It says right on the display “Ministop x Big Spirits Comics” and “Afro Tanaka” on the poster. But, someone who obviously (like myself, I stress, up until a couple of hours ago) had no idea what “Afro Tanaka” was, saw “Black Melon Pan” and a guy with an afro and immediately jumped to the conclusion “Those racist bastards!”
I wonder what he would make of our man Fujita to the left, here.
Personally, I think looking at a character with an afro and immediately assuming 1. the character in question is black and 2. the image is an example of Japanese racism (I’m sorry, “cultural insensitivity”) says a lot more about the issues the observer has with race than any issues Mini Stop and the publishers of the comic have, or could be construed as having in a overactive imagination. Speaking of which…
Really what is there to say about this?
Thread after thread after thread about the racism/prejudice/nationalism of the Japanese has appeared on this website for years. I don’t see that anything has changed for the better at all.
All this blatant racism is an accepted ingrained part of the Japanese psyche, for it to ever change there has to be a want to change. When people see nothing wrong with it, where on earth is the will to want to change come from? It’s not going to happen. Any argument from outside will remain just that, the ideas of gaijin who cannot understand the sensibilities of the japanese…..soto ideas..incompatible with nihonjinron and the uchi mindset.
When the government flagrantly ignores/bypasses international treaties, UN conventions, schools teach racism, television promotes racism and the police foster it, what hope is there really?
I think it is disgusting and appalling but I fear that if one is to live in Japan, one must put up with the intrinsic racism of the japanese, nothing is going to change it.
Not in my lifetime or that of my half children.
Deep breaths, man, deep breaths… you’re losing it…
While quite possibly unintentional, ( ignorantly? ) that is truly disgraceful. I’m not of African or other dark skinned racial descent,
Stop now while you’re ahead… don’t go there….
but if I were,
You’re not, remember? No need to take up the White Man’s Burden on behalf of the downtrodden minorities…
I’d be deeply offended by that.
Good thing you’re a white boy then isn’t it? Now you don’t have to be offended!
I can’t help but smirk at the stupidity on display here. We are all born stupid and ignorant, but some regress.
You know, I was just thinking the exact same thing!
But even after all the explaining is done…
I’d hope for a bit more tastefulness in the marketing, however.
Come on… it’s not like the guy has a mullet or anything. Now that would be tasteless. But an afro, tasteless? You really gonna say that about my buddy Fujita up above? Or Papaya Suzuki? Please.
I imagine this story was broken at debito.org somewhat like this:
“Red alert! red alert! We’ve got a category 5 Afro bread at the Mini-stop! All hands to battle stations!!! Outrage! Disgust! Outrage! Disgust!”
Is it just me, but how can anyone find an obviously Japanese manga character with an Afro offensive? Moreover, instantly equating Afros with blacks seems to be more racist than this marketing scheme.
But this is Debito’s modus operandi and I don’t suspect that to change any time soon…
I saw a rainbow Afro wig in a shop.
You know what THAT means.
Japan is prejudiced against gay, black clowns.
Papaya Suzuki is obviously saying that all blacks eat tropical fruit and ride motorbikes, and as for that Afro Ken, he’s carrying the banner first held by the SoftBank dog, who showed us that blacks are nothing more than the offspring of canines.
BTW, I found more than a little amusing that the guy who reported it to Mr Arudou is a “Founder and Director of a marketing consultancy in [Japan] that researches Japanese consumer behavior on behalf of our international clients”. Just as well Mr Arudou blanked out his name as we’d all know who not to go to advice!
Oh, and when I first saw the bread in the shops, I noticed the afro, did a quick
but then realised that it was actually a Japanese person underneath the hair, so thought nothing more of it.
Aw keerist – And here I had been hearing good things about Hiroko Tabuchi as a reporter…
Tabuchi Twit
And Twits again!
