Minority Groups: Ethnicity and Discrimination in Japan

Japanese Ethnocentrism and Globalisation

Japan has frequently been portrayed as a uniquely homogenous society both racially and ethnically.
Before the end of WWII Japanese leadership inculcated in the populace myth of Japanese racial purity.
In post-war years many have explained Japans economic success and stability to its racial and ethnic homogeneity.
Racism and ethnocentrism still remain strong in the society.
Analysts of the social psychology of the Japanese suggest that the inferiority complex towards the West and superiority complex towards Asian neighbors have played a major role in Japanese perceptions of other nationalities.
Social Darwinism
At the top of the national hierarchy, politicians have often expressed their honne and referred to the superiority of the Japanese race, a race uncontained by other racial and ethnic groups.
In 1986 the Japanese Prime Minister claimed the Japanese had a higher level of intelligence than Americans.
Numerous racist statements by Japanese ministers.
Japanese society is more than ever exposed to the international community.
Contemporary Japan is stuck between the contradictory forces of narrow ethnocentrism and open internationalism.

Deconstructing the Japanese
Fact is that Japan has a variety of minority issues, ethnic and otherwise.
Four main minority groups: Ainu, burakumin, Koreans, and foreign workers.
The Ainu situation derives from the Honshu race’s attempt at internal colonisation of Japans northern areas since the sixth century.
The buraku issue stems from the caste system in the feudal period.
The Korean issues originated from Japans external aggression into the Korean peninsula in the first half of the twentieth century.
The foreign workers influx began with Japans economic performance in the 1980´s and 90´s.
Nationality, ethnic lineage, place of birth current residence, subject identity, and level of cultural literacy.

Outline of the impact of the Japanese occupation on the Gayo community in Ache as explained by Bowen.

• Dutch rule over Ache which is a part of Indonesia ended in 1942 with the arrival of Japanese forces.
• The initial promise of liberation of the Japanese was soon followed by shortages and cruelty.
• The Japanese shook up political life by undermining the authority of the traditional rulers.
• Many Gayo initially welcomed the Japanese as liberators.
• However, cultural differences were great. Soldiers bathed nude, and Gayo men and women were ordered to see semi-naked sumo wrestler’s perform. And those who forgot to bow were slapped in the face, a great insult.
• The Japanese required large quantities of rice to be collected from the region. Vegetables and sugar was also collected, leaving the population living on bare minimum.
• The people suffered under forced corvee labour, especially during the latter part of the occupation when masses of workers were forced to conduct labour under Japanese force.
• The trade with the outside world ended creating a shortage of all imported goods.
• Social and cultural life was suppressed by the Japanese.
• The schools had to teach Japanese phrases and characters, military drills, and learning Japanese songs. Books were rare.
• The Japanese bypassed the Dutch imposed political method of supporting the domain lords.
• The Japanese lacked interest in preserving relations with the lords and dealt directly with any concerns using threats and force.
• Everyone including domain lords had to attend inspections to learn songs and respect the Emperor.
• As the Japanese position in the war grew more desperate Indonesian forces were created to defend the island against a possible allied attack. This was what to become the first Gayo and other Indonesians to receive a military training.
• Many of those who served in these Japanese set up forces were to fight the Dutch in the late 40s.
Conclusion of the occupation
• Nationalist and religious leaders were given positions of authority under the Japanese.
• United in their opposition towards domain lords they were ready to take over in 1945.
• The social and cultural world of the Gayo was so destroyed it had to be rebuilt.
• In 1946 nationalist and Islamic organizations had formed, and a political struggle of control was in full motion.

What phases can we detect in Japanese imperialism?

• Japanese intellectuals of the late-Meiji period did deliberately work out an idea that would help to justify Japanese foreign policy at the turn of the century.
• Japan would be vulnerable to aggressive Western imperialism unless it extended a line of advantage beyond its borders which would help to repel foreign incursions and strengthen the Japanese economy.
• Japanese imperialism dates from the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895.
• It was tensions over Korea and Manchuria, respectively, that led Japan to become involved in the first Sino-Japanese War with China in 1894-1895 and the
• Russo-Japanese War with Russia in 1904-1905.
• The war with China made Japan the world's first Eastern, modern imperial power.
• And the war with Russia proved that a Western power could be defeated by an Eastern State
• The aftermath of these two wars left Japan the dominant power in the Far East,
• Japan gained control of Korea, Taiwan and the southern half of Sakhalin.
• Japan continued its expansionist policy by occupying Manchuria in 1931.
• In 1937, Japan invaded other parts of China, precipitating the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945)
• On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the United States naval base in Pearl Harbor and declared war on the allies.
• In 1941-1942 Japan occupies Malaya, Singapore, Burma, Dutch East Indies, and The Philippines.
• The Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies on September 2, 1945 after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Critical Review of the Movie Black Rain

