Mr James › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

Thursday 27th August, 06:01 AM JST

Mr James, the American mascot of McDonald’s Japan, is a character invented by advertising giant Dentsu for McDonald’s Japan’s new burger line - the “Nippon All Stars.” The campaign, running through Nov 5, promotes four burgers available only in Japan. On his blog on the McDonald’s Japan website, Mr James is described as a 43-year-old Japanophile from Ohio. According to a TIME magazine story, Mr James has upset non-Japanese, among them Arudo Debito, the chairman of the Foreign Residents and Naturalized Citizens’ Association of Japan, for being “white, dorky and speaking mangled Japanese” which the group feels plays to Japan’s xenophobic tendencies. TIME reports that Debido has officially protested the Mr James campaign with a letter to McDonald’s Corp headquarters in Illinois.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 166 Total Comments Show All

hoserfella at 09:22 PM JST - 2nd September

again, so sad to see the number of Japanophiles who don't mind compromising their dignity for the acceptance of the locals
spudman at 09:24 PM JST - 2nd September

According to a TIME magazine story, Mr James has upset non-Japanese, among them Arudo Debito, the chairman of the Foreign Residents and Naturalized Citizens’ Association of Japan

so the naturalized Japanese citizen is a "non-Japanese" ? The article is factually incorrect.
Razor at 09:36 PM JST - 2nd September

Perhaps there is a difference between "Japanese" and "Japanese citizen." In fact, I would wager there is not one Japanese (ethnically speaking) person in the entire country who would regard Debido as being "Japanese." In the West, when we say American, Australian, British or whatever, I think we are referring to nationality, rather than a racial concept, but in countries like Japan and China, I believe that Japanese" and "Chinese" do connote race, more so than citizenship. In other words, Debido is a Japanese citizen but he is not Japanese.
helloklitty at 10:55 PM JST - 2nd September

I'm rather glad he went on his Mr James campaign trail, because it shows more clearly than ever what a phony clown he is.

That's a bit harsh. Exactly what is a phony clown anyway? I think he is basically helpful and making life better for us hairy barbarians.
Cicada at 11:30 PM JST - 2nd September

helloklitty:

Exactly what is a phony clown anyway?

This is a very perceptive question. Mr James is a clown in the sense that he is a stand-in for Ronald the Clown.

Debito Arudou is a phony because he is not even a Gaijin but he pretends to represent Gaijin. He is, however, a Clown nonetheless and many people mistakenly believe he is a foreigner.

I think he is basically helpful and making life better for us hairy barbarians.

I think your statement is vague to the point of meaninglessness.

If you are trying to say that Debito Arudou has been a help to resident foreigners, why not specify exactly how he has helped what group of foreigners? Tenured professors that meet with him over coffee to discuss frivolous lawsuits that accomplish nothing?

If so, then yes, I agree he has helped them learn how to make some extra money by giving "inspirational" lectures (this great advice is on his website). Not much to sink one's teeth into...
spudman at 01:05 AM JST - 3rd September

Razor you mean racism? If nationality is based on race then you mean racism is the standard to decide Japanese nationality. The Japanese constitution outlaws this.
spudman at 01:08 AM JST - 3rd September

Cicada You think Debito's efforts in getting foreigners access to housing that had previously denied doesn't help those people. I think you are spouting opinion without knowing your subject, except for a quick cursory glance.
MASSWIPE at 05:01 AM JST - 3rd September

Razor's point about Debito's passport is correct. Just as many Japanese are paper drivers, Debito is a paper Japanese. I can't think of a better argument against naturalization in Japan.

And I hate to write this, but I think it's true: if Debito weren't white, he'd be taken more seriously by more people. Whites in Japan enjoy far too high a level of material and financial comfort in Japan to be seen as a vulnerable minority under attack. And this Mr. James advertisement is, I think, a part of the universal and basically accepted tendency of non-whites to poke fun at the mannerisms and speech patterns of whites. The ad has more in common with the black comedians of Def Comedy Jam than with any expression of Japanese xenophobia and arrogance.
Cicada at 05:41 PM JST - 3rd September

masswipe:

The ad has more in common with the black comedians of Def Comedy Jam than with any expression of Japanese xenophobia and arrogance.

Yes, this is the source of the portrayal as developed by the ad agency.