What marketers need to realize is what sells in the market they are marketing to. Marketers in Japan are using a Japanese character from a (apparently good, based on reviews?) Japanese comic, to promote a Japanese snack, sold in a Japanese convenience store chain, to Japanese consumers IN JAPAN. What part of the “context” needs to be made understood?
And why is it the responsibility of the marketer to explain the context so that even the 0.001% of the population who don’t get the context but leap to racist assumptions “get it”? And yes, looking at a character with an afro and immediately assuming the character is black, and that since a Japanese drew the character that the image must be “racist” or “culturally insensitive” because that is all the Japanese are capable of IS racist. There is no other word for it.
And no, Hiroko, the e-Mobile monkey was not a “problem” – except for a very small group forcing their own cultural baggage onto another.
Frankly, when it comes to hairstyles making me want to eat onigiri, I think Lady Gaga is the most effective.
(She even has her black collar popped up in the place where the onigiri nori band should be)
The manga isn’t that good but it is full of pure lower class Japanese gags. The main character has a fro because he still thinks it is fashionable. I’ve read a bunch of it, didn’t get any race vibe, and can’t remember any refs to Africans or African Americans from the series.
This outrage seems to be on the level of “A yellow cheesecake! Are they trying to say that Asians are cheesy!?”
Bah. You know full well that he is all too happy to find these items. It means he gets to engage Bull in China Shop Mode! It’s the reason for his very existence.
Debito Arudou is the TSA of foreigner activism.
“Debito Arudou is the TSA of foreigner activism.”
I am not sure I like that analogy. That would seem to imply that he had “a firm grasp”
of some “important issues” 
and might know how to deal with things that are actual threats.
Okay, “Debito Arudou is the angry TSA security checkpoint worker of foreign activism”? I’M AFRAID WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONFISCATE YOUR AFRO, SIR. IT HAS MORE THAN 3 OUNCES OF RACISM IN IT. NOW STAND ON THE PLATFORM WITH YOUR LEGS SPREAD. OH BABY.
Are you suggesting that the TSA knows how to deal with actual threats?
And Mr Arudou’s certainly not going to get the chance to grasp my issues!
But, he feels your pain
and wants to make it all better! Now please step behind this screen and remove your cloths 
, I think we’re going to need a cavity search. 
Sigh – classic Dave. He just goes back to the well over and over again because he doesn’t have the mental flexibility to make the jump from the circumstances he grew up with (white guilt, apartheid) to the cultural context he finds himself in… The concept of “there has never been institutionalized racism against blacks in Japan” just seems to short circuit his brain.
Well, maybe if we could get him to stop listening to Duran Duran and watching Lost, and steer him towards Rebecca or Barbee Boys and, I dunno, ホンマでっか？！？TV… maybe then we’d be able to get him to grasp “You ain’t in Kansas anymore, Dorothy. All those rules you grew up with do not necessarily apply.”
But then again, this is the same guy who once dismissed “differences in culture” with “What is culture? Some people like rock, some like classical music. It is just likes and dislikes.”
And I think that is the problem: he doesn’t believe in fundamental differences in culture, society and world-view, or at least doesn’t accept that they have any bearing in the “real world” of logic. One size fits all, and if you are not wearing his “size”, there is something wrong with you or you’re in denial. It couldn’t possibly be because you were brought up in a completely different culture with a completely different value system.
Debito Arudou is the Al Sharpton of Japan (loud, desperate for attention, and always willing to cry wolf at the drop of a hat). It’s the most accurate description of him, no?
No.
Al Sharpton got rich off his act.
Plus, he has cool hair.
Anyone who can rock a velvet track suit and big gold chains like big gay Al has got my support. My favorite part of the 2004 presidential campaign was Al. You have to love someone who knows they can’t win so that political filter drops and they actually say what they’re thinking rather than what’s politically prudent.
people in america know who al sharpton is (that is, at least by name). only idiots who want to bitch about japan or bitch about debito know who he is. both types should take a look at themselves
Wow, thank you Ross. Your arguments are so persuasive! I mean how could I not have seen the light! You’ve changed my life man, I do so appreciate the deep and insightful dialog you’ve brought to this board.