The American movie “Black Rain” from 1989 with actor Michel Douglas who plays Nick Conclin as the main character deliverers some of the most commonly exposed stereotypes of the Japanese society. When speaking about different ethnicities and certain images come to ones mind, and this movie is all about to expose the imagined cultural differences between America and Japan. Representations of all the most commonly known stereotypes of both Japanese and Americans are to be found in this movie. This is done mainly as a way to attract an audience in the west, very much in the same tradition as the famous authors Hearn and Kipling did in their books and letters when describing the Japanese.

The opening scene is to set positions between America and Japan when in the beginning of the Movie Jack Conclin races with his American made Harley Davidson motorbike against Japanese made Suzuki motorbike and wins. It is difficult to say if it is pure coincidence that Michel rides an American made bike or if it’s a deliberate act to emphasise the superiority of America. This stereotyping and somewhat racist view of the non Americans in this Hollywood production is nothing new under the sun. Hollywood has a long tradition in portraying different ethnicities with mere perceptions then of actual facts. Just reflect of the classic movie “Anna and the King” or the more recent success series “The Sopranos”. In defence or maybe as way to balance the stereotyping of the Japanese in the movie the two American police characters are in turn equally as stereotyped as the Japanese when being two typical hard boiled New York City police officers with ruff attitude, slick comments, and bad language.

The base of the movie is to reveal the huge differences between the American culture and society in opposition to the Japan, and the movie contains a large portion of US meet Japan and the cultural tensions that follow and in particular the American fear of being overtaken by Japan. As a way to create cultural clashes the character Jack comes to represent America and what America stands for in terms of individualism and initiative. In addition to this he is suspicious towards his superiors and other authorities, authorities he refers to as the “suits”. In contrast to Jack is the Japanese police officer Masamoto whose role is to work as Jacks opposite, or more precisely Americas opposite. He is portrayed as a typical Japanese male, being somewhat tedious, wearing an ill fitted suit, very group conscious, and doing everything by the book. He is also being limited by his organisations bureaucracy and moral codes much in contrast to the American liberal way of doing things. Masamoto and Nick roles are to be the representatives for their countries, customs, and ethnicities in this film. However, these two character opposites are to be thought a little of each others way of life’s and philosophies and are to become very understanding of each others in the end, but on the way there they are encountered with old rivalry between the two nations.

The most striking lines in the movie are the argument between the Japanese police officer Masamoto and Nick Conclin when Masamoto argues that America is only good for is movies and music, but the Japanese build the machines and the future. In response to Masamotos attack Douglas replies is that even if a Japanese person had an original idea, "He'd be so uptight he couldn't pull it out of his ass”. One more memorable line is when Jack says “I just hope they got a nip in this building that speaks fucking English." With this comments referring to the Japanese as people with no skills of inventing or being able to speak English, (with the latter comment being a demand that is strikingly ridiculous considering them being in a non English speaking country) degrades the Japanese in comparisons with the American characters along with adding fuel to the old rivalry between America and Japan. Masamoto instantly end up in a lower position where he needs to defend the Japanese way of doing things. Moreover the Americans are almost always two against the single Masamoto, who needs to struggle with them both and run their errands. This puts Masamoto in less favorable light and clearly shows that he belongs to the less powerful and important team.

There are a number of things in the movie that is made to make Japan seem like a hostile place for the Americans. When the camera shoots over Osaka there is a skyline of factory chimneys blowing out smoke creating a layer of smog over the city. This scene is most likely added to demonstrate the might of the Japanese industry to further display how post war Japan has raised economically and now is an economic superpower challenging the US economic world dominance. The streets are full of neon signs of different colors blinking with text that is impossible for the Americans to read, sidewalks are packet with peoples whom many wear business like suit and carry briefcase to further emphasize the Japanese group mentality and strength. Japanese are spoken from all direction which is impossible for the Americans to understand. This entire scenery making Osaka look like a daunting and a very much different place, a place which for an American is not possible to understand.

