mytest
Hello Blog. Here’s a lovely little publication, apparently available at convenience stores, courtesy of friend Steve (who took the trouble to purchase, scan, and help publicize this issue). Entitled “GAIJIN [sic] HANZAI URA FILE”, it publicizes all the underground evils that gaijin in Japan do, including seducing our women on the street…
Here’s a scan of the cover, with all manner of caricature which would be deemed offensive in any other developed country. And to give you an example of the hate speech within, some excerpts (Steve’s translation), and links to scanned images follow. Please excuse the language.
Turning the keyboard over to Steve, as he has portrayed the goods most effectively. I’ve made sure the UN has gotten word. Debito in Sapporo
===================================================
OK，OK, I caved in and my curiosity got the better of me. I’ve scanned some pages at the bottom of this email:
Publisher: Eichi Shuppan 150-001 Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 5-38-4
Publisher-in-Chief: Joey H. Washington (I wonder who this guy is?)
Available online at
http://www.eichi.co.jp/esp.cgi?_file=detail1709&_page2=detail&_global_cg=magazine&_global_md=entertainer&_global_dt=others&sys_id=1709&
Here are some ‘highlights’:
Back Page:
日本における外人犯罪件数年間47000件!!
47,000 crimes by foreigners each year!!
There then follows a ‘danger rating’ (危険度) of each country, scattered on a world map surrounded by knives, guns and syringes:
China: 14
Russia: 5
Korea: 9
Brazil: 8
Colombia: 3
Etc.
None for the USA, Canada, Australia or the whole of Europe…
Article about crimes by Iranians:
イラン人を捕まえ！！
Catch the Iranian!!
Article lamenting Tokyo’s demise into lawlessness:
不良外人暴力都市！！
City of Violent Degenerate Foreigners!!
Article about foreigners scamming Japanese for money:
毟られる日本人。『シャチョサン、ATMコッチデス』
Japanese getting conned. “Theesaway to ze ATM, Meester Managing Director”
Feature of foreign guys picking up Japanese women (What this has to do with ‘crime’ is unclear)
YELLOW CAB REAL STREET PHOTO
お前らそんなに外人がイイのかよ！！
You sluts really think foreign guys are so great, huh!!
そりゃあ日本人は小さいけど。。
We know Japanese guys are small, but..
Picture of black guy touching a J.girls ass in Shibuya (obviously consensual too)
おいニガー！！日本婦女子のケツさわってんじゃねえ！！
Oi Nigger!! Get your fuckin’ hands off that Japanese lady’s ass!!
(… yes. It really does say ニガー)
Picture of dark-haired foreigner kissing J.girl in Shibuya (again, obviously consensual)
ここは日本なんだよ！てめえの国に帰ってやりな！
This is Japan! Go back to your own fuckin’ country and do that!
Picture of foreigner with hands down a J.girls knickers in Shibuya (definitely consensual)
チョット、チョットチョット！路上で手マンはやめてくれる？
Woah! Woah! Woah! Would you stop fingering a girls pussy in the street, OK?
Links to scanned images:
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/mrscuzzbucket/img037.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/mrscuzzbucket/img036.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/mrscuzzbucket/img033-1.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/mrscuzzbucket/img034.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/mrscuzzbucket/img032.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/mrscuzzbucket/img031.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/mrscuzzbucket/img030.jpg
===================================================
ENDS
84 comments on ““GAIJIN HANZAI FILE” pubs spectre of evil foreign crime”
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The magazine seems to raise being Japanese to a religious level complete with various morality plays.
It’s available at Amazon as well:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4754256182
I would think that free speech issues would allow this company to publish what they want, but what about the stores that sell it. At least one company has a large presence outside of Japan
http://www.7andy.jp/books/detail?accd=07179548
I wonder if their is a way to pressue these companies not to sell this kind of material. It would perhaps increase sales of this particular MOOK in the short run, but perhaps make it more difficult to publish this kind of book in the future.
Debito,
My concern in originally bringing this magazine to everyone’s attention is not that this opinion exists, but that a much larger market exists for this product than Japan has been willing to let on.
That is incredibly disheartening.
