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Police see rise in membership of extremist groups

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I'm this white guy from Iowa (U. S. A.)--Can I join up?

8 ( +15 / -7 )

It is disappointing. There is a way to be Patriotic and love of your country without hate. I hope they don't hurt the innocent.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

This is a reflection of the failure of the Japanese government. People will only stand so much economic, social, and cultural decline before they have had enough. These groups provide an outlet for them. An entire generation of Japanese have been born and grown to adulthood seeing nothing but decline and facing a bleak future of fewer opportunities. It is the first generation since the war in which the children can not expect to have a better future than their parents. And, since the government owns the economy, it owns this growing problem.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

great, japanese supremacy groups.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

Japan's over dependance on American military support since WWII, and her inabilityto forge a strong position vis a via China's bullying and N Korea's erratic threats of missiles has created a climate fo desperation .

0 ( +8 / -7 )

"The forums they use see a lot of calls for ‘immigrants’ to leave the country,” said Yasuda, noting many members are seemingly ordinary people—businessmen or housewives."

The people are losers with anger problems.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

What do you expect when all the politicians, who are likely to gain power, are pumping nationlistic rhetoric and threats over international diplomacy? And when the LDP wins this month things will get worse, too.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

Only 12000 so far? Oh my! This group will make Japanese people proud to know they have support from within their own culture on reducing: issues of immigrant reform laws, cases in court with immigrants requesting visa extensions, immigrants that are incarcerated on crimes they are guilty or innocent from, immigrants that are going to Japanese educational institutions, immigrants here on medical exchange programs, immigrants that are here on work visas that are doing jobs Japanese do not want to do, Immigrants that have legitimate businesses here which employ Japanese people, etc. The media will spin this story out of control internationally and it will act as a direct reflection on Japan itself from anyone reading news stories as this that do not live in Japan.

For us that are immigrants and reside permanently here in Japan, we know better, but when the buses roll by with these "Japanese Citizens" protesting, it makes you wonder if you are safe in your own home because of the Zaitokukai beliefs and some of the criminal acts they have been associated with in the past.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one

Imagine - John Lennon

Can you imagine sounds truck driving around Japan playing this?

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

im·mi·grant (noun ˈi-mə-grənt) : a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence

I'm confused as to the use of the word immigrant in this article since Japan has virtually no immigration. Very few citizens of foreign countries choose to take up permanent residence in Japan, and even fewer actually go through the process of becoming a citizen.

I wish I could have the opportunity to speak to some of the Japanese people who belong to these groups to find out what kind of logic they have for their actions. Protesting against such an insignificant portion of the residents of Japan seems to be a waste of their time.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

gaijintravellerDec. 08, 2012 - 09:34AM JST

Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one

Imagine - John Lennon

Yes, this is one of my favorites all times. Thanks. I am still believing in people of Japan.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Ugh... seriously Japan. Crack down on these morons already. It ought to be unconstitutional. Japanese people are being too apathetic about this.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

I hope they don't hurt the innocent.

They already do.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Rise in membership of extremist groups? It could just be renaming an old existing one as a disguise for surge in patriotism. No need though, Japanese people are very patriotic in their own right. They should crack down on those foreigners who have been staying here with either fake marriages or those who bought kosekitohons to make them appear they are Jdescendants abd some might be actually receiving some sort of pension now. Or those foreigners with legal visas and earning more than 20 man a month and shuns pension contribution, or those with big flat screen TV's and dish antennas without paying NHK dues.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

“The forums they use see a lot of calls for ‘immigrants’ to leave the country,” said Yasuda, noting many members are seemingly ordinary people—businessmen or housewives.

I wonder if that comment was rendered correctly in English. The Zaitokukai's slogan is 尊皇攘夷 (sonno-jo'i, revere the Emperor and expel the barbarians), which was used by anti-Shogunate nationalists like Yoshida Shoin in the late Edo period. That slogan has been consigned to the dustbin of history and in any case is too obtuse to have any impact on modern-day Japanese.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Fascists have always blamed their problems on someone else. The Jews, immigrants, the established rich, someone... but never their own actions or inactions.