If you aint never had a fro, then you perhaps you just talkin out yo azz. some fools including Japanese be hatin on ethnic hair styles, but Homey dont play dat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVcUuTg5oSc&feature=related
I’ve been thinking about this whole Afro-gate…
1. Even if it was a black guy with an Afro depicted on the package–shouldn’t Debito be pleased that Japan is using more foreigners in their marketing schemes? More importantly, so what?!? Black people are used to market products all the time. I don’t think we’ll ever see Debito go after Uncle Ben’s rice or Aunt Jamaima’s (sp?) molasses…
If the person depicted was a black person smoking a crack pipe (or any other inaccurate, hateful stereotype) then I think Debito would have a fair argument. But it isn’t.
2. The only reason Debito is offended by this is because of racial ownership. He, and many of his supporters, see themselves as the rightful owners of all things foreign and god forbid that Japanese people dare use those things without Debito Inc.’s permission/approval. Otherwise it’s ignorant and bigotry all around.
“If the person depicted was a black person smoking a crack pipe (or any other inaccurate, hateful stereotype) then I think Debito would have a fair argument. But it isn’t.”
I think you and all the other hatas here are smoking the pipe. Most of Debitos examples of gaijin depictions are over exagerated noses, exagerated expressions, ape hair on arms, and all the other sterotypes I encounter from Japanese all the time. Its just fucking bizarre how hard you defend racism and xenophobia in Japan. Where is your comfort zone located because I got to get there fast, the Japan I live in aint like the one your in, or either your in denial.
Welcome back, “Zeke”.
After having failed at playing Marine, do you think you’ll have more success playing Stepin Fetchit?
(I still think “Zeke” is actually Dave. Perhaps Dave after he’s had a few drinks, but Dave nonetheless … )
Show me racism and I will decry it.
A Japanese character with an afro ain’t it.
You sounds like this guy:
And on what basis is this “suspicion” formed? The poster associates “afros” with “blacks” (isn’t that a sterotype?), and then sees the comic is written by Japanese, so therefore must be racist? That assumption is, in and of itself, racist.
Oooh, that thread keeps on giving! Does anyone understand what point Mr Arudou is trying to make here:
– Okay, let’s insert the dreaded Mr. James in your point, and see if it undermines the essential logic similarly:
‘Sorry, I don’t think racism is at work here. Not all white people eat burgers or wear chinos. Not all people with burger predilections are white. Not all people with nerdy dispositions or incapabilities in Japanese are white. This particular character doesn’t even look like a typical white guy (and that was my first impression before hearing that he is indeed a corporate fictional character). “Mr. James” on the package clearly refers to a character’s name, not race.’
I’m not sure I see how you’re saying one is but one isn’t problematic.
Oh, and OG Steve seems to be saying it’s racist to try to copy the features of another race – if Zeke is a drunk Mr Arudou, then surely OG Steve must be LB trolling again!
Yoda says: And that is why you fail…
Unless Debito means that he finally figured out that neither is “problematic”. But I don’t think he is mentally capable of making that leap.
Unless Debito means that he finally figured out that neither is “problematic”. But I don’t think he is mentally capable of making that leap.
Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner! And he wins – 7 minutes in the closet with Dave.
7 minutes alone with Dave. Huh.
Lemme get a sock and a bar of soap to stick in it. I don’t think I’ll even need all 7 minutes to convince him he would have much more enjoyed white-water canoeing with Ned Beatty in the wilds of Georgia.
Outlier Says:
December 14th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
”I find it strange how many people in Japan defend all things Japan, but if I did or said the same thing like this afro skit in the U.S., all hell would break loose and if these same people were there to witness it, they would be writing memos and blacklisting me, probably sueing because of lack of sleep etc. What a bunch of prizes we have here in Japan in the foreign community.”
→
Here is another arrogant argument：It assumes that American reactions in the U.S. is always right.