Another comment from cyberspace, edited. Debito
Debito,
I’ve finished with my copy. Would you like me to send it to you? I figure
the less people actually buy this the better…
…[T]here’s an article slating foreigners who
rip off software in Akihabara entitled ‘They came to violate copyright!!’
There’s also an extremely puerile article about Korean ‘Delivery Health’
prostitution services, which give the lowdown on some of the ‘myths’ that
surround them, entitled ‘Korean Delivery Health: True or Lie?’
Myth number 6 or 7 is ‘Is it true that Korean whore’s vaginas smell of
kimchii?’. This is discussed at length, the basic conclusions being that no,
Korean whore’s vaginas do not especially smell of kimchii but you can expect
a general aroma of kimchii on the body of a Korean whore.
Debito, this is one of the most irresponsible and mean-spirited pieces of
journalism and publishing I have ever had the misfortune to come across. It
truly is at least as bad, if not worse than any underground right-wing
literature you’d find in Austria, France, Germany or the UK. But this isn’t
‘underground’ – it’s sold in Family Mart convenience stores apparently
nationwide and published by a firm that by all accounts sees itself as being
part of the mainstream.
Still astonished (and angry) in Tokyo,
I personally think it’s important that works such as these are published in order to get it out in the air and talked about. This is what free speech is all about – the ability to say what you want to, but also the ability of others to ridicule you. Limits on free speech are not about the freedom from being offended – the tyranny of the majority is hardly any better than apartheid.
Hello Debito,
It is quite sad that such racist comics exist and it makes me afraid for the possible negative views that it might engender amongst Japanese people who believe such comics.
Still, I wanted to make the comment that you, Debito, should be careful to not perpetuate some Eurocentrism of your own.
You stated that one of the comics was the “Picture of black guy touching a J.girls ass in Shibuya (obviously consensual too)” Next, you stated that another comic was the “Picture of dark-haired foreigner kissing J.girl in Shibuya (again, obviously consensual)”.
Is “dark-haired foreigner” a euphemism for a white-skinned person?
Why did you refer to the skin colour of one male, but only the hair colour of the other?
Why does a black person get called black, but a presumably white person doesn’t get called “white”?
Next time, if black is black, then white is “white”.
Paula Gibson
[SORRY–I ONLY PASSED ON THE INFORMATION WRITTEN UP BY FRIEND STEVE. TOUCHE. DEBITO]
I agree with Nagai (and others as well, I’m sure) that the best way to get more people on-board in understanding that this type of publication is not acceptable in today’s modern world is to expose it to the light so that it can be debated and hopefully ridiculed. Particularly in Japan, many would rather sweep any unpleasantness under the rug, so I don’t support simply banning such books without debating it first.
All major countries in the world have people who publish books such as this. However, they are nearly always “underground” publications that cater to a “fringe” group of people. The difference here seems to be that this publication is being made available through major retail outlets, both online and in corner stores.
I checked the Family Mart closest to my apartment and they didn’t have it. Maybe it’s only being stocked in certain regions?
I can also confirm that Family Mart carries them. I bought one for a friend who teaches a university cultural issues course in Osaka.
You can’t really control what dumb racist J-trash do, but you can put pressure on the outlets that sell this kind of nonsense.
I just sent a polite email to Amazon Japan regarding their decision to carry this kind of trash. Maybe if a few other people did the same we could get it removed?
Time to move on to Family Mart now
I’ll have a look for it tomorrow and have a word with the manager if I find any.
All the best
ben shearon
sendai
Magazines like this come out, and much of Japan still refuses to admit there’s a problem with racism in the country. Unbelievable.
Know the easy way to get this pulled and get it brought to light? Contact the foreign press and get it in the news. I will.
Stores like Amazon, Kinokuniya and Family Mart where foreigners shop need to explain their decision to sell this. No doubt it was just accepted and listed without any real thought but the management needs to know.
Secondly, I would imagine this will create a stink when word gets out on to the Chinese and Korean blogs. They’re the ones most insulted by this publications.
When the international media picks up on it (any day now) Japan will be looking a little stupid. Perhaps Japanese embassies overseas should be contacted. They’ll immediately grasp how this will go down overseas and what it will do to Japan’s image.