Japanese fascists are particularly sad and feeble. Anyone with a reasonable grasp of economics and history can quickly illustrate why an isolationistic Japan would be doomed to becoming a poor and desperate country. 40% of the nation's food comes from abroad. A lot of that from the nationalist's most hated enemy state China. So what do they plan to eat when they rid the country of foreign connections?

In the 1930s the fascists in Japan took the country to a self destructive war. Again any observer would have been able to quickly surmise that Japanese industrial production, population, limited capacity to move key strategic infrastructure out of harms way, would lead to an inevitable defeat. US production and population alone were enough to assure defeat, but adding in the rest of the Allies meant it was a foregone conclusion.

This is why people need to study history. If you study history you know instantly that fascism, without exception, ruins otherwise functional states. Yes there are glory days for a few years where the illusion of long term success made Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Japan look like a golden age had been achieved. But the policies of these political groups inevitably lead to the murder of innocents, war with competitors that drain the state of lives and money and the inevitable defeat and subjugation of the state.

If the intention of the right in Japan is to repeat the past, I propose we skip all the war and just return Japan to a state of subjugation. Because that is exactly what any fascist movement will lead to. At least giving up now would save everyone a lot of money and save a lot of people (mostly Japanese) their lives.

14 ( +19 / -5 )

What a hype! They are just fringe groups of conservative movement. They are completely harmless.

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

Welcome to Islamic Republic of Japan in next few decades, What happened in UK is happening here! Islamic groups are getting really strong!

-13 ( +5 / -18 )

An excellent summary by tkoind2. As for returning Japan to a state of subjugation: the Japanese people themselves will freely vote for that in the next election, preferring irrational, loudmouth nutcases over anyone with sensible economic policies.

As for tomoki's assertion that these groups are "harmless": they are all too ready to use violence to get their way. They are criminals and should be arrested, and would be if the police weren't complicit in their actions.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Japanese people are being too apathetic about this.

about anything

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Keep your M1 Garand by the door!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I wonder if that comment was rendered correctly in English. The Zaitokukai's slogan is 尊皇攘夷 (sonno-jo'i, revere the Emperor and expel the barbarians), which was used by anti-Shogunate nationalists like Yoshida Shoin in the late Edo period. That slogan has been consigned to the dustbin of history and in any case is too obtuse to have any impact on modern-day Japanese.

I wonder if they want to go back to the Edo period without electricity and the Internet.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Welcome to Islamic Republic of Japan in next few decades, What happened in UK is happening here! Islamic groups are getting really strong!

Typical far-right scaremongering with no factual basis whatsoever. The Islam scare was manufactured in the US and it got spread to Europe.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Well well well "a rise in membership of extremist groups, and—more significantly—a change in the kind of people who are joining." inside the base is protected..so let them rise and rise until the island sinks from the mega quake soon approaching..

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Maybe people are just getting bored....???

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

During the boom years of 1970s and 1980s, there were not much hatred to Gaijin. Current economic downturn is promoting the soul searching for scape goats. Many University graduates are struggling to get jobs in labor market. Middle aged lay off Salary men are struggling to get back to workforce too.

In their eyes, Gaijin are too chicken about pain and suffering because of exodus of Mar 11 memory. They have resentment about them as fair weather opportunists. It is untrue for all Gaijin. Real Gaijin meaning is not only as outsider but also potential enemy.

If the right wing party such as Sun Rise party can form the government, Pre war nationalism will reborn again. Japan have no tolerance with neighbors. In the long term, it will not tolerate to well off Gaijin too.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

where people gather to shout slogans calling for immigrant “roaches” to “die.”

Lovely sentiment. This in a country that cannot sustain its population and needs skilled immigrants, especially in medical services, in the coming decades to care for its senior citizens. I do believe Japan is hopeless.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Thank you zichi for that. That is what I like about Kobe. The right-wing sound truck creeps are not welcomed in this city.