The whole movie goes in line with Edward Saids’s teachings about orientalism. According to Said the he Orient is "the other" for the West, which means the existence of the Orient is to be the "contrasting image, idea, personality, experience". Said further explain that the orientalism is a way for reconstructing and having the right over what is considered being oriental, and the movie makers have indeed used an orientalist approach. To further understand why the Japan is portrayed in the way it is in the movie answer could be drawn from Miner when he explains that Japan has always been in the shadow historically and not much as been known about her. This has certainly helped in the making of the mythical picture of Japan that is used in the exposure of the Japanese in Black rain.

The way the movie presents the Japanese ethnicity is to focus on things different compared to a traditional western point of view, but in contrast to Dowell I do not agree with his statement that Hollywood has intentionally used this particular movie to expose the dangers of the Japanese and their economy. It is more likely to have been set in Japan because of the notion of the huge cultural gap between the two sides in order to create and interesting environment. Nerveless, all efforts have been made to point out the ethnical differences. As seen and as described by Brian D. Johnson there are sets of the movie in the most traditional views of Japan including, a nightclub with giggling bar hostesses, a kendo practice, a steel mill, and a fish market.


There are not much emphasizes on women in the movie and the only female actress with a speaking role is the American bar hostess Kate Capshaw. She has her own theory of the cultural differences when Jack say’s to her “sometimes you gotta choose side” which to she replies “I did, I’m on my side”. This line given gives her an independent nature which is in total contrast to how the Japanese actresses are shown. The Japanese actresses and women are seen as either as coffee servants or as giggling immature bars hostesses whose job is to care and entertain the men, adding to the picture of the Japanese women being inferior to men.

The American influence over the Japanese culture after the World War II by the American occupation forces is mention in negative terms by the Yakuza leader. He talks about how it has shaped a new breed of Japanese youngsters that no longer are fully Japanese, and he seeks revenge for what America has done to his country and culture by spreading false notes of American dollars. These comments makes the Japanese appear like a revenge seeking people whose main goal is to destroy the American influence by demolish their economy. So in other terms the American culture here is seen as threat to the old traditional Japanese ethnicity, as well as the Americans sees the threat coming from the opposite direction.

To further emphasize and strengthen the picture of the Japanese gangsters “Japansesness” a numerous of approaches have been made. When the Yakuza gangster slit the throat of his victims he uses a Samurai sword looking object, as well as seeming much sophisticated in using these kinds of objects. In the very end of the movie same gangster using what looks like an Asian style of martial whilst fighting with Nick, Nick on the other hand looks more like a slugger from Brooklyn in his style emphasizing his Americaness. This scene is especially well made and obvious as a way to show the differences in culture and upbringing of the two characters.

It is clearly no underestimation to say that the way race and ethnicity is presented in the movie is on very unequal terms when favoring, the American representation for the most part. The Japanese are time and again overrun by the Americans in terms of innovations, charm, and police skills leaving the viewer with a sense of American superiority in comparison. The whole movie adds to the already twisted and generalizing view of the Japanese culture and ethnicity when building on old perceptions of what is Japanese instead of seeking facts.

Part five: The Social Impact of Slavery in the Sulu Sultanate. The End

The aim for many of the slaves was to escape their new masters. New slaves were under strict supervision when the risk for the slaves to escape was as greatest in their first years as slaves. Slaves that decided to escape tried to find someone with similar plans to flee with. There is unfortunately not much known about them who managed to return home and escape the slavery, but certainly many escapees managed to get back to their villages only to discover that their families was dead and their wives remarried, and they were left with the only option to start a new life from the beginning again.

Trading goods in the Sulu archipelago was a long established feature but it was the immense economic explosion with its favourable strategic location that gave the region its importance. The old custom of holding slaves also benefited many peoples economical growth at the time, and the raiding for loot and slaves was already an old established custom in the Sulu Sultanate. The Sulu Sultanate social structure as well as economy was heavily depended on the slaves, and the increasing trade with China and other new actors on the economic stage in the Sulu region aided the economic growth to the highest degree.

Raiding for slaves to uphold the economy became the main resource of the region with thousands and thousands of people entering slavery on the premises of the Sulu Sultanate. For most of these slaves there were not much positive effects of this economic boom and they were taken from their homes and families to work for foreign masters. Although some slaves did actually benefit from being slaves one can not without wonder how the actual situation were for the most other slaves. On the contrary, the debt bondage must have seen reciprocal advantages for all parts. There was money in motion in the Sulu and there was plenty of work to be done, so one who needed to borrow could do so and repay with his labour.