Mr. James advertisement is, I think, a part of the universal and basically accepted tendency of non-whites to poke fun at the mannerisms and speech patterns of whites.

Yes, but as several posters pointed out, the Mr James character is not perceived by most people as a negative one. Common sense would dictate that the "mascot" selling a product is not designed to induce negative feelings. So Debito Arudou has a tough sell on that point.

spudman:

You think Debito's efforts in getting foreigners access to housing that had previously denied doesn't help those people. I think you are spouting opinion without knowing your subject, except for a quick cursory glance.

You are correct that I do not know everything there is to know about Debito Arudou and his activities, for I am definitely not a fan. I'm familiar, from his website, with a series of lawsuits he got involved with, which accomplished absolutely nothing for foreigners, and actually tended to hurt those who cooperated with him.

And despite your post, I am no wiser now. "Those people" -- exactly to whom are you referring? Are you suggesting that Arudou has made a difference to many people in the area of housing? You don't provide substantiation, so I somehow doubt that escapade had any more significance than his other ones, which have benefitted no one but himself.

The ill feeling he arouses amongst both Japanese and foreigners certainly does nothing to improve anyone's image of foreigners.

And of course the fact is that Debito Arudou is not a foreigner. He is Japanese, an elite tenured professor enjoying all sorts of benefits that ordinary foreigners will never enjoy, including a lot of free time to launch campaigns against McDonalds. But if he helped a few people rent the house they wanted, good for him.
bgaudry at 12:27 PM JST - 5th September

Also, since McDs have been knocking out Big Macs for 200yen, "Debito" has been very quiet on this issue. Maybe they bought his silence?
WMD at 08:03 PM JST - 7th September

Most western foreigners in japan are short termers ie they stay less than 3 years and probably are employed just as english teachers. So naturally they are not concerned with their rights/dignity etc. This is not surprising since mostly they come to japan for cash and girls. Naturally they are against or indifferent to Debito Arudo. Just reading this thread illustrates the point.

Debito is fighting for the long termer who may well be a permanent resident, have a japanese wife and kids and a proper job/career. The short termer and the long termer are very different animals in their perspective.
umbrella at 08:14 PM JST - 7th September

Well I have to say that this Mac "campaign" is just pathetic and insulting. But I also have to say how amused I have been reading the comments of the many japanophiles and japanapologists on this thread. The short termer can see no wrong.
chuckers at 09:13 AM JST - 8th September

I am a long termer and am completely indifferent to Mr. James.

What little I have seen of Mr. James comes across as an exuberant F.O.B. newbie. As much as he would deny it, Debito was just like him in his day, I am sure.

Sure, those people can be annoying to us lifers but eventually they either settle down or leave, to be replaced by the next batch. Just as Mr. James will.

Debito, on the other hand, will not...
Antonios_M at 10:00 PM JST - 8th September

Ok...thats the typical image in Japan about foreigners. Foreigners = white dorky American Japanophiles. Me too i am often mistaken for an "Amerikajin" and japanese people come to talk to me by saying "Nyuuyooku cool dane", even though i have never been there.

So...why not? After all, for Japan, everything weird and strange is trendy. Personally, i find Mr. James as a very annoying guy, even though many English teachers here actually look like him (sorry guys).
Cicada at 10:15 PM JST - 8th September

wmd:

Debito is fighting for the long termer who may well be a permanent resident, have a japanese wife and kids and a proper job/career.

No, Debito is not fighting for anyone, short or long term. I'm a long termer and I have yet to meet any other long termer who thinks otherwise. Only on the Internet I read such comments, which are most likely produced by Debito's little gang of supporters.

And to reiterate, Debito is not himself a long termer. He is a Japanese, a tenured professor whose "research" is constituted by these phony crusades of his. It is nothing more than self-promotion. He goes all out with publicity-seeking, so that even if we did not want to know about him and his foolish exploits, we have to read about them from time to time.

Now, in this case, he chose to take on Mr James. Possibly he is truly offended that McDonald's did not use him as a model instead. But complaining about the "racism" of Mr James is about as silly and ludicrous as one can get.

bgaudry:

Also, since McDs have been knocking out Big Macs for 200yen, "Debito" has been very quiet on this issue. Maybe they bought his silence?

Wouldn't be surprising. Or maybe Debito has realized that he is no match for Mr James.