As far the rise of an extreme right goes, I see nothing really new only more of the same being more blatant. The LDP has always been an ultranationalist organization at its center. It has been responsible for textbooks that hide or lie about Japan's war crimes. It has been responsible directly or indirectly for the discrimination that we foreign residents face here. Outside of that, there have generations of right-wing terrorists who with the tacit approval of right-wing governments and the right-wing police have assaulted and a murdered dissidents in this country. (This is why Honda Kutsuichi wears a wig and shades in public.) Try to say something against the Emperor or the emperor system and you have a good chance of being murdered. There have been more political murders in Japan than in North America or Northern Europe.

Probably the reason those mentioned housewives and men in business suits have not joined the ultra-extreme organizations up to now is because they believed the powers-to-be were taking care of business for them. 

2 ( +4 / -2 )

It may be just a fringe of unpleasant crackpots but this is troubling. The usual nationalist rhetoric - supposed homogeneity of race, cultural and linguistic uniqueness and blaming foreigners for their own ills resonates to some degree with many Japanese. I hope this is just a nasty little outbreak, but this virus may find homes in more places than I want to think about.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Japan to Immigrants: Thanks, But You Can Go Home Now

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1892469,00.html

tkoind2 took everything what I wanted to say out of my mouth. Japanese isolationism has been going on for years. It did not start yesterday. This post will give you some insights about their closed minds. They were simply discarded from labor market. Some of their kids were born in Japan and they are Japanese. This is the most cruel things I have ever heard .

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

U have seen these trucks roaming around Tokyo and sometimes park near a train station and blasting their protest. IMO this started from the people who have love ones and friends that sacrificed their life during WWII for their warfreak emperor. Probably, the JGov did not bother to give acknowledgement and support for the families of those soldiers who offered their life. The bad part, some outside force used this group for their self interest and extremist targeting anything that can be news to be noticed. And JT bite it hook and sinker. I think Japan Police can easily eradicate this type of noise pollution by making it a rule for this extremist to have a municipal or police permit before they can broadcast theor concern in public with the use of blasting PA system.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

wait until it trickles down to fukushima demonstrations being radical and illegal.... just a thought....

1 ( +1 / -0 )

One group, under the name Zaitokukai, uses the Internet to organize demonstrations where people gather to shout slogans calling for immigrant “roaches” to “die.”

I think use of the word 'immigrant' here is inappropriate.

The bulk of Zaitokukai hatred seems to be aimed not as much toward the miniscule immigrant population of Japan as it is against the Japan-born permanent residents and citizens of the country with non-Japanese ethnicity. This particularly includes the vast majority of those with Korean and Chinese ancestory who have been in Japan for multiple generations and are native Japanese speakers.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

<>The bulk of Zaitokukai hatred seems to be aimed not as much toward the miniscule immigrant population of Japan as it is against the Japan-born permanent residents and citizens of the country with non-Japanese ethnicity.<>

Not true. Zaitokukai has also targeted recent newcomers, with the chants of "White Pig, Go Home" outside the Washington Hotel in Shinjuku, the anti-Halloween protests at Shinjuku Station "Go to hell foreigners and Protestants - You betray God!", as well as the protests against the little girl trying to stay in Japan while her parents were getting deported. Not to mention their protests against the Japan-distributor of the Cove. The organization's roots and in the anti-Zainichi (Resident Korean) sentiment, but the organization has evolved into targeting foreigners in Japan of all stripes as well as Japanese who expose uncomfortable truths.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Young Japanese should feel desperation. Their future doesn't look so bright given Japan's huge national debt, aging and declining population, exploding entitlement programs, stagnate economy and the new economic supremacy of China. It is not surprising that more people will feel desperate. When things look bleak the appeal of militant groups will grow. However of all of Japan's problems I don't think the rise of extremists groups are their most challenging right now.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

An interesting combination of various fears expressed here.

