朝日:「外人の日本語は片言の方が」 久米さん10年後の謝罪
朝日新聞: キャスターの久米宏氏が、テレビでの発言をめぐる在日外国人からの10年も前の抗議に対して今月1日、謝罪していたことがわかった。謝罪したのは、出演していたテレビ朝日「ニュースステーション」での「外人の日本語は片言の方がいいよね」との発言。久米氏は「今頃何をとお思いでしょうが、心からおわびします」としている。有道出人は当時から、自身のホームページ(HP)にことの経緯を詳しく掲載していたため、謝罪きっかけとなった。
朝日新聞: キャスターの久米宏氏が、テレビでの発言をめぐる在日外国人からの10年も前の抗議に対して今月1日、謝罪していたことがわかった。謝罪したのは、出演していたテレビ朝日「ニュースステーション」での「外人の日本語は片言の方がいいよね」との発言。久米氏は「今頃何をとお思いでしょうが、心からおわびします」としている。有道出人は当時から、自身のホームページ(HP)にことの経緯を詳しく掲載していたため、謝罪きっかけとなった。
Links to articles of interest from Mark Smith of the Children’s Rights Network of Japan, charting the media’s growing awareness of Japan’s safe haven for child abductions after international divorces.
MY RECOLLECTIONS OF A SPEECH BY FORMER MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND EDUCATION, LOWER HOUSE DIETMEMBER MACHIMURA NOBUTAKA. Given at Hokkaido Information University, December 18, 2006: A wonderful study of elite Japanese society in action.
Hi Blog. This is not exactly Japan-related, but the International Herald Tribune reports on the numbers and reasons (in this case, usually tax-related) why Americans abroad are giving up their US citizenship. I of course have a personal interest in this article, as I have too have given up my American passport. You can see …
ブロクの皆様こんばんは。有道 出人です。11月末、甲府市にあるER English School 英会話学校「碧眼金髪外人を求ム」公募の件ですが、掲示した(財)山梨県国際交流協会と甲府地方法務局人権擁護課に抗議文を郵送しました。文は https://www.debito.org/?p=93 先日、山梨国際交流協会より返答をいただきました。ありがとうございました。スキャンしたファイルは以降です。 宜しくお願い致します。有道 出人 ENDS
Alberto Fujimori, former Peruvian dictator, is now in Chile facing extradition to Peru, says Economist newsmagazine in passing. I outline who Fujimori is and why you should care.
Quick announcement on the Noro Virus (for people, not computers) circulating Japan and making news, with a link to the valuable health website healthhokkaido.com
Japan rightfully protests abductions of its citizens by rogue states (cf. Yokota Megumi). Then turns a blind eye when its citizens abscond with children to Japan after international divorce. People from the Children’s Rights Network Japan have their say on YouTube.
Hello Blog. Just made a revision to the “Rogues’ Gallery” of Exclusionary Establishments–places nationwide in Japan which explicitly restrict or forbid foreign customers entry. https://www.debito.org/roguesgallery.html Newest entry (the 22nd municipality found yet so far) is from Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture. An Internet cafe, of all things: Okazaki City (Aichi Prefecture) Internet Cafe “Dragon BOZ” Aichi-shi Kakemachi …
Hi Blog. After receiving a request from cyberspace about what to do regarding some of the “culturally-insensitive”, shall we say, articles and programs occasionally appearing in Japan’s print and broadcast media, I made a revision tonight to my “What to do if…” site on debito.org. This site is an artery site with links to several …
Fascinating blog from a South Korean perspective of “Japanese Only”… er… “Koreans Only” signs up on the Chousen Hantou.
1) JAPAN TIMES ERIC JOHNSTON MISQUOTED IN NEW BOOK ON IMPERIAL FAMILY
2) ANTHONY BIANCHI RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF INUYAMA, AICHI PREF
3) GOJ’S ANTI-IMMIGRANT AND ANTI-REFUGEE STANCE DRAWS FIRE FROM U.N.
4) TOKYO SHINBUN ON JAPAN’S FOREIGN SLAVE LABOR CONDITIONS
5) YOMIURI: FOREIGN WORKERS CANNOT WIRE MONEY HOME, WRITE LETTERS…
6) SENDAI CITY LOSES LAWSUIT OVER BUS ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION
7) ASAHI: COURT RULES JUKI NET UNCONSTITUTIONAL. HOWZABOUT GAIJIN CARDS?