Here are the contact addys for Family mart and their usa conterpart:
If you want to voice your concern, you could write to:
Family Mart Japan:
http://www.family.co.jp/english/company/index.html (has postal address)
Family Mart USA (known as “Famima!” in the USA):
http://famima-usa.com/contactus/index.html
What is Amazon Japan/USA’s contact email adress?
I don’t believe talking to store managers will do any good, nor should they be held accountable. They’re not turning the gears. Letters to the president of Family Mart, Amazon, embassies, rights groups, etc. might have more impact.
So. How do we organize in to a big enough thing for the Japanese companies to sit up and take notice?
Chew gum until soft. Spit into hand. Enter store where said periodical is being sold. Begin perusing said periodical. Drop gum into periodical. Press tight. Leave store. You’ve just ruined some manga! It’s fun and easy to do!
I’ve just emailed the Japan Times with the link to this webpage.
Would it be possible to send a copy, prefereably one already read, hence negating the need to purchase another, to Mr. Abe or perhaps the Japanese foreign minister? It would be interesting to see the response of the Chinese and Korean diplomats to this publication, should they be made aware of what is made of their countries!
I found a copy at another Family Mart in northern Saitama. Now that I’ve confirmed it, I think the internet community needs to come together and spread the word:
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1072
FamilyMart has locations in China and Korea. If we can spread the word to those countries, FamilyMart might actually feel some pressure. (As opposed to the complaints of a few dozen foreigners in Japan, which they can easily ignore.)
They sell the magazine at Family Mart in Yokohama. Video here.
Its an us and them country. Obviously someone buys these manga. I think it is important that this gets out to the English speaking world though, this stuff should be translated. Japan considers itself international but with so much of its culture and government (like education) done exclusively in Japanese they hide so much. What are we gonna do about it though?
I say somebody publish a magazine about general crime in Japan and put it out in all the stores next to this one. Show a bunch of pics of Japanese people doing wack stuff. Then top it off with some statistics. And maybe some shots of Japanese commited crime in SE Asia and Russia (like kidnapping and trading young girls). Top it off with a run through of war attrocities committed during the war and some words about those Japanese living in Japan today who have commited war crimes and never been charged or punished.
I think the Koreans and especially Chinese already know about this type of stuff. But they are more worried about the lies printed in Japanese textbooks. I think most SE asian countries are fairly aware of how racist/nationalist Japanese people really are. But the English speaking world is pretty much fooled, probably because those few Japanese who do speak English are probably also in the same minority that isn’t completely racist.
I will be boycotting Family Mart until they stop selling this hate literature.
I found a copy of the mag in Kisarazu family Mart, Chiba. I went mad, the woman obviously knew why as soon as she saw the cover and I demanded the mag be taken off the shelves/shelf and not sold. A few hours later, I went back to check. Not there. I gave a short, easy english letter (my japanese staff wouldnt support me by translating it for me) with my contact details telling them how upset i was and that I would no longer be a family mart customer unless they made a statement telling me they would not sell that mag anymore.
I also contacted family mart usa and told them the same.
Here is the publisher’s contact info. Ironically enough it seems the main guy is foreign himself!
Publisher: Eichi Shuppan 150-001 Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 5-38-4
Publisher-in-Chief: Joey H. Washington
NB: I HAVE THE FEELING THAT THE NAME IS FICTITIOUS. “WASHINGTON” IS JUST A LITTLE TOO CONVENIENT A MONIKER, DON’T YOU THINK?.–ARUDOU DEBITO
I have also sent a few letters to Amazon.com’s customer service, unfortunately my japanese isnt quite up to par to do something like that to amazon.co.jp. Perhaps someone could do something along those lines?
I cant believe that a company (that has treated me very well in the past, all 3 of amazon.ca, com and .co.jp) would list something like this to be sold.
Debito
I went to family mart and bought the book today . I tried to take a photo of it on the shelf but the owner didn’t let me do it !
Anyway the book is a pure piece of racism ! This is the last time i step in on family mart .
If u need a translation of the boycott in portuguese i will be happy to do it !
WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOUR TRANSLATION. I HAVE TO WRITE THE LETTER, FIRST. SHOULD DO IT BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON, I HOPE, IN E AND J. KEEP AN EYE ON THE BLOGOSPHERE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE GETS TO IT. THANKS! DEBITO
This should really be forward to international news companies. I don’t think stopping at the UN is enough. I would think someone like FOX News would love to say, “See! Americans aren’t the bad guys right now! Just look at Japan!” Perhaps not exactly what we are going for, but any press is good press and if enough “dirty criminal foreigners” overseas got upset then the Japanese government would be forced to say SOMETHING and I imagine very quickly we would see these sorts of magazines off the shelves.
Debito, here are the links for submitting news ideas to some major news broadcasters:
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.html?43
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77538,00.html
This is sad, but is it possible that this kind of material would be aimed at, and more popular with, the working class and less educated areas of Japanese society than the middle/upper-middle classes?
I mean, it’s not good for anyone to read this horrible stuff, but in an increasingly globalized world, I would at least hope that the well-educated/well-off people would be less succeptible to this.
Debito,
Thank you for promoting awareness of this issue.
My GF’s apartment is right next to a Family Mart and we do a little shopping there almost every day. (Haven’t checked yet, but assuming they sell it there…) I’d like to go in there with a brief letter explaining to the manager the problem with the magazine and that I will boycott their store until they stop selling the magazine and issue a letter of apology and intent not to sell the magazine again.
Problem is, my Japanese isn’t good enough to write such a letter. So if you, or anyone whose Japanese is good, could write such a letter that people like me could print up and give to Family Mart managers, I’d really appreciate it.
–WELL, YOUR TIMING IS EXCELLENT. I WILL HAVE JUST SUCH A LETTER UP ON MY BLOG MOMENTARILY. DOWNLOAD IT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. –DEBITO
You should really consider sending this to the major news networks. The UN isn’t good enough.
http://www.cnn.com/exchange/ireports/topics/forms/breaking.news.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77538,00.html
countdown@msnbc.com
This magazine only proves that it is about time issues such as racism and xenophobia get openly discussed by the Japanese society. I can only imagine how this kind of publication would be humorous to a Japanese teeneger, who will grow up perpetuating thes stupid stereotypes. It really is silly because now gaijin seems to be everyone one else but the US,Can,Eur, Whites and of course the Japanese themselves. I wonder why White people are not as condemned?
In my letter to ‘Washington’ the publisher, im simply going to tell him how absolutely ridiculous he is. he is a joke. there have been many many jokes like him before in the world and there still are. Its terrible because if they are not stopped no positive progress in the world will ever be achieved. sies man!
I co-run a legal website in Korea, and I was wondering if there are any people in Japan there who can help me get a copy of this magazine. I won’t be visiting Japan again for another 6 or 7 months yet.
Please email me at: waeguk at hotmail dot com
I checked my famimart in Awaji Island, they had it so I purchased the magazine. I have a JCB famicard card so I spend more than your average customer.
If a publisher wants to print this crap then fine, But famimart should not be stocking it.
Unbelievable. Asked someone to check a Family Mart in Tokyo and they said they didn’t see it. Maybe it was pulled – or sold out?
I know that Family Mart is selling this and most blogs I’ve read focus on them, But I am a japanese currently living in the US and I’d like to know if 7-11 is carrying this in Japan. If so, would someone please let me know? Not that I want to buy this nonsense but 7-11 is very big in the US and if the japanese branches of the franchise are carrying racist material I think it’s important to let them know. However I heard that 7-11 was bought out by a japanese company so maybe it won’t make a difference, but I’d still like to try.
Here is what seems to be a rather canned response to my somewhat heated appeal from a long-time customer to remove this rag from Amazon.
Thank you for writing to Amazon.com with your concerns about “GAIJIN
HANZAI URA FAIRU”.
As a retailer, our goal is to provide customers with the broadest
selection possible so they can find, discover, and buy any item they
might be seeking. That selection includes some items which many
people may find objectionable. Therefore, the items offered on our
web site represent a wide spectrum of opinions on a variety of
topics.
Amazon.com believes it is censorship not to sell certain titles
because we believe their message is objectionable. Therefore, we
will continue to make controversial works available in the United
States and everywhere else, except where they are prohibited by law.
We also allow readers, authors, and publishers to express their
views freely about these titles and other products we offer on our
web site. However, Amazon.com does not endorse any opinions
expressed by individual authors, musical artists, or filmmakers.
