The word 'Gaijin'

[chachava]

Originally Posted by MMM

I wouldn't wear that t-shirt in Japan not because I would worry about offending someone. I wouldn't wear it because it will make you look like an idiot.

What he said

[chachava]

Originally Posted by MMM

Did you just step off of a time machine from 1925. Things have changed a little over the last 70 years or so..

Oh come on, that UN report about racism in Japan was released less than 5 years ago - you can't pretend it doesn't exist out here and brush off any suggestion as being a 'living in the past' comment.

(Just to be clear before any idiots jump on me... that is NOT my opinion, but the opinion of THE UNITED NATIONS.)

Originally Posted by MMM

So I wonder how the millions of non-Japanese speaking tourists are able to function. How can such a backwards land host things like the Olympics and World Cup championships? Mind-boggling.

Interestingly enough, it looks as though the topic of racism may cost Tokyo in the 2016 olympic bid... rumour has it that the IOC are not impressed by Ishihara and his random outbursts such as "Chinese people are born with criminal dna" and the infamous rant about why French should not be a language (and before you ask, I have friends in the TMG who are working towards the olympics bid)


Now I know this has somehow gone from a post about negative uses of the word gaijin, to a post about racism in general but it seems the 2 may have to go hand in hand

[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

OKay, a subject that solely started about one word, has branched off and started being about Japan as a whole.

Chachava-san, I think the answer you are looking for is in your opening post. You said the only people who say "gaijin" are non-Japanese. If such a term is considered offensive in Japan, well then, that's your answer.

It would seem to me that if ONLY non-Japanese people are saying it, that is because they apparently only know the word "gaijin" to describe themselves as being a non-Japanese person. That would clearly show their lack of education in the language.

So if people who travels to Japan call themselves "gaijin" and they get weird looks or whatever kind of response to that reply is, then I am sure they will be told to refrain from using such a word from then on. "Oh that's not appropriate anymore, we don't say that." Seeing Japan's high level of respect I am sure someone would tell them.

Also, this is my first time ever hearing that word be described as racist and so on, and I highly doubt it holds the same kind of impact as being called a "Jap" or other highly racist slurs that have been used to downgrade cultures for decades. If it did hold such animosity, I am sure I would of heard of it long ago.

My advice to you, don't travel because if you do, and you go to another country and gt called "foreigner" or "outsider" you might go around and say you were just offended. If Gaijin is offensive, then I am sure every word that means foreigner in any language would be offensive.

[Henbaka]

Originally Posted by chachava

ok, you need some help so here we go:

rac·ism Audio Help /ˈreɪsɪzəm/
–noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.


It doesn't need to be aimed at a single race to be racist

No need to try your hardest to be patronizing.

Ofcourse racism is a belief that certain races are superiour.

But I didn't get the vibe that a japanese person expresses the superiority of their race by calling them "foreigner" in a short form.

Anyways I'm done with this thread, too much of a hassle. Tell your gf and any japanese people you can find to lighten up and not be offended by a term not directed at them. That's this gaijins two cents.

[kennooo]

I think most Japanese use the word not in a negative sense but rather as a way to say foreigner. it is mostly just because it is easier then saying gaikoujin. They are lazy and like to make things as short as possible.

Now don’t get me wrong I am not defending the fact that it is a negative word, I am just say that I think this is the main reason it is used so freely. I also don’t think it is always meant to be negative even though it can be some times

In my experience they only times I have ever heard a Japanese person get offended by another Japanese person using the word is if they were first told by a foreigner that the word is offensive.

And to respond to an earlier post I am offended sometimes by being called a foreigner. I cant imagine back in my county calling every one who had immigrated to their faces “foreigner.” At least gaijin is offensive in a different language.

[SSJup81]

Originally Posted by kennooo

And to respond to an earlier post I am offended sometimes by being called a foreigner. I cant imagine back in my county calling every one who had immigrated to their faces “foreigner.” At least gaijin is offensive in a different language.

