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The following is a translation of ISSHO's open letter (in Japanese) to TV-Asahi's NewsStation in reaction to Newscaster Kume Hiroshi's recent on-air comment.
TV-Asahi
NewsStation
Last October 14th, your program interviewed a resident of Japan, presumably of
Indian origin, about recent developments in India. After the interview, Newscaster
Kume Hiroshi said, "Gaijin no nihongo wa katakoto no hou ga ii" (I prefer it when
"Gaijin" speak poor Japanese). ISSHO respectfully requests your reply to the following
questions.
October 17, 1996
TV-Asahi
NewsStation
ISSHO
Open Letter
1) Do you think that the word "Gaijin" is a word fit to be broadcast?
2) The word "Gaijin" is hardly ever seen in Japan's news and other programs,
and has all but disappeared from the print and other media, as well. How is it
that your program, a news program, deems it appropriate?
3) The word "Gaijin" is sometimes used as a reference to a person's race and/or
color of skin, rather than as an abbreviation of the word "Gaikokujin" (a person
who is not a citizen of Japan). I think that Kume's comment falls into this category
and that the "Gaijin" of which he speaks does not include, for example, Korean and
North Korean passport holders, many of whom were born and raised in Japan.
Please clarify Kume's comment in this regard.
4) Please explain what Kume meant when he suggested that "Gaijin" who speak
poor Japanese are his preference.
We respectfully await your reply.
This open letter has been made accessible via the Internet at ISSHO's World
Wide Web site.
ISSHO is a non-governmental, non-profit organization which focuses its research
on the multi-culturalization of Japan's society.
T. Laszlo
Director