We value all feedback from our customers, and I thank you again for
taking the time to send us your comments about this issue. We hope
you will allow us to continue to serve you.
Please let us know if this e-mail resolved your question:
If yes, click here:
http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-y?c=cwxxayay3449685246
If not, click here:
http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-n?c=cwxxayay3449685246
Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept
incoming e-mail.
To contact us about an unrelated issue, please visit the Help
section of our web site.
Best regards,
Mohan R.
Amazon.com Customer Service
http://www.amazon.com
==============================
That’s almost a word for word translation of the reply I received in Japanese.
As a big customer of Amazon Japan, I was shocked to see that they were selling this filth, so I wrote to them and complained. Here is their reply …
“Dear xxx,
Thank you for writing to Amazon.co.jp with your comment.
We want everyone who visits Amazon.co.jp to have a safe, enjoyable
experience and I am truly sorry that this experience has made you
to have a negative impression about Amazon.co.jp.
We have quite a few selection sold at our store because we think
any publications should be able to be freely published and
customer should be able to select what they may like to read.
Therefore as long as they are not against the Japanese law, we may
not reconsider our decision. Your understanding would be much
appreciated.
As you mentioned, the publication has a offensive and unpleasant
title and the contents should be following the title as well. I’m
really sorry that you feel very uncomfortble about this issue.
We already passed your message on to the appropriate department in
our company for consideration. Our department will confirm the
item and cut it from our site if it is needed.
Again, your understanding would be much appreciated.
Thank you for contacting us at Amazon.co.jp.
Best regards,
M. Crozier
Amazon.co.jp
Customer Service”
If you want to write to them, use this address …
english@amazon.co.jp
thanks.
I complained to Amazon Japn and got the same reply. I also complained to the UK office. Their response:
Thank you for writing to Amazon.co.uk with your concerns about one of
the titles we list in our catalogue.
This is an issue we take very seriously and we wanted to share with
you our goals with respect to our catalogue.
Our goal is to support freedom of expression and to provide customers
with the broadest selection possible so they can find, discover and
buy any title they might be seeking. That selection includes some
titles, which most people, including employees of Amazon.co.uk, may
find distasteful or otherwise objectionable.
Amazon.co.uk believes it is censorship not to offer for sale certain
titles with repugnant or distasteful content, and we would be rightly
criticised if we did so. As a result, we will continue to make
controversial works available in the UK and everywhere else, except
where they are prohibited by law.
Furthermore, because we strongly believe that the appropriate
response
to distasteful or repugnant speech is not censorship, but more
speech,
we will continue to allow readers, authors, and publishers to express
their views freely about the books and other products we offer on our
website. It is important to note that we do not endorse any opinions
expressed by individual authors, musical artists, or filmmakers.
…………………….
Fair points, I guess…what are the laws in Japan regarding incitement to racial hatred? Are there any????
THERE AREN’T ANY. THERE ARE SOME LOCAL ORDINANCES (JOUREI) PROHIBITING CERTAIN TYPES OF BEHAVIOR TOWARDS BURAKUMIN AND ZAINICHIS, BUT NOT BASED UPON RACIAL-DISCRMINATION CONCEPTS. THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN JAPAN. WHICH MEANS PUBLICATIONS CAN GET AWAY WITH THESE SORTS OF STATEMENTS UNDER BASIC STATUTES REGARDING FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WITHOUT ANY CONCERN WITH INCITEFUL CONTENT (AND VERY ODDLY-ENFORCED CONCERNS WITH ACCURACY) IN JAPAN. –DEBITO
“Amazon.co.uk believes it is censorship not to offer for sale certain titles with repugnant or distasteful content, and we would be rightly criticised if we did so. As a result, we will continue to make controversial works available in the UK and everywhere else, except where they are prohibited by law.”
Just for the record it is not censorship in any meaningful sense to choose freely what you want to sell and what you don’t want to sell. Rest assured that if Amazon were hit where it hurt, in their wallet, they wouldn’t be able to change their policy fast enough.
Meaningful censorship is where coercion is used to shut someone up. Generally, only the government has the legal ability to do this, and only when it’s been granted that right by the people.
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