8) GOJ NOW REQUIRES OVERSEAS “RAP SHEETS” FOR LONG-TERM VISAS
9) QUICK UPDATES TO PREVIOUS BLOG ENTRIES…
and finally… LOSING MY SUGAWARA ON MY KOSEKI
Japan Times journalist Eric Johnston has been misquoted in a new book out in English, soon out in Japanese, on the Imperial Family. Before it gets him into any trouble, he has issued this disclaimer.
Friend Anthony Bianchi, after winning a seat in the Inuyama City Assembly with the highest number of votes in the city’s history, is now running for mayor. Very impressive indeed.
Hello Blog. This might come as news to some (but not those who follow the biased Wikipedia entries on me), that my official name on my koseki (the Family Registry, which is what all Japanese citizens must have to be) is in fact Sugawara Arudoudebito (meaning “Arudou Debito” is in fact officially my first name). …
1) BACKGROUND TO THE ISSUE
2) KUME’S LETTER OF APOLOGY
3) MORAL: ARCHIVES SHOULD NOT BE DELETED
(CONTRAST WITH THE DELETION AND SUPPRESSION OF HISTORY
ON TONY LASZLO’S ISSHO.ORG)
Japan Times reports UNHCR’s Antonio Guterres visit to Japan, where he says that as more people migrate worldwide, Japan will not be able to stop immigration. He added his concern with how people are treated once they get here. Kyodo News article same day gives good example, with a man from Myanmar facing deportation after being caught working full time as a dependent on his wife’s visa filed a lawsuit Wednesday
seeking to stay. He argues it is unreasonable to prohibit immigrant families from having a dual income.
ニュースステーションの元アンカーマンの久米宏氏は10年間以上前の「外人は日本語が片言がいいよね」のコメントにういて私に謝罪文を送りました。良心さを皆様にお伝いしたいと思います。
From the Tokyo Shinbun Dec 3, 2006. Excellent article rounding up the problems and the possible policy prescriptions regarding abusive treatment of foreign labor in Japan. NGO’s are even using the word “slave labor” (appropriately) to describe the situation.
東京新聞:「一歩前進も足りぬ政府論・外国人労働者の待遇改善の行方は?」は外国人研修生で来日した労働者の貧困と奴隷レベルの待遇についての問題と解決提案のリストアップ。
Fascinating account of how people become lawyers in Japan, and the sea change in Japan’s Bar Exam system.
東日本の縫製工場、イスラム教徒研修生に「礼拝禁止」 読売新聞2006年12月4日 Dave Spectorに転送のことを感謝 http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/20061204i505.htm 外国人研修・技能実習制度で来日したイスラム教徒のインドネシア人女性の受け入れ条件として、東日本の縫製工場が日に5回の礼拝や断食を禁止する誓約書に署名させていたことが、わかった。 読売新聞が入手した誓約書では、宗教行為のほか、携帯電話の所持や外出など生活全般を厳しく制限している。 法務省は、入管難民法に基づく同省指針や国際人権規約に反した人権侵害行為の疑いがあるとしている。 誓約書は、禁止事項として〈1〉会社の敷地内でのお祈り〈2〉国内滞在中の断食〈3〉携帯電話の所持〈4〉手紙のやり取り〈5〉家族への送金〈6〉乗り物での外出——の6項目のほか、午後9時までに寮に帰宅、寮に友人を招かないという2項目の「規則」も明記している。 支援団体「外国人研修生問題ネットワーク」(東京)によると、20歳代の女性実習生は3年前に来日した際、工場側から誓約書への署名を求められた。こうした条件があることは知らされていなかったが、出国時に多額の費用を使っており、帰国するわけにはいかず、やむなく応じた。この工場には女性以外にも約10人のインドネシア人研修・実習生が働いているという。 女性は同ネットワークに「礼拝は休憩時間でも認められなかった。他の研修・実習生も同じ誓約書を取られていた」と話したという。 法務省によると、入管難民法に基づく同省指針で、企業による人権侵害行為は、受け入れ停止などの処分の対象。 国際人権団体アムネスティ・インターナショナル日本は「人権に対する企業側の認識不足もはなはだしく、外国人研修・技能実習制度のひずみを象徴する事例」と指摘している。 (2006年12月4日14時47分 読売新聞) ends
Hello Blog. Interesting article on how Japan’s factories’ abusive practices towards foreign “trainee” workers are coming to light. (I have another article on this subject on this blog at https://www.debito.org/?p=105) In this case, a Muslim trainee worker has had to sign a “seiyakusho” (a written oath, mildly translated in the article as merely a “note”) …
Asahi article in Japanese is about how the government wants to remove the right of dispatch workers (haken roudousha) to claim regular full-time job status (seishainka gimu) after a certain number of renewals. This development will undermine people on perpetually-renewed contracts (such as foreign academics) and their legal right to claim permanent employment.