”
There are many half black kids in Japan teased about their color or kinky hair, I seen it. Im sure the illustration would be offensive to them.”
→That’s another story.
Japanese people with Afro are rather good for haafu kids in that it shows we are more alike and afro hairstyle is one of the options we want to take.
Do you understand the concept of cultural context? No? I didn’t think so.
USA/Western societies – enslaved blacks, bought them from their tribesmen and others and shipped them across the ocean to work as slaves because we thought we had a right to. Then freed them but passed Jim Crow laws to “keep them down” and “preserve the purity of the white race” (never mind those of us who are octoroons or quintroons and have blue eyes and lilly white skin).
Japan – never had anything like this for blacks. The closest thing would be the often forced and indentured servitude of their fellow asians.
Therefore, if you happen to get your panties in a bunch, you need to understand that what you’re getting your panties in a bunch about in Japan is fundamentally different than what you would be getting your panties in a bunch about in the USA.
The context is everything. In our overly sensitive world you need to take the advice of Chopper Reid and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EY7lYRneHc
Err – that should have been pointed at Outlier not at 空.
Jerry
I agree with you and you are right.
The context is different;the same argument that holds in the U.S. does not necessarily hold in Japan because we have different histories and different meanings attached to symbols and signs.
And he not only ignores the context but naively assume, it seems to me, that American reactions , without giving any substantive argument,is right,
I say, that attitude is arrogant,
OG Steve Says:
December 15th, 2010 at 12:04 am
・・・・・
”If there was a comic called “Blue-Eyed Samurai” with a Japanese guy walking around sporting blue-eyes, I would think, “Dude, please take out those colored-contacts, stop pretending to be something you’re not. You can change your nationality, you can become an American or an Australian, just please don’t try to change your race.”
Wow!
・・・・・
“And about actual Japanese folks who try to look like Non-Japanese, I have noticed a strange inverse-proportion:
Most Japanese “Yankees” who dye their hair blond DISLIKE “gaijin” relatively MORE than the average Japanese person does.
Most Japanese “Gyarus” who dye their hair blond and wear blue colored-contacts DISLIKE “gaijin” relatively MORE than the average Japanese person does.
Most Japanese “Rappers” who tan their skin dark and pay for fake dreadlocks DISLIKE “gaijin” relatively MORE than the average Japanese person does.
It seems that most Japanese unconsciously DISLIKE the people they are unconsciously copying, it’s totally strange.”
Does anybody have any research paper confirming this 妄想？
No, and neither does OG Steve. If you read some of the other things he has written (like his invaluable advice on getting through US Immigration) you will quickly realize that he is a very, very paranoid individual who has little to no clue what he is talking about.
Which is doubtless why he is successful poster on Debito.org.
And no, he is not me trolling. I have not even attempted to post anything over there in a couple of years.
I recently red the website that OG Steve picked up most of that invaluable advice for US Immigration and, while perhaps correct in terms of legal rights, it really shouldn’t be tempted if:
a) you have another plane to catch
b) you are traveling with someone
c) someone is meeting you at the airport
d) you don’t really have 3+ hours to kill and don’t want to be thought of as a troublemaker
I am all for standing up for rights and the whole “don’t tread on me” thing but seriously, this is hardly the thin end of the wedge for turning into a police state. TSA junk grabbing and the porno scanners probably IS a more real problem.
Does OG Steve complain of African-American singers with straight hairstyle and of ads/comics they are on ?
”Hare dare you !”
(I posted a long comment but it is awaiting moderation)
“And no, he is not me trolling. I have not even attempted to post anything over there in a couple of years.”
冴えてますね。
爆笑させていただいております。
As for the latest article,
“YouTube video showing NPA Bicycle Instant Checkpoint supersedes attention to car accident
Posted by debito on December 14th, 2010″
for those who are interested in the actions,
refer to
http://oikorapolice.blogspot.com/2010/11/3.html
As I said elsewhere, I suggest to calculate the time and cost, though.
