse? As for the long nose thing... I never understood why that offended people... unless you really have a Cyrano de Bergerac nose of course.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

It's really hard to put a finger on what Japanese comedy is exactly. Sometimes it's like watching The Three Stooges, but at other times it can be rather racist or controversial. In America years ago, Jerry Lewis and Mickey Rooney made a lot of people laugh with their buck-toothed Asian character imitations. Now, however, their skits are deemed as being quite racist and politically incorrect, but at the time they were considered really funny.

Maybe Japanese comedy is where American comedy was about 40 years ago and it's just going to take some time for it to catch up. At present, Japanese political figures seem to be off-limits, but maybe that is where the next big comedic change in Japan will take place. It would be great to see a Japanese version of Saturday Night Live pop up in Japan. As most foreigners living in Japan know, there's a mountain of material here for some funny comedy skits.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

As I recall, there was a comedian in Hungary who did funny Japanese imitating on TV. The Japanese government issued a complaint and she was taken off the air. It is all in good fun until your nationality or ethnic group or race is made fun of. This Japanese so called comedian ought to shut up.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Alphaape: " My Japanese wife doesn't get why I laugh at shows like MST 3K (a lot of Americans don't get it either)."

Your cred just went up! I LOVE MST3K (have you watched Yahoo!'s Other Space?). Anyway, don't agree with you that there isn't a racist element to this woman's humor. It is likely not intentional, and most certainly not meant to be offensive, but that's part of the problem; the inability to perceive what is or is not culturally offensive. The worst part is if you point out that it IS offensive (to some, if not all), people get all defensive and instead of trying to remedy it make it worse. I can just imagine how it would be received if the shoe were on the other foot.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I could understand her Japanese but not her attempt at humor.....not for me!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

So speaking in an American accent and using Japanese words to get a few chuckles is racist? How about when Americans take the mick from us Brits? You know, alleged comedians on stage doing stupid English and Scots accents, the pathetic 'English Teeth' shtick, etc... is that not racism? Just where does the line fall?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

do you guyz who comment have at least a notion of Japanese language?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

American Japanese? I think her comedies will last longer than some people predicting. In USA, Hungarian born Eva Gavor starred in Green Acre using Hungarian accented her own American English, Her comedy drams kasted and she became more popular than her suster who became sexiest actress in USA quite while ago. Gabor shocked comedy funs when funs found she soeak perfect /american English. But my children warned me Mom, your English will get worse than Eva Gabor's English so don;t watch her shows.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

This again shows differences in cultures and what is accepted in one is taboo in another. This might be considered funny in Japan but have a white guy in the US do a comedy schtick using a faux Chinese accent and you'll have an uproar.

I still can't believe she left a lucrative, consulting career for a shot at passing fame in the fickle Japanese entertainment industry. To have been accepted at McKinsey means she's certainly got some brains, so I hope she has a plan B.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I have no problem laughing at my own accent, but I just didn't find her humor funny.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Not funny. In fact it's boring to watch. Don't give up your day job.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

But comedaens make a lot more money than salayman , I mean salalyladies. Especially in Japan's gender unequality society.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I'll be the first here to commend a relatively young Japanese woman bucking conformity in an attempt to pursue her real dreams

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I like to support Japanese female trying creative but the Japanese sentences on cardboard she is holding is not in my taste. We call Gehin. Maybe funny to some people but .....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Zub: The "R" thing is too generalized. Us native New Yorkers drop all our "R's" when they are at the end of words such as: Tar, Car, War, Beer etc.

Tah Cah Wah Beah etc. but it is nothing like the Boston accent.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@smithinjapan. Who is it racist to? Not all Americans are white, and not all whites are American. I know it's not fashionable but I like it when others have a laugh at us- after all we were having a laugh at others for a long time. We do need to chill

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

roosterman77: "Not all Americans are white, and not all whites are American"

Who said they were? I didn't.

"I know it's not fashionable but I like it when others have a laugh at us"

Who's "us", since you make a point about not generalizing -- which I didn't do anyway.

"We do need to chill"

It's not a matter of chilling. I honestly don't care what most of these comedians do, but there are people who are genuinely offended, and the fact that the material is offensive needs to be addressed (and no, not by telling people to chill). Again, how would Japanese feel if the shoe were on the other foot? I know Japanese who become FURIOUS if/when they see even JAPANESE people doing anything that is stereotypical or might be viewed as putting them in a funny light or what have you. Just show those "The Japanese Tradition" videos on YouTube, made by Japanese about Japanese culture (satirical, but at some points educational) to some friends; some laugh, some get very upset.

"Who is it racist to?"

Foreigners. Or the "us" you refer to later. I'm as self-deprecating as the other guy, and couldn't care less if you made fun of my nationality, gender, ethnic background, or what have you; but some people DO, and when it's for cheap laughs or in situations when you are not supposed to 'act/be Japanese', well, the "humor" may get lost in what might be racism. They pulled similar crap with the JAL (or was it ANA?) commercial that fortunately was yanked right away.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

So yet another Japanese comedian is not remotely funny to anyone with even half a brain.

She quit her well paying job at a major global management consultancy firm to do crappy stand up. Now that's comedy.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Such is the 'jimusho' system in Japanese entertainment.

If you look at the channel this video is hosted on you will see many, many mediocre comedians mostly with single trick acts. The agency pumps them out in the hope that one out of a hundred will go super boom and payoff. The majority are like this act - awful and an insult to the genuinely funny comedians out there.

I am all for following your dreams, but you have to realise when you aren't very good at something like this act.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Yelnats I think you misunderstood me as you are referring to dropping the Rs at the end of English words. But when a native English speaker says "harakiri" for example, it's a sore for the Japanese ears.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@smithinjapan. my apologies. You didn't say what I said in regards to Americans being white. It was something I inferred after reading many posts. Again sorry. However, I don't think she is racist. I don't see impersonating someone's accent as racist. I have never experienced what I understand as racism in Japan. In other words, my basic rights have never been denied. I think many Western people in Japan tend to trivialise racism (from my experience) I have experienced many situations, some annoying, where Japanese have assumed that I don't speak or read Japanese, that I'm American, that I can't use chopsticks, that I speak English, and so on. These same situations have been used as examples of how Japanese are racist by acquaintances of mine over the years. I'm sure there are and have been serious situations of racism... especially towards other ethnic groups. If this site is anything to go by, it doesn't take much for native English speakers in Japan to be annoyed with Japan and its people. My own country has serious problems in regards to racism. I'm sure we could have a debate on the definition of racism but what I've said is my understanding of it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Ah, how I miss mid summer casual racism.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

So ifuu I speaku in zis waaayu, itsu oke? Sank you berry much.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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