Osaka High Court ruled that the “Juki Net” residence registration network infringes on people’s constitutional right to privacy if they oppose the system. Great. Now how about Gaijin Cards? What the plaintiffs probably fear happening to them happens on a daily basis to foreigners in this country, who are also covered by the constitution. UPDATE–The judge who ruled on this case committed suicide days later.
住民基本台帳ネットワーク(住基ネット)に生年月日などの個人情報を接続されてプライバシーを侵害されたとして、大阪府内5市の住民16人が各市を相手取り、本人確認情報の提供禁止などを求めた訴訟の控訴審判決が06年11月30日、大阪高裁であった。じゃあ、24時間常時携帯の「外人カード」(外国人登録証明書)なども違憲でしょうかね。
The Sendai District Court ordered the local city government to pay 550,000 yen in compensation to a Pakistani-born physically disabled man for a city-run bus’s refusal to board him in 2003, recognizing the treatment as a form of racial and disability discrimination. (Japan Today)
外国人で障害者であることを理由に、市営バスに乗車拒否されたとして、パキスタン出身の男性(60)=仙台市太白区=が同市に165万円の損害賠償を求めた訴訟の判決が30日、仙台地裁であった。
A school in Yamanashi is specifically advertising in the local international association jobs for “blonde blue-eyed brightly” foreigners, because the local kindergarten wants a typical foreigner for acclimatization to “eigojin”. It’s just business, you see, they explained to me. Well, the int’l association doesn’t agree, and according to sources on the ground they will be taking this issue up.
As of April 2006, Japan is now requiring fingerprints for long-term visas, yet now refusing to provide domestic police assistance to get them. US citizens, for example, are now told to give their fingerprints to the FBI and get a Rap Sheet–and pay for the privilege. Nice little money spinner for the USG on the behest of the GOJ, which requires compliance yet refuses to provide assistance. This is what people pay taxes for?
1) OTARU ONSENS CASE NOW TEACHING MATERIAL
2) GAIJIN CARD CHECKS OUTSIDE “SAKURA HOUSE”
3) UPDATE ON KITAKYUSHU EXCLUSIONARY RESTAURANT
4) J TIMES ON TOURISM PROMOTION, WITH LETTER TO THE ED
5) TBS: FUJIWARA NORIKA BUMPS ARUDOU DEBITO
6) KYODO: MOCK JURY TRIAL SPRINGS FOREIGN MANSLAUGHTERER
7) JALT PALE ROUNDTABLE ON ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT
and finally…
8) WASH POST: GOJ CREATING SUSHI POLICE FOR OVERSEAS J FOOD
Hello Blog. The Otaru Onsens Case (https://www.debito.org/otarulawsuit.html) refuses to fade into obscurity, thank goodness. Still, the facts of the case are being increasingly bleached out as time goes on. Witness how in this English teaching book discussing the case for educational purposes. Thanks to Bert for sending me this. Comment at the bottom. From: Sloss, …
A Japan Times article about another promotion to bring more tourists to Japan to spend money (remember Koizumi’s “Yokoso Japan” campaign?), specifically mentioning onsen as one of the places they want more foreigners to frequent. Funny they should mention onsens. Friend Hidesato Sakakibara makes a great rejoinder in a letter to the editor, questioning the effectiveness of such a campaign when there is no law to protect their rights from racial discrimination once tourists get here. For the record, the article, Hidesato’s rejoinder, and a comment from me with some links follow.