“And about actual Japanese folks who try to look like Non-Japanese, I have noticed a strange inverse-proportion:
Most Japanese “Yankees” who dye their hair blond DISLIKE “gaijin” relatively MORE than the average Japanese person does.
Most Japanese “Gyarus” who dye their hair blond and wear blue colored-contacts DISLIKE “gaijin” relatively MORE than the average Japanese person does.
Most Japanese “Rappers” who tan their skin dark and pay for fake dreadlocks DISLIKE “gaijin” relatively MORE than the average Japanese person does.
It seems that most Japanese unconsciously DISLIKE the people they are unconsciously copying, it’s totally strange.”
Does anybody have any research paper confirming this 妄想？”
Anybody that has lived/worked in Kanagawa knows this. Why you need a research paper to confirm it? [iyami deleted]
I thought you were done here, Zeke? And yet you keep dragging your retarded ass back here anyway. Such a sad little troll.
“Anybody that has lived/worked in Kanagawa knows this. Why ? Doofus.”
I know people who lived/worked in Kanagawa: they didn’t know.
I’ve never heard this 妄想 before, and I don’t think many people know it , so you need a research paper to confirm it. Get it?
Debito’s campaign against Afro hair amongst the Japanese is apparently starting to take hold:
http://baseball.yahoo.co.jp/npb/headlines/20101215-00000009-dal-base
OK, but what about Bob Ross?
I think he has already gone to go paint happy little trees in the sky. One less ‘fro on the man that has been keepin’ a brotha down.
what is it with this website? you’re wasting your time arguing against something you think is more influential than it is, even when it’s right (or, in this case, half-right) and you’re wrong. I get linked to this trash over and over… my fault, I guess
Let’s take a look at OG Steve’s comment(debito.org/?p=8050#comment-226280 ) and see how we can provide more adequate information and improve Debito org.
He refers to the post
“Freeman offers specific dialogs to deal with J police during Gaijin Card Check
Posted by debito on August 4th, 2009″
What should you do if a cop stop you?
He might ask you to show gaijin card.
“#1 Silently show your Alien Registration Card.”
“#2 Say, “Ittemo ii desu ka?”
→
よろしいですか？
行（い）ってもよろしいですか？
The cops might ask you further questions.
(A)
Answer the questions and you can go. In case you you are annoyed by frequent stopping, go to (C)
OR
(B)
#3
Don’t let the police officer fool you.
Simply calmly repeat your mantra.
“Ittemo ii desu ka?”
Keisatsukan mo,
mibun o shimesu shouhyou o
keiji shinakereba narimasen.
→
（ほかの質問（しつもん）には、法律上（ほうりつじょう）、答（こた）える必要（ひつよう）がない、と聞（き）いていますので、すいませんが、）急（いそ）いでいますので、行かせもらいます。すいませーーん。and just leave the spot.
Keisatsukan mo,
mibun o shimesu shouhyou o
keiji shinakereba narimasen.
*This is not conversational.
→
警察手帳（けいさつてちょう）を見せていただけますか？
警察官（けいさつかん）に扮装（ふんそう）して情報（じょうほう）を聞（き）出（だ）す人（ひと）もいるようですし、そもそも提示義務（ていじぎむ）もあるわけですよね。
Kousoku sare mata wa,
Renkou sare moshiku wa,
Kyouyou sareru koto wa nai.
Keisatsukan shokumu shikko hou,
dai ni jou, dai ni kou to dai san kou.
→This is just reading a phrase out loud from the book it is not colloquial nor practical.
Kyodou fushinsha DAKE ni,
shokumu shitsumon suru koto
dekimasu, guttaiteki ni donna
fushin na koui o shimashitaka?
*What’s Kyoudou fushinsha?
→不審事由（ふしんじゆ）は何（なん）ですか？
“Reijou ga arimasuka?”
→They don’t need a warrant if it is red-handed. And be careful, depending on the situation, they might arrest you for obstructing official duties red-handed.