It is not automatically facism if a country or a people want to preserve and protect their own country and culture. Sadly Europe and the USA are being invaded by hordes of illegal immigrants seeking a free ride. The key to success in life is hard work, and sadly not all countries have equal opportunity but it is not something that is owed to foreigners just because they want it. That is true for people foreign to Japan, whether born there or not, just as it is for the USA and the European countries. Eventually any culture has the right to define and defend itself. It is popular to support liberal views but sadly that does not put food on the table or provide jobs. If there is competition for both, then the native born of any culture have the first right to them, sorry.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

@globalwatcher, but this was in2009. And if my memory serves me right, the govt ammended the condition. I just wish that the protesters singled out those foreigners who shuns pension contribution, enjoyed the karaoke and omises, with thick gold necklaces, big dish antennas and branded goods, only to find them falling in line in welfare offices later. or just like one commenter said about the girl whose parents were deported and thus she herself was illegal then and probably receiving some sort of welfare even till now. I'm not that rightist. But if they want to make things right then they can do so if they really want. And about the chant go to hell foreigners and protestants, now a certain religion is pointed out. I'm not a protestant but I understand that in all religions there are some evil people hiding under the cloaks and good preaches. Not to mention the overstayers who could be finding solace in religion. But with the Zainichis and the resident Chinese, I consider them strong and so assertive. I believe we foreigners should strive to fit in not force the Jpeople to change things to accomodate us foreigners nor bite the hands that are feeding us.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

It is not automatically facism if a country or a people want to preserve and protect their own country and culture.

Oh yes, because attacking foreigners is "protecting their own country and culture". Please stop with this nonsense. What about the right of protecting and preserving THEIR culture?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

It is not automatically fascism if a country or a people want to preserve and protect their own country and culture. Sadly Europe and the USA are being invaded by hordes of illegal immigrants seeking a free ride.

This is a fair point imo. Just a few weeks ago there was an article here at JT about how communist china has surpassed the US as global trader. The article led off with the story of Shin Cheol-soo, a Korean businessman who was abandoning the US to return to ROK in order to focus on doing business with the communists. Mr Shin Cheol-soo made a statement that I found very interesting. “The United States is a tiger with no power,” Shin said in his office, where three walls are lined with books, many about China."

While Shin is obviously free to move/do business wherever he likes, I found his attitude disgusting. No hint of gratitude for the country that took him in, put food on his table and educated his children for ten plus years. Things start looking down, and he happily shoves off for another destination, taking all his capital with him and proffering insults to his former host on the way out the door.

I sometimes feel the same way reading the comments here at JT. So many folks with nothing good to say about their host country, and the stated wish to change Japan into something it doesn't wish to become.

Perhaps, as trinklets2 suggests above, instead of complaining how some rightist called us cockroaches, the foreign community in Japan would do well to focus more on something we can control - our own attitudes and behavior. I believe hard-working, respectful foreign residents are well-treated in Japan.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

These uneducated - and possibly inbred - dropkicks will further tarnish the image of Japan and the majority of good Japanese. If they had intelligence they would devote time and ideas to trying to drag Japan out of the decline she has been in for a decade now instead of scapegoating foreigners.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Hoammm

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I took an obasan student to task the other day, when she refused to hear anything bad about Ishihara. She totally denied that he had said that the 3/11 earthquake was gods punishment. She said she didn't listen to the mass media as it was full of bias.

On asking her where she gets her news stories, she replied, "2chan". So there we have it, more and more everyday people are reading net gossip over at 2chan and are taking it as gospel.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

lol, so are they saying the leftist, liberals are the ones who are causing panic and being unlawful and horrible...tell me something I dont know. Im not saying all leftest are like that but extremists are very much so

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

And yet, people go on about how kind the locals are, how racism isn't a problem and how safe it is here. Suggesting we're roaches and should die? Lovely, safe and not at all xenophobic.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

There are kooks like this in every country.

The best thing is to ignore them, they will go away.

It is a good idea to keep an eye on them at the same time.

Just don't take it to heart.

These guys aren’t fighting you or I, they are fighting some enemy way back in their past.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

lol, so are they saying the leftist, liberals are the ones who are causing panic and being unlawful and horrible...tell me something I dont know. Im not saying all leftest are like that but extremists are very much so

I think you meant rightists.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Journalist Koichi Yasuda says with more than 12,000 claimed users, the group's site is a breeding ground for opinions that would not look out of place among Europe's fringe right.

