I experienced very little racism in Japan. I beleive Japanese people are not generally racist. Many Japanese are shy about interacting with foreigners because most foreigners don't know how to follow the social cues, non-verbal communication, etc.
One of the differences between Japanese and English is that there are more defined and standard responses in their proxemics and language. I say A, you say B. A successful conversationalist in English will be much more prone to use imaginative appproaches to language. If a foreigner doesn't know the dance, then the native speaker might feel outside of his/her comfort zone. No more safety net of standard replies! How to respond to the foreigner who doesn't follow the dance? Uh oh, panic!
So people might be less willing to deal with foreigners, which may lead to the perception of racism.

It is easy to analyze the "Japanese monster" so to speak, but hey, I don't go out of my way to be helpful to foreigners living in America. I don't particularlly like talking to people that don't speak English, and I don't feel it is my cultural imperative to help foreigners aclimate to life in America.

Why should we expect Japanese people to do same for us?

In the most simplest terms It is MUCH easier being an American visiting or living in Japan than it is for a Japanese visiting or living in America.

You think? Many Japnese I know in the states feel like they can finally relax. But then again, no one is taking them by the hand when they're lost. That would be a good thread. I'd like to hear about that from some Japanese who live/ed in the states.

its because most crimes in Japan are committed by foreigners. but while I was there, all the foreigners were treated well by Japanese. Especially in tourist attractions, a lot of foreigners were asked to be photographed with local people

Quite shockingly uninformed - I've now lived in 4 different countries and I'm afraid to say Japan is the most intolerant to foreigners.

Sorry if that's a "Flame War", but it's really just fact. Get over it.

No i don't think its xenophobia

its more a fact of
you speak english,
they dont speak english
they speak japanese
you don't speak japanese

To be honest, British and american tourists are the worst type, they expect everyone to speak english to them in every country they visit. The gene of colonialism kicks in.

Although, i'm not speaking for all british/american tourists. Only some.

Having known Japan for many years I can say that foreigners, at least foreigners from rich countries, will encounter both racism/xenophobia and exceptional kindness in Japan. In northern Saitama, the area I'm most familiar with, there's a bento shop where the owner throws in extra goodies for me, just because he likes me and he wants me to have a good impression of his country. Then again, the Sekijuji (J. Red Cross) guys fall silent when I walk past them at the train station. They don't want my blood, since all foreigners have AIDS.

In my personal experience the exceptional kindnesses outnumber the xenophobic incidents about 100 to 1. Unfortunately the bad cases tend to stick out because they are important -- trying to rent an apartment, for example, or trying to get into ANY club in Shinsaibashi if you aren't with a Japanese buddy.

Of course, if you speak the language everything goes far more smoothly.

By the way, did you know that only foreigners can ask for directions in Tokyo? Any Japanese asking for directions would get the brush-off -- assumed to be Aum Shinrinkyo missionaries or something like that.

Wow, what a way to jump to conclusions. Being as you say they fall silent, I highly doubt they`ve said that to you.

What about the (overwhelming) possibility that they are concerned you couldn`t fill out the necessary forms or answer the necessary health questions?
Wait, I forgot, it`s in style to assume that anyone not bending backward to accommodate foreignness must be discriminating in the most extreme way.

Nyororin, I suppose you're right. There COULD be any of a number of reasons why they won't approach me... though not many that seem plausible...

However, the "foreigner = AIDS" misconception is one I have encountered on several occasions. Mostly with older Japanese.

I think that figuring you probably can`t speak Japanese and that asking you for blood is a waste of time is a WHOLE lot more plausible than assuming you have AIDS.

I have to say that is one I have yet to encounter after 10 years of living here, even in the deep countryside. I believe you, but I don`t really think it`s all that widespread.