“Jinken no ihan desu node kouben shimasu.
Watashi wa taiho sarete imasu ka?”
Donna yougi de taiho sarete imasu ka”
*They are not grammatically wrong but sound unnatural.
→
逮捕（たいほ）されるわけですね。容疑（ようぎ）は何ですか？
And you will be a hero if you are “professional” human right activists and if the arrest turns out to be illegal , or you are just wasting time OR you will be legally in jail for, say obstructing official duties.
(C) Being stopped by a cop is surely annoying; I have the experiences in which I was stopped. We need to weigh the value of the safe area and the value of civil rights carefully:you can contribute to the safety of the city by being cooperative but you don’t have to stand excessive stopping.
If you are annoyed by frequent stopping and questioning—-
It might be a good idea if you carry IC recorder with you and record the conversation.
It might be better if you brought filming equipment and upload the video like these.
Play “Know Your Rights” at Papers Please Nazi “SS” Gestapo Check Point inside the USA
Show me your papers please! ID check-G20 Toronto
The Love Police: The Quantum Relationship
Don’t fool yourself into believing Rogue gallery has had any impact on Japanese society. At least you need to write in Japanese.
I don’t think you will be arrested like this.
Arrested at gunpoint – and innocent
And don’t worry: you will not be tasered
ACTUAL FOOTAGE Pastor Beaten Tased by Border Patrol DPS (Alex Jones) GIVE ME LIBERTY OR
Police Brutality: Tasered 6X For Not Showing ID, Federal Lawsuit Filed
File a formal complaint.
In case of Tokyo
http://www.kouaniinkai.metro.tokyo.jp/osirase.html
But keep in mind people are less likely to sympathize you when you are stopped at the red districts or crime-infested areas or at the time of international events.
OR
(D)Go to Debito org, protected, blocked and powered by Debito, and rant, whine, and lie to your satisfaction —- to promote good images of foreigners and foreign-born people?, to promote Debito as “human right activist”?.
But don’t expect a solution as shown in Hello gaiji san
OR
(E)Go to Tepido org and other forums—I welcome you to my blog—-to discuss what the problem is and what we can do. If you need a help to complain in Japanese, I’ll help you.
Talking of Japanese, people on Debito org frequently misunderstand Japanese or they know but they want to mislead you as in Ibduor case and Tsukiji case.
As for the video, whether the police’s action is legitimate is surely debatable, but according to the video,
０１５
鍵かけていなかったんで、
０１９
最近盗難多いんでご協力お願いしますよ。
４１４
鍵をしてなくて置いてあったんで本当に持ち主かどうかしらべているんです。
1)the police is stopping him because
a)the bicycle was unlocked (and probably he was about to ride it away)
b)it is a high-theft area
2)The cop called other officers for the car accident.)
I don’t like the way they speak as if helping for foreigners in Japan while blocking and shutting the suggestions, criticisms, corrections and helps.
LB provided a good translation for Alien Registration Card/Police Questioning Laws, Debito hasn’t corrected the errors yet while he had the time to go all the way to “interview” with Mike Guest—for what?
Good points, Sora
But I have to take issue with a couple points.
1. Do you really think the cop in the video fulfils his duty by calling over the radio for some other cops to come and check the accident, just so he can keep questioning someone on a bicycle? Seriously? This cop is clearly NOT acting as a public servant. Heck, he should arrest HIMSELF for “interfering in the duties of a public official”, since he was neglecting his clear duty to handle the accident scene. But maybe he is too stupid to be trusted with serious events, and his bosses have told him to only hassle people for bicycle and visa checks, nothing more?
2. The cops using “There have been a lot of thefts in the area / there have been reports of _____ recently.” is a standard bullshit excuse the cops anywhere can use to legally justify stopping anyone they choose to target even though they aren’t doing anything suspicious at all. There are ALWAYS “a lot of thefts recently”. And there are ALWAYS “reports” (not actually written down, or even real) of whatever crime they suspect you of.