The problem with this line of thought is that groups that were once on the fringe are now becoming mainstream. In Greece you have groups like Golden Dawn suddenly gaining in popularity as Greece's economy deteriorates.

Once a secretive group on the fringe of Greek politics, Golden Dawn picked up over 400,000 votes in a June election dominated by anti-austerity anger. Capitalising on popular anger with the perceived decades-old corruption of mainstream parties, the group elected 18 lawmakers in the 300-seat Greek parliament and is now the party of choice for one in 10 Greeks, polls show.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The best thing is to ignore them, they will go away.

Funny, those black vans are growing in number and you're suggesting that if I ignore Abe, he'll just magically go away? I don't think so.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

The problem with this line of thought is that groups that were once on the fringe are now becoming mainstream. In Greece you have groups like Golden Dawn suddenly gaining in popularity as Greece's economy deteriorates

Well, Greece and Japan are two totally different cases. Greece has a huge problem with illegal immigrants leading to a stunning rise in criminality, as entire areas in central Athens were turned into ghettos. Additionally, the unemployment rate (officially close to 26%), the uncertainty for the future, the political corruption and the mistakes of the past have nothing in common with Japan (despite its own economic problems). The situation in Greece is very similar to a (light) Weimar Republic and the rise of the Golden Dawn was something - unfortunately - to be expected. However, if Greece remains on track as she has done so far, I believe that GD's popularity will fall as it was the case with LA.O.S, another more moderate right wing group that was left out of the parliament during the last elections.

On the other hand, the rise of extreme right wing groups in Japan is not justifiable. Yes, there is uncertainty but there is not any problem with immigrants (at least not of a European scale), the unemployment rate is low and despite the economic problems and the long recession, the overall economy is not that bad. People should know that extreme ideologies not only offer absolutely nothing, but they certainly create more problems as it was proved countless times during the last century. Maybe this is the source of problem: the more the time passes and we distance ourselves from the horrible events of WWII, the more people tend to forget where extreme ideologies led us and how many millions of people died because of them. This is really really sad.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Do any of you gaijins up there have your own sound truck to broadcast a response?

Put the nationalists or one of these members on a televised debate and see if they can make a good argument....I doubt they can

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@ Antonios_M

Right .... extremist behavior in Greece (one of the oldest and greatest cultures on Earth) is totally acceptable because the economy is reeeeaaallly bad and there are waaaay too many foreigners. But in Japan .... tsk tsk. Sounds like a massive double standard there to me.

I think you have also unwittingly helped the rightists in Japan (and duped the three folks who gave you a thumbs up) by arguing that the presence of too many foreigners is an excuse for anti-social behavior.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

More immigration is needed for Japan. All those immigrants taking on jobs Japanese won't do are also new taxpayers, which helps. If only the language and writing wasn't such a huge obstacle, Japan could become a true Asian melting pot. OK, I've enjoyed my little day dream...

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Reminds me of the time Japanese massacred Koreans because of a rumor that they were stealing after kanto earthquake. How pathetic, the country is going down the toilet, lets blame the immigrants. One look at moderated sites like 2ch show that Japan is a deeply racist and hatefl country underneath the facade of politeness

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Right .... extremist behavior in Greece (one of the oldest and greatest cultures on Earth) is totally acceptable because the economy is reeeeaaallly bad and there are waaaay too many foreigners. But in Japan .... tsk tsk. Sounds like a massive double standard there to me.

He merely stated that the two cases were different. He has objectively analysed the situation and why things were so and so. And then you've injected your own personal feeling into it and turned Japan into a victim... again.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

If only the language and writing wasn't such a huge obstacle, Japan could become a true Asian melting pot. OK, I've enjoyed my little day dream...

There's Singapore for that...

0 ( +2 / -2 )

He merely stated that the two cases were different. He has objectively analysed the situation and why things were so and so.