Mail from a reader regarding Gaijin Card checkpoints and racial profiling outside her apartment complex, gaijin-friendly “Sakura House” in Tokyo. Point: You do not want to get on the wrong side of the Japanese police, although riding a bicycle, walking outside, renting an apartment etc. while foreign seems more and more to incur Japanese police involvement.
Fascinating post on Japanese govt policy moves against “pseudo sushi”–certifying washoku restaurants abroad as “real Japanese”. Plethora of puns to be made here.
Hello Blog. Forwarding from a reporter friend. Comment is his. Debito ////////////////////////////////////////// Not sure what to make of this. Should I be dissapointed that they chose a foreigner as the defendant in their mock trial or pleased that the jury didn’t necessarily lock him up and throw away the key just because he wasn’t Japanese….. …
Re Kitakyushu exclusionary restaurant: City called me to tell me they the manager, and got assurances that this sort of thing will not happen again. So did the local Bureau of Human Rights. Good. Thanks. This is shaping up into a classic case of how to deal with this problem through administrative channels.
Continuing the Roundtable forum that packed the hall at JALT 2005, five PALE members paneled a meeting to discuss a variety of issues relevant to the conference’s theme of “Community, Identity, and Motivation”. All presentations touched in some way upon employment issues, including issues of job security, union representation, the relationship of nationality to job description and employment terms, and the growing role of dispatch teaching arrangements in Japanese universities. They dealt explicitly or implicitly with the proper roles and responsibilities of PALE and JALT in managing these issues.
Kitakyushu Branch of the MOJ’s Bureau of Human Rights (Jinken Yougobu) phoned me today in response to my letter about the “No foreigners allowed inside because they make the manager feel linguistically inadequate” Restaurant “Jungle”, to say they are looking into it. Well, good.
In filming a Tokyo Comedy Store event, TV Wide Show “Tokudane” seems to be fishing too much to find “Japanese vs. Western Humor” dichotomy, especially the type where Westerners making any joke about Japan is shown as a criticism about all of Japan. This according to one of the comedians interviewed, Dave MG, who writes this blog entry. Fascinating background information behind show to be aired next Weds Nov 22.
1) TBS INTERVIEW RE 2-CHANNEL BBS, THIS THURSDAY LUNCHTIME
2) NOOSE TIGHTENS: ZAKZAK AND MUTANTFROG ON NISHIMURA & WASEDA SPEECH
3) ASAHI: NORIGUCHI PONTIFICATING ON LANGUAGE TEACHING AGAIN
4) LETTER TO KITAKYUSHU AUTHORITIES RE EXCLUSIONARY RESTAURANT
5) EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF JAPANESE PRISON VISIT
6) FOREIGN MARRIAGES NOT ALLOWED FOR POLICE AND JSDF?
and finally
7) CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO HOKKAIDO NIPPON HAM FIGHTERS!
Was going to be on TV briefly Thursday Nov 16 on a lunchtime talkshow, talking briefly about 2-Channel libel lawsuits as a thwarted plaintiff, but it got bumped by news on Fujiwara Norika, then put on hold because Defendant Nishimura didn’t respond to requests for a reply (of course he didn’t!). Ah well. Anyhoo, links to three more articles on 2-Channel, one courtesy Dave Spector.
今朝、テレビ局TBSは私を2ちゃんねるについてインタビューしました。番組「ピンポン」11月16日(木)番組表によると、午前11時スタートですが、今朝会ったスタフによると12時と12時50分の間に放送されるだろうと。そしてZAKZAKの記事もここで掲載します。
Our home team, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, after reaching the top in Japan last month, just won the Asian Series, 1-0, vs Taiwan.
Forwarding an excerpt from a friend who paid a visit to a Japanese prison to offer moral support to someone incarcerated. The tribulations he went through just to get a short audience are worth recording somewhere for the record. Is all this rigmarole necessary, and if so, what purpose could it possibly serve?
Hello Blog. Something interesting here. Friend passed on a link to a blog post as follows: =================================== Hello. I am really down so I hope to get some help here. My boyfriend is japanese and I am german. We met in Japan ( working holiday…)and want to merry next year, because we are really sure …
Letter I sent to Kitakyushu authorities and JALT Nov 9 regarding exclusionary restaurant in their area, asking for administrative guidance to the matter.