Riding a bicycle? Then there’s “many reports of bicycle theft”
In a bar? Then there’s “many reports of drug sales in bars”
Walking to work while gaijin with a bag? The there’s “Many reports of visa overstayers carrying weapons and/or drugs in bags”
It’s exactly like a Monty Python sketch.
In some countries, where the court system is not a farce, maybe a defense lawyer could prove there was not actually any spike in crime reports in the area, and thus no probable cause to stop you.
I will never “cooperate” beyoond the bare minimum of showing my gaijin card, as far as letting a cop inspect my bag etc, and neither should you. Anyone can be held on suspicion for any number of “crimes”. Is every song on your iPod paid for? Can you prove it? Can you even prove you didn’t steal the iPod? Do you have an aspirin in your bag? Could be cocaine, it needs to be tested while we hold you for 23 days and search your apartment. Have any illegal downloads on your home computer? You’re a pirate! Any porn, even just by accident in your cache? Then you’re a pervert. Have a Swiss Army knife? It’s a weapon! Your gaijin card isn’t completely up to date with every job you’ve ever worked? Visa violation! And don’t even get started on the new, insane bicycle laws! Basically, you can’t actually ride a bicycle in Japan without breaking some rule (I think the laws were purposefully written that way)
These things don’t happen (much) but if a J cop deems you suspicious enough to take to the koban, and a prosecutor decides to target you, then God help you in this 99.5% guilty “justice” system.
But yes, I admit, these are perhaps the price we pay for having society with a low crime rate, or at least a low REPORTED crime rate.
I just think it would be even safer if the J cops stopped wasting time checking bicycle registrations, and more time investigating actual crimes, such as rapes and murders. Or in J cop lingo “willing sluts and suicides”.
Video Police are going to search you (00:00)
Victoria Police start using powers to randomly search people in public places for weapons
People in Australia seem to be obedient.
NYPD Assault Cyclist In Times Square – 29 July 2008
In NY, a cop seems to be very aggressive to stop cyclists.
In any case, I won’t object to the exercise of the civil right, of course.
But if somebody wants to do it, knowing the time and the cost(and the risk), please do it, but just use proper Japanese.
あなたはけいさつてちょうたずさえおびてますか？
ーーーはぁあああ？
きょうとうふしんしゃだけにしょくむしつもんすることできます。
ーーーはぁあああ？
わたしはたいほされていますか？ごうりまとではないです。
ーーーはぁあああ？
(I hope Debito followers will ask him to correct the errors, so that the newbies won’t be in trouble.)
空 – I have said it before, and I will say it again: what cops do, or do not do, in Australia is irrelevant. What cops do, or do not do, in New York is irrelevant. I don’t care if the cops stop every bicyclist in NYC and sodomize them with a cattle prod – we are not in New York. If we are talking about cops stopping bicyclists in Japan, then talk about Japanese laws, and how they affect people in Japan, and what one’s rights are in Japan under those laws.
You have your own blog to use as a platform in your crusade to out every bit of controversy on the rest of the planet. Keep it over there, please.
@LB
“空 – I have said it before, and I will say it again: what cops do, or do not do, in Australia is irrelevant. What cops do, or do not do, in New York is irrelevant”
→
I don’t see why it is irrelevant. They are cops, they are stopping and questioning people and the readers are mostly from all over the world.
“talk about Japanese laws, and how they affect people in Japan, and what one’s rights are in Japan under those laws.”
→
Right and I’ll talk about it too.
If you don’t like the parts mentioning the cases of other countries, you can ignore them just as anybody can ignore your mentioning Bob Ross, an American national, if s/he wants to.
”
You have your own blog to use as a platform in your crusade to out every bit of controversy on the rest of the planet. Keep it over there, please.”
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Please tell me what is wrong with picking up the cases in other countries?
As I said, the readers are from all over the world, The cases are relevant as references.
