Quote:
Originally Posted by RealJames
I think you're right, possibly because of communication problems splitting the family. I don't think the motives for it are based in racism, just practicality... don't you think so?
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No, not at all. Things do NOT change when the foreign side speaks perfect Japanese. Things do not change if they clearly want to live in Japan for the rest of their life.
It isn`t a language issue. It is a race issue. Language issues certainly don`t trigger "Think of what the children will have to deal with because they`re mixed!"
I assure you my husband can`t speak English - he actively avoided it in school, opting for German instead - and that we have only ever spoke Japanese.... And I have only ever spoken Japanese to anyone around us. (I`m fluent, and have a "standard" accent, so no suspicion of poor language in there either). But that had nothing to do with the change in reactions when things changed from dating to getting married.
ETA;
To add my opinion on the differences in treatment toward black people in Japan.
There seem to be more Africans here than African-Americans. I do not personally know any African-American women married to Japanese men, but do know of a few African women, and a (black) Brazilian women married to Japanese men.
The stigma attached to specific race is
mostly removed. There is no link in peoples minds to poverty, crime, etc. So while a person will be seen as "foreign" - it doesn`t carry much of a different meaning than all the other non-Asian foreigners. I know there is some level of caution given toward large black men, but the base of that is in a totally different place - the majority are in Japan employed as bouncers and for hostess bars to pull in (quite literally) customers with some intimidation.
The African community in Japan is, from what I understand, quite strong and very outgoing and friendly. Thanks to them (at least around here), the first reaction people tend to have when encountering a black person - woman in particular - is an expectation of warmth and friendliness. But this isn`t all good, as if you probe people there is a deeply ingrained link to "darker color = southern islander / wild native = simple people"... Which while it may help in initial impressions and friendliness, it isn`t going to help if your goal is to work in something intellectual.
I think that black women in Japan would probably get the same level of attention as a blonde, blue eyed white woman - just from a different set of people. There are plenty of people interested in rap and gangsta culture on one side, and African art and style on the other. Of course, these are going to be superficial relationships. Just dig through them and get to know normal people.