There was nothing subjective about his analysis. He was excusing the appearance of an extreme right-wing party in his own country citing various social and economic factors. I thought it was your stance that such groups are unacceptable under any circumstances Thomas?

And then you've injected your own personal feeling into it and turned Japan into a victim... again.

My personal feelings (aside from a dislike for double standards) were not mentioned. And I urge you to find any instance where I have suggested Japan is a "victim". Until you can do so, please refrain from putting words in my mouth.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Subjective should read objective.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

There was nothing subjective about his analysis.

He explained the CAUSE and EFFECT of the events. CAUSE economic downturn, high unemployment, high crime rate, etc. EFFECT rise in right-wing extremism. Again nobody is placing any judgement, we're talking about causality.

Meanwhile in Japan, the economy is actually not that bad, unemployment is pretty low, living standards is pretty high, crime rate is low, etc. So there's not much reason for rise in right-wing extremism.

He was excusing the appearance of an extreme right-wing party in his own country citing various social and economic factors. I thought it was your stance that such groups are unacceptable under any circumstances Thomas?

"He was excusing..." is your own personal opinion. Again, he was explaining cause and effect. But you're saying, "That's not fair...! What about...?". You're saying that it's unfair that others should "get away" with such and such while you are being blamed. Notice say, some school children do the same when they are scolded or blamed for their misbehavior: "That's not fair...! He did it too...! What about...?", etc.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

He explained the CAUSE and EFFECT of the events. CAUSE economic downturn, high unemployment, high crime rate, etc. EFFECT rise in right-wing extremism.

Japan: Serious economic downturn - check.

Highest unemployment in the history of the country - check.

Rising instances of violent crime - check.

Economic migrants from communist china (the very country bleating loudest about how much they hate Japan) driving down wages (in unskilled positions) for young people in Japan - check.

Let me be clear, extreme right wing ideology and behavior is unacceptable no matter what "causes" apologist wish to cite. Your stance is uneven in that you deplore the behavior in Japan but seem to say it is understandable in other countries that have more/bigger problems.

Again nobody is placing any judgement.

I agree that Antonios_M was not passing judgement. You on the other hand can't make a single post without passing judgement on Japan.

"He was excusing..." is your own personal opinion.

No. He was excusing. I don't blame him for that at all. Its normal for people to want to think positively about their own people. Its the same principle that explains why Japanese citizens don't appreciate gaijin "advising" them how to run their country.

But you're saying, "That's not fair...! What about...?". You're saying that it's unfair that others should "get away" with such and such while you are being blamed. Notice say, some school children do the same when they are scolded or blamed for their misbehavior: "That's not fair...! He did it too...! What about...?", etc.

Good grief. I'm not saying anything like that.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Japan: Serious economic downturn - check.

Where? There's may be no growth but it's not that bad.

Highest unemployment in the history of the country - check.

Excuse me, but how is 4.2% unemployment "Highest unemployment in the history of the country"? In most countries the unemployment rate is a lot higher. You need to stop making things up.

Economic migrants from communist china (the very country bleating loudest about how much they hate Japan) driving down wages (in unskilled positions) for young people in Japan - check.

98% of Japanese population are ethnic Japanese. You've got to be kidding me. Japan has one of the lowest immigrants among developed nations.

Good grief. I'm not saying anything like that.

You're saying, "You're blaming Japan for the rise of right-wing extremists... while Greece is "getting away" with it... that's not fair!" But again, we're only talking about cause and effects.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Where? There's may be no growth but it's not that bad.

Either you live in a village somewhere or you haven't been in Japan but five minutes. The economy in Japan has been sliding for more than a decade. Exports are down, domestic consumption is down, large industries (steel, automotive etc) have seen their credit ratings slashed by lending institutions and even sectors like hotel/tourism are struggling. Its no Greece, but that's not the point. For Japanese people (who know nothing but Japan) the current economy is frightening and the prospects for young people look grim.

Excuse me, but how is 4.2% unemployment "Highest unemployment in the history of the country"? In most countries the unemployment rate is a lot higher. You need to stop making things up.