I'm not sure where you're from, but if you're from the US, it'd be screwed to say that anyway, since the US is literally an immigrant country. Everyone in the US is descended from immigrants of multiple countries and backgrounds. The US is a hodgepodge of different cultures, which is why referring to someone as a foreigner or "outsider of the country" would be kind of odd, when that's this country's (somewhat) function. Japan technically isn't (it is a homogenus society, after all), which is why it's easier to quickly identify someone who is more than likely not from the country or those who more than likely don't have roots there as a foreigner.

As a foreigner to the country, if I ever manage to go, it doesn't really offend me much at all. It's just a way of saying foreigner. I've even joked about it in front of my Japanese teacher, and she never once seemed offended by it. Usually, if we say something, she would correct us by saying, "The Japanese wouldn't say that." or "The Japanese wouldn't usually do that." With our talking about Gaijin openly, she's never once said that it was meant to be offensive towards those not from the country. The only way I would feel offended, is if I were over there, and coworkers or those I associate with, as opposed to calling me by name, would call me "Gaijin" all the time. To me, that would come across as condescending. To me, that's like someone constantly calling you, "That lady." or "Hey you.". People I don't know (like someone mentioned with the kids who see him/her on the street walking or whatever), or who don't know me, I know I wouldn't (that's just my personality). I would also be offended if I'm denied a right due to my being a foreigner, but that goes without saying, regardless of the country of residence.

[MMM]

If you go to Japan and aren't Japanese you are a gaijin. Either embrace it and enjoy yourself or spend the whole time looking over your shoulder, being offended by people who don't give two hoots about what you are doing in Japan.

[ModusOperandi]

I’ll start off by stating that I’m not Japanese (far from it actually). I’ll also add that I’ve never lived/ visited Japan, so I probably have no say in this matter whatsoever. However, the simple fact that I’ve perused through this site for quite sometime in the past and finally joined today should at least testify to my interest in the country.

Now, throughout my consistent visits to this site as a guest, I’ve seen several arguments pop up here and there about some sort of discrimination or other that lingers over the lands of Japan. Sure enough most, if not all, of this complaints are made by foreigners who have/are residing in the country.

I can’t guarantee that this will in any way relate to most of your experiences but I hope you’ll take something from it. I am an Ethiopian, I grew up in Kenya and I currently reside in America. If life has taught me one thing, it is that you can’t be who you’re not.
I know the word “gaijin” and what it means, it means foreigner, every country has a word to describe a foreigner (as I’ve experienced) and some of them may sound condescending when used, and trust me, I’ve been called a foreigner in other countries.

I won’t deny the fact that some people use it in a way that demeans you. however most of the time it is used to simply describe you. Once again, as a foreigner to two countries, the thing that annoyed me the most, upon further reflection, wasn’t the word foreigner, but the fact that it made me realize that they wouldn’t acknowledge me as one of them. I’ve also found this to be true among several people I’ve met who aren’t native to the lands I’ve stated above.

So to be quite frank, I think several of you are blowing this whole thing way out of proportion under the guise of racism. Once again, I’ll state that I’m probably the last person to give my opinion about this as I don’t have your experience, but judging from my experience, it’s more than likely the same thing…the only place you’ll most likely not be considered a foreigner is in your own country…so don’t take offense to the word “foreigner”. After all, no matter how much you may try to deny or avoid it, it still who you are and honestly, I think something as trivial and as subjective as this isn’t worth all the attention that it has been getting.

[TalnSG]

Originally Posted by ModusOperandi

I can’t guarantee that this will in any way relate to most of your experiences but I hope you’ll take something from it. I am an Ethiopian, I grew up in Kenya and I currently reside in America. If life has taught me one thing, it is that you can’t be who you’re not.
I know the word “gaijin” and what it means, it means foreigner, every country has a word to describe a foreigner (as I’ve experienced) and some of them may sound condescending when used, and trust me, I’ve been called a foreigner in other countries.

Absolutely a valid correlation! And very well put.

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by nihonwasaitei

That's odd - I've heard plenty of Japanese people use the word 'gaijin', and I assumed there was no derogatory inference. I was once called a 'gaikokujin' (the longer version; 外国人) by an estate agents who refused to deal with me because I'm foreign, despite holding the entire conversation in Japanese, so at least he was being polite ...

LOL You must be Semprini. I'll make sure you get banned again.