Living as a foreing in Japan

[Skeat]

Hi :), next I`m thinking of going to study at a College/University in Japan, and staying there to work after, but my family and also a lot of people are telling me that I`ll have a hard time there because of discrimination for 2 major reasons: 1- I`m not a descendant (My family came from Italy). 2 - I`m a Brazilian, and they don`t like very much when we go there to work/study :X.
I would like to know if it really is like that, so I can prepare myself for when I get there (Discrimination won`t stop me from doing what I want xD)

[Glenski]

There are 2 million non-Japanese living here. Roughly half are not descendents. Some areas of Japan have discrimination against all foreigners, some against only the Brazilians, some none at all.

College won't care about your Brazilian "status" as long as you can pay for the courses and get past the language barrier. Are you thinking about undergrad or grad school? Tons of foreign grad students at my university!

Finding work here may be more a matter of credentials than discrimination. What career do you have in mind?

[pipokun]

The first discrimination you surely encounter may be at the US embassy in your country for your transit visa, even though you have your legitimate student visa for Japan.
The interviewing just for a few hour stay in the US is just a bureaucratic procedure after all.

[kiwi_wiki83]

:cool:... will always support you...who chase for your own future so bravely...GAMBATEH~~~hope you will achieve one day...:p

[dreamer]

There shouldn't be any major problem from what I've heard.
The biggest difficulty (appart from the language barrier) will probably be the overcoming of culture-shock :)

[kidryu]

i thought japan is a friendly country and they love foreign people....:?:?
may i ask why they don't like brazillians??

[nice gaijin]

Japan is a friendly country but it has its share of bigots (what place doesn't?). As a student or a tourist, you may not experience much if any discrimination, or there might be a few isolated incidents that will stain your entire experience there (I've seen this happen). The more you look for racism the more you will find it, even if it's not there.

1- I`m not a descendant (My family came from Italy).I don't understand this, do you mean that you aren't ethnically Japanese? So you're in the same boat as most other foreigners in Japan.

2 - I`m a Brazilian, and they don`t like very much when we go there to work/study :X.I understand the situation with Brazilian (and some extent, Peruvian) nikkeijin dekasegi having an easier time getting work visas due to their Japanese heritage, but since they were raised in a different culture, many don't "fit in" in Japanese society. This situation only pertains to migrant workers that go to Japan, and does not really reflect the experience of students (particularly exchange students), but you would be better off asking someone from Brazil that has gone through this experience. Although I have seen Brazilian nikkeijin in Japan (stumbled upon a Samba parade one day), I have never had the chance to meet and interview one myself. For a great resource on the Brazilian dekasegi experience in Japan (albeit a bit dated), check out Daniel Linger's No One Home: Brazilian Selves Remade in Japan (http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=8TssoeEHefEC&dq=no+one+home&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=Z5dOMUjCuf&sig=mAsxyFxLDtmMLwl-TAZiIC7I2Ro).

It all depends on a number of factors: studying what/where, what kind of job you are looking for if you intend to work, the way you act and carry yourself, your language ability, who you meet, and dumb luck. I think it's safe to say that you won't have much to worry about in terms of discrimination. Housing may be a problem if you try to look for an apartment on your own; this is the only situation that has overwhelming anecdotal evidence of discrimination. But again, this is just a generalization.

To fully enjoy your time in Japan, go without any expectations about how you will be received by the locals. Be delighted when you are treated well, and surprised when you aren't. If you have negative expectations, you will only see the negative.

[Chidoriashi]

I think you will probably have a great time if you come as a student. If you live on campus or at an international dormitory expect a following of Japanese people who are interested in foreign cultures... that was my experience at least...

[abbyllw]

The first discrimination you surely encounter may be at the US embassy in your country for your transit visa, even though you have your legitimate student visa for Japan.
The interviewing just for a few hour stay in the US is just a bureaucratic procedure after all.



the united states wants to keep unwanted peoples out

[nice gaijin]

the united states wants to keep unwanted peoples out
you registered on this site just to share that little gem with us? bravo.

[abbyllw]

you registered on this site just to share that little gem with us? bravo.


Actually I registered on this site in hopes of learning something about the culture and ideals I might come across when I move to Japan (in 8 months). Not that it is anything to you, but I do not feel comfortable when people say the US is prejudice. Call that, I don't know, my culture. But hey, thanks for calling me out on it, wise guy.

[nice gaijin]

Not that it is anything to you, but I do not feel comfortable when people say the US is prejudice.

You're the one that said
the united states wants to keep unwanted peoples out

[abbyllw]

unwanted does not mean discrimination. i suppose the term "illegal alien" means nothing to you.

[Glenski]

abby,
There is still plenty of discrimination going on in the USA that does not involve illegal aliens. The Patriot Act itself is a prime example, or at least of breaking the constitution. There are other examples as well. I hope you don't feel the US is completely discrimination-free.

