HuffPost Japan (2024/09/01) has an article about racial profiling and xenophobia.
Racial profiling refers to the act of identifying individuals based on their specific race or nationality and subjecting them to control or surveillance. This is especially true for police, immigration authorities, and security checks in public places. Racial profiling is closely related to racism and xenophobia, and is part of the discrimination and exclusion that foreigners and certain ethnic groups experience in Japanese society. In this article, we will give specific examples of racial profiling in Japan and explain in detail the relationship with xenophobia behind it.
1.Examples of racial profiling in Japan
(1) Examples of immigration and visa management
There have been reports of racial profiling against foreigners at Japanese immigration bureaus and airport immigration inspections. Foreigners of certain nationalities and races are often subject to stricter checks than usual, and are often considered “suspicious” during visa screening. For example, there are reports that travelers from certain Southeast Asian and African countries are subject to frequent additional questioning and bag searches, and are often detained for long periods of time.
This is against the backdrop of the Japanese government tightening its crackdown on foreigners in order to prevent illegal immigrants and criminals from entering the country as part of border control and security maintenance. However, there is also criticism that this crackdown is biased towards specific races and nationalities, leading to discriminatory treatment. For example, there have been many reports of travelers from Southeast Asia coming to Japan for sightseeing purposes and being repeatedly interrogated in detail and being asked to prove how much money they have. When these crackdowns are based on unfair prejudice, they are considered racial profiling.
(2) Examples of police interrogation and investigation
In Japan, police frequently question foreigners about their duties. This job questioning is generally conducted when it is determined that someone is behaving in a “suspicious manner,” but foreigners and people belonging to certain races are questioned more often than Japanese people. A trend has been noted.
In particular, there have been many reports of black people and people of South Asian descent being subject to job questioning in Japan. For example, there is a case in which a black man was questioned several times by police officers while simply walking on a busy street. The man was deemed “suspicious” for no specific reason, had his belongings checked and was asked to show identification. It is highly likely that such job inquiries were based on prejudice based on his appearance or race, and are a classic example of racial profiling.
(3) Surveillance and enforcement in public places
Racial profiling of foreigners can also be seen in public places. For example, foreigners with certain ethnic characteristics are frequently monitored during security checks in subways and shopping malls. It has also been pointed out that police surveillance will be strengthened in certain areas and events where foreigners gather.
For example, there have been reports of Asian foreigners receiving special attention during large-scale festivals and events held in Tokyo. Event security staff and police may only ask certain groups of foreigners to show ID or search their belongings. This response is based on prejudice that the person is likely to commit a crime or wrongdoing, and is an example of racial profiling.
2.Connection with xenophobia
Racial profiling and xenophobia are closely related. Racial profiling often occurs because there is fear and prejudice against foreigners and specific races and ethnic groups. Xenophobia is based on fear or distrust of foreign cultures and people, and is sometimes used to justify racial profiling.
(1) Media coverage and social prejudice
News about crimes committed by foreigners is often sensationalized in Japanese media coverage, which fuels social prejudice. For example, when an incident in which people of a particular nationality are allegedly involved in a crime is reported, distrust toward that nationality or race tends to increase. As such reports are repeated, more and more Japanese people become anxious and fearful of foreigners as a whole, creating a climate where racial profiling becomes acceptable.
Additionally, reports about “illegal immigrants” and “illegal workers” are contributing to the image that all foreigners are potential criminals. These reports can foster xenophobia, which can lead to increased enforcement by police and immigration authorities. As a result, foreigners and certain races are subjected to discriminatory treatment.
(2) Social stereotypes and prejudice
Stereotypes and prejudice against foreigners in Japanese society are also behind racial profiling. For example, there are deep-rooted negative images such as “foreigners cannot speak Japanese”, “they are culturally alien” and “they are more likely to commit crimes”. These prejudices contribute to the unfair treatment foreigners receive in Japanese society and are often used as the basis for racial profiling.
3.Impact and challenges of racial profiling
Racial profiling is a serious problem that promotes discrimination and prejudice against foreigners and specific races, and hinders social integration. Such behavior can increase the sense of isolation and distrust that foreigners feel in Japanese society, and may lead to further social exclusion. Efforts must be made to prevent racial profiling and eliminate prejudice based on xenophobia in order to enable foreigners to live safely in Japan and contribute to society.
Future challenges include improving the transparency of enforcement and job inquiries by public institutions such as the police and immigration bureau, and maintaining a balance in media coverage to avoid reinforcing prejudice against foreigners. . It is also necessary to raise awareness of multicultural coexistence through school education and awareness-raising activities in local communities. It is hoped that this will help build a society where foreigners and Japanese people understand and respect each other.