Almost half of the foreigners living in Tokyo have experienced racism
Japan Today reports that almost 50% of Tokyo’s foreigners have experienced racism whilst living in the city.
According to a survey by the Anti Racism Information Center, 167 of 340 respondents reported suffering discrimination.
Some were told not to speak in other languages other than Japanese. Others who work in retail were asked by customers for Japanese cashiers.
Foreigners also face issues when renting property, with many getting their applications rejected.
One Nepalese drugstore cashier was told by a customer that they did not like seeing a foreigner working there and asked for someone else.
Another Chinese person who works at a convenience store was told not to speak Chinese when asked for directions by a Chinese-speaking customer.
However, none of the respondents on the survey said that they reported their experiences to a public office.
Ryang Yong Song, an Anti Racism Information Center representative, said foreigners in Japan “end up letting (their discriminatory experiences) drop.”
“The government should conduct a survey to show what kind of discrimination foreigners face,” Ryang added.