You need to learn to read. Nowhere did I compare the unemployment rate in Japan with that of other countries. That would be a specious comparison. I happen to work in the industry and know full well that unemployment has been rising in Japan (with a few temporary drops) for twenty years. I reiterate, the recent (past few years) unemployment figures (+/- 5%) are the worst they have ever been in Japan. Again, this must be a worrying trend for Japanese who just a few short decades ago had basically zero unemployment.

98% of Japanese population are ethnic Japanese. You've got to be kidding me. Japan has one of the lowest immigrants among developed nations.

Of course they do. Because having seen how badly it has worked out for many developed nations, Japan has no desire to walk the foolish path of multiculturalism. However, "immigration" figures do not take into account the many overstaying communist chinese working under the table or pretending to be students while working full-time hours at a convenience store or some other similar job. I can't recall the last time I was served by a native speaking Japanese person at a convenience store. This keeps the hourly wage so low in Japan that Japanese students and young people cannot survive, and irritates the Japanese customers. Just yesterday I saw a group of construction type guys shouting at the clerk in 7-11 because she couldn't understand their request for a steamed pork bun. They finally had to resort to broken English and they mocked her saying "you understand me now?". Future rightists and haters of foreigners was the thought that occurred to me at the time.

You're saying, "You're blaming Japan for the rise of right-wing extremists... while Greece is "getting away" with it... that's not fair!" Ummm, no I'm not. I couldn't care less about the social conditions in Greece. If the Greek people want to vote for right wing parties its no problem for me. If anything I sympathize with their situation. In much the same way I can understand why the Japanese are growing to despise foreign workers and embracing nationalist parties. If they could read a few of your posts I think you'd have every single Japanese voting for Ishihara in the upcoming election.

But again, we're only talking about cause and effects.

I think you don't even know what those words mean in the context of this conversation.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Oh and obviously because China and S.Korea are getting bolder - because they are now beating Japan at their own game which the Japan used to rule.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Nationalism takes off when emotional "logic" takes over rational logic. This is a very perverse and dangerous path when endorsed by politicians. Everyone must keep alert when this is arising. Regardless if it is happening in Japan, USA, Europe or anywhere else. Nationalism has nothing to do with moderate patriotism. Nationalism takes root from internal issues but addressed wrongly with external issues. External must be understood in its broad sense: different country, different religion, different ethnical group, different sexual preferences, different ...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I hope the National Police Agency included its own sworn officers in the count.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

On asking her where she gets her news stories, she replied, "2chan".

Highly doubt that. "Obasans" wouldn't understand half of the "Japanese" on 2chan, if they even know about 2chan at all. The only thing the middle-aged ladies around me know about 2chan is that some people were trying to sell drugs on it and it became news.

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“extremely nationalistic and xenophobic ideas”

Like Germany 1920s, Japan is in a very desperated situation!

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Norikane said many of these groups clothe “extremely nationalistic and xenophobic ideas” in the language of civil rights.

Thanks to then Tokyo mayor and now a party leade:Ishihara Shintaro, his bad influences has given Japanese people false hopes and paranoid behaviour! This man should be criminalrized long time ago! A generation of Japanese people were completely misleaded and desperated due to the poor economy in the past 20 years has shattered many young people's dream to form a family! Who are they going to blame? Blame China pointing nuclear missiles at them lead to their failures and despair? And if japanese younger generation believes a nuclear armed japan is a safe haven, there is their death wish! I pity so many people lost hopes to their future but their rightist movement is definately fatal to the country!

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I dont think the Japanese national police might stop this political movement! Under U.S influences, younger Japanese generation has lost their soul and sight to know what is their future and moral! What america wants Japan is 100% obidiences and cooperations! The japanese political arena is a very cruel place for wealthy people only and those 'expensdables lost generation' were just a pawn being used by political manupilations to achieve certain political attempts! For example: Warning Chinese government by violeences against Chinese people in japan! The Japanese law does not protect 'gaijins' and their rights, it has happpened before: During Kwantung earthquake 1923, killing non-japanese asian people was carry out without stopping, the Japanese police just did nothing!

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