[nice gaijin]

unwanted does not mean discrimination. i suppose the term "illegal alien" means nothing to you.It's your culture to make asinine statements in a blind attempt to defend your country's policies? What part of the US are you from again? I was only pointing out how completely unnecessary it is to say something like "X country wants to keep unwanted people out", it's like saying "the police frown on illegal activities"

And "illegal alien" does mean something to me, especially since I've met several, including people that tried to immigrate legally but were denied based on PREJUDICE. I'm not saying I condone illegal immigration, but your claim that America is somehow free of discrimination is patently false.

[Ichiro614]

As a minority in a homogenous society there's always going to be some element of discrimination as a foreigner in Japan, whatever your nationality, but as a student, you shouldn't have much problem making lots of friends among your classmates. One of the best ways to make friends at college is to join a "circle" that revolves around an activity you enjoy. Often the friends you make from your "circle" become friends for life.

As far as work after you graduate goes, it all depends on what you want to do, but with Brazil becoming an increasingly important player in the global economy, I'd say the combination of your nationality and the Japanese language skills/cultural experience you acquire in Japan will go a long way toward helping you find gainful employment in Japan or elsewhere.

In short, don't worry too much about discrimination in Japan. Whatever discrimination you do experience will be insignificant compared to the culturally rewarding experience you'll have living and studying there.

[abbyllw]

It's your culture to make asinine statements in a blind attempt to defend your country's policies? What part of the US are you from again? I was only pointing out how completely unnecessary it is to say something like "X country wants to keep unwanted people out", it's like saying "the police frown on illegal activities"[/b]
Had I felt you were pointing something out for the sake of friendly argument then I may not have gotten deffensive, but no, you blatently tried to make me feel like a jerk, which I do not appreciate. I know there is discrimination in the US and I know that every country has policies which do not reflect the views of its citizens. I am not so naive to think there is no discrimination in the US, however, I am pretty sure the US embassy is not the first place you are going to encounter it; if it is then you must have lived under a rock all your life. And just to let all the "illegal aliens" know, if you pay $5,000 you can become a citizen, regardless of race.
This has nothing at all to do with Japan, I know, but no worries. I will not let the opinions of a few determine my view of the many.

[abbyllw]

There is still plenty of discrimination going on in the USA that does not involve illegal aliens. The Patriot Act itself is a prime example, or at least of breaking the constitution. There are other examples as well. I hope you don't feel the US is completely discrimination-free.


I completely agree the Patriot Act is horrible. That is why the majority of people were against it. But hey, when your president is a douche bag who completely goes against our laws as a democracy, what can you do?

[bluepilot]

Well...this is a very sensative subject of course. I think that anyone who looks different in Japan will experience some form of discrimination at some point. Even if it is something small like being stared at or being refused service.

I knew a Brazilian Lady who said that she believed that she had encountered a lot more discrimination than white people because she was black. I do not know the true basis of this belief but she had lived in Japan for a lot longer than me so maybe she knew more. On the other hand she was a very negative person and always took peoples intentions as bad.

So, I think that any experiences you may have will depend on a lot. I cannot say if it will be different for different ethnicities because I only know my own experiences.

However, I think that if you are polite (even when you really don't want to be) and don't go looking for it, then there will be very few problems.

The worst thing that ever happened to be was being refused service in a store because he said 'no fat' 'you too fat' which is laughable because I am tiny (UK size 6, 4ft 11") and it was annoying but it wasn't a bad thing as such.

On the other hand, I met a lot of very nice polite people and Japanese customer service is one of the best I have ever encountered, even though I got called fat

[Glenski]

I completely agree the Patriot Act is horrible. That is why the majority of people were against it. But hey, when your president is a douche bag who completely goes against our laws as a democracy, what can you do?
I know that was a rhetorical question, so here is my semi-rhetorical answers.

1) Don't vote for him the next time. Encourage others to do the same.

2) Write to him and to your congressman. Complain. Encourage others to do the same.

3) Officially protest. Encourage others... oh, you get my drift. :-)

[Someone4373]

Hi guys, I'm Brazilian and I too think of studying in Japan. :wave:

I've learned the kana already, but my japanese does not go beyond "Hajimemashite, watashi Rukasu desu. Watashi wa burajirujin desu, douzo yoroshiku". They offer free classes to any student at universities, I just wonder if I would have to take some more classes before going to Japan. Or do you think I would be able to learn everything there?

Also, I won't expect any discrimination, and as Nice Gaijin wisely said, I should be surprised if I find it. But I wonder (really just out of curiosity), do they see a difference between a Brazilian of Japanese descent and one of European descent? My guess is that they will think I'm American, if judging by appearances (I'm of French descent), because I read some poster here saying that he was European but people called him American. Basically, I just wanted to know if they see any difference between Brazilians of western and eastern descent. I'm not talking about prejudice, just so you know, I don't want to sound like I think Japanese people are all really concerned about how you were born. I'm more interested in their reactions out of curiosity, if they're going to be different or the same, or if they will just see me as a Brazilian. Sorry for the gross generalization, but I mean it as an "average". I'm really fascinated by other cultures, people, etc, so I think it would be interesting to see how the immigration of Brazilians of Japanese descent affected them (towards any Brazilian or only those of Japanese descent).

Anyways, thank you for the time you took to read my post and any eventual comment provided!