ブログの皆様こんがんは。有道 出人です。いつもお読みいただいてありがとうございます。 さて、夕べこの手紙を書いて郵送しました。念のためにアーカイブに入れます。 宜しくお願い致します。 ========================== 〒803-8501 北九州市小倉北区城内1番1号 電話:093-582-2127 FAX:093-562-0710 hisho@mail2.city.kitakyushu.jp 北九州市長 末吉興一秘書室 御中 市長 末吉 興一 殿 〒803-8513北九州市小倉北区城内5番3号(小倉地方合同庁舎)093(561)3542 法務省人権擁護部北九州支部 御中 (西日本新聞社及びJALT管理者にも送信) 市内「外国人お断り」のレストランの件、啓蒙のお願い 拝啓 晩秋の候、ますますご清栄のこととお喜び申し上げます。 突然で失礼ですが、自己紹介させていただきたいと思います。私は北海道情報大学助教授の有道 出人(あるどう でびと)と申します。本年11月3日から3日間に渡り全国語学教育学会(JALT)の総会がきっかけで北九州市に訪れ、市民のホスピタリティを厚く御礼を申し上げます。 しかし、標記の件ですが、11月3日の夜、JALTの外国出身メンバーがレストランに行きましたが、空席があったものの、支配人に「満席だから入らないで」と言われたようで、そのレストラン名は「ジャングル」(経営者は(有)ピー・ケイ・ティー)との事です。 北九州市小倉北区鍛冶町1-7-4 かじまち会館3F Ph: 093-512-7123, FAX 093-512-7124 断られた者が私に報告し4日の夜に再び、私と友人5名で「ジャングル」を尋ね、支配人の松原達也氏と話し合いました。彼は私にも(私は白人で帰化した日本人ですが)「満席です、入らないで」と言ったが、殆ど空席の状態が目立っていたので交渉し始めました。日本語で交渉してから入店できたが、松原氏が認めたことは: ①前日、その外国出身のJALTメンバーの入店お断りした ②その理由は「英語が苦手、外国人が怖い」 ③以前、当店では外国人との問題が一切なかったので、個人的には外国人に対してトラウマは特にない ④「入店されたくない」のみで、ここまでの「外国人アレルギー」の原因は不明 しかし、これに対して私たちは松原支配人の意識高揚を行ってみました: ア)こうやって「ガイジンダメ」を言うのはお客に傷つけ、明らかに差別 イ)言語の障壁があっても関わらず、メニューの注文はどうにかはなる ウ)出身を問わず、客商売とは全てのお客を持て成すことではないか よって店の対応の改善を求めてから、松原支配人が謝って下さいまして、これから改善しますとのことだったが、正直に言ってこれから門前払いが取り止められるかどうかは、私は若干自信がありません。なぜかは、飲み物を飲んでから勘定を支払った際、別のウェーターと話した際英語が達者だと分かりました。言語の障壁について心配した支配人は何故そのウェーターに応対させなかったのかは疑問です。 お願いしたいのは、当店及びその付近の店舗にも差別撤廃のために啓蒙を行っていただければ幸いです。ある者にとってこの待遇は北九州市全体のイメージダウンとなります。私は既に「排斥する店舗のギャラリー」のウェブサイトに載せさせていただきました。 https://www.debito.org/roguesgallery.html#Kokura 意識高揚の結果、ぜひ、ご連絡いただければと存じます。宜しくお願い致します。 書中をもってご挨拶申し上げます。敬具 平成18年11月7日 有道 出人(連絡先を省く) ========================== ENDS
Translations of articles regarding libelous BBS 2-Channel and administrator Nishimura Hiroyuki, from Zakzak Nov 7 and Sankei Sports Nov 5. Shows how carefree Hiroyuki is towards ignoring court orders and the damage caused people’s lives by unfettered Internet libel.
Professor Noriguchi is becoming a regular pundit on English language education in Japan. After saying not two months ago that one problem with non-Japanese teachers is that they stay in Japan too long, he’s now positing theories about how English is traumatizing and bilking Japanese, especially given the natural disadvantages that the homogeneous Japanese have towards learning English compared to other Asians… Not to mention the inferiority complex which Japanese have towards the West, thus making them unneighborly… Oh go on, read it yourself, and email him if you like.