And as I pointed out above about Outlier’s comment, the posters on Debito org has a strong tendency to unfairly compare it with their mother countries, Europe and North America when talking about Japan and the Japanese.
I am —and I guess lots of Japanese people also are— sick and tired of the double standard.
Who the hell is talking “only in Japan” “Japan is /the Japanese are unique/different/weird/wacky/uncivilized/the others/heretic etc.???
I don’t see what is wrong with preventing it.
They are often talking about the problems only from their own framework and prejudice. (This Afro Tanaka is also a case in point. )
There are similarity and differences between any two countries, two cultures. We need to put it into wider perspective.
I believe that referring to the other countries, their countries, is useful to help them distance themselves from their prejudice and it is necessary to prevent the biased discourse.
( Note also I am not saying your country is doing so we are justified, which is just illogical.)
@Level3
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2. The cops using “There have been a lot of thefts in the area / there have been reports of _____ recently.” is a standard bullshit excuse the cops anywhere can use to legally justify stopping anyone they choose to target even though they aren’t doing anything suspicious at all.”
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True.
But I’ll take a bicycle check lightly. I’ve experienced several times. All it takes is to tell the cop your name (and address), and he’ ll contact a head office or something and see if the name fits with the name registered for the bicycle. While he was calling over the radio, we had a chat like “omawari san taihen desuneee, kokorahen wa hanzai ooindesuka, nankai mo
yarareterun-su kedo, nande? or something “like that.
There was a time when I used someone else’s bicycle. It took some time to explain it but I told him to call up the owner.
I’ve heard stories people were asked questions concerning some other crimes than bicycles related crime. They said they became nervous because the cops talked as if they were suspects. So I guess you need to be very careful. If I were them, would I just reject the question and remain silent? I’d rather explain things so that doubts would be cleared.
But if it got a real serious phase and I were in a interrogation room, I’d consult a lawyer and remain silent after saying I already explained everything.
“1. Do you really think the cop in the video fulfils his duty by calling over the radio for some other cops to come and check the accident”
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As I said, it is debatable whether the cop’s act was legitimate.Considering what the cop is doing now–a bicycle check and the fact there might have been injuries involved, I am inclined to think that he should have gone to the spot immediately. Someone else might say that it depends on how long (he thought) it would take other cops to come.
“In some countries, where the court system is not a farce, maybe a defense lawyer could prove there was not actually any spike in crime reports in the area, and thus no probable cause to stop you.”
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Theoretically yes, but if the charge is heavy, the court tend to ignore it.
You commit a murder, you were arrested for a minor charge but later they discovered clear evidences that you committed the murder. It might turn out the stop and question was illegal, What should the could decide? There are some theories about this kind of problem, but I forgot exactly what they were. In any case, I think the court tends to consider how serious the charge is, how serious illegal acts a cop committed, the relation of the cop’s illegal act and the evidences discovered to prove the heavier crime.
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These things don’t happen (much) but if a J cop deems you suspicious enough to take to the koban, and a prosecutor decides to target you, then God help you in this 99.5% guilty “justice” system.”
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It is true that if a prosecutor decides to target you, then she might do everything to convict you.
That’s one reason we should be warned against the abuse of the power.
But there are differences between the number of people a cop stopped and questioned, the number of case the police recognized as a crime and the number of cases a prosecutor actually bring charge.
I think people in Japan still tend to trust the police rather than mistrust them despite some horrible news related to the police.
Ops
Sorry now I got what kyodofusinshsya is.
挙動不審者 right?
(this is why Kanji is necessary)
I hereby correct the error I made.
“I just think it would be even safer if the J cops stopped wasting time checking bicycle registrations, and more time investigating actual crimes, such as rapes and murders.”
Depends on what “safer” means. Those who are the victims of bicycle theft want the police to be more involved in checking for registration. Same goes for actual crimes. It’s usually the neighborhood/merchant/district associations that wants the police to conduct shokumushitsumon.
Police stations/branches set up 警 察 署 協 議 会 where the general public discuss safety matters with the police.