this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2023
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Low birthrate and ageing population pose ‘an urgent risk to society’, but can opening its borders to skilled overseas workers fix the problem?

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[–] [email protected] 60 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The amount of xenophobia in those countries, they would def have a population collapse. But hey happy earth!

[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Japan is totally fine with foreigners ... if you're western. Otherwise you can GTFO.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Even white guys would never be able to assimilate with them. You are never Japanese even if you are half, even when you born in Japan move to overseas and come back to Japan — you are treated as an outsider.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Europe is the more or less same to be honest. You are never completely assimilated unless you look and speek the same as locals.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I think that is because you can't really compare a country that's for the most part populated with it's natives (at least for the last centuries) versus a country that basically removed it's natives and was populated from the beginning with people from different nations (like the USA, Australia or Canada). Immigration works differently when you integrate into a country that's made out of immigrants. Versus a country where the natives are still living there as a majority.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Yes, I was thinking the same. Basically all america

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago (3 children)

That's not exactly true. They're fine with you being their temporarily, even for a few years. Try to raise a family there and that consideration goes away.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Try to raise a family there

That's exactly what I've been doing for about 20 years as a matter of fact. No real trouble whatsoever myself, but I can't even count the number of times now I've seen people give my Chinese wife shit and then fumble all over themselves when I (an American) walk up and introduce myself. One old guy at a ramen shop even had the balls to try to explain how much better western and Japanese girls are, while she was sitting right next to me.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Question: but how can they tell she's not Japanese (I'm assuming she speaks Japanese)? E.g. many Europeans could pass as being from anywhere in the Americas+Europe as long as they don't say anything and dress like a local. Are they that sensitive to facial structure differences?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What? Are you really saying you couldn't tell if someone is from Spain or Russia? Germany or UK? Hair colour, eyes colour, skin colour, height, facial features are all completely different. Try finding blonde, 1.9m tall Spaniard with blue eyes for example. There are exceptions obviously, but 99% of the time you can easily spot a Brit/German/Polish/Russian in Spain. The same is true for Asia. I'm sure it's very easy for them to tell Japanese/Chinese/Korans/Indians apart.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sure, the percentages of certain traits in the population are radically different, but there is always enough variation within the population that you can find combinations without automatically having to conclude that the person is foreign. Maybe the variation is smaller within Japan, I know it's larger in China, so maybe a Japanese woman would blend easier in China than the reverse?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I can only judge from media and people i met here in Europe, but for all of them the facial structure is pretty distinct between chinese and japanese people.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

chinese, japanese, koreans, and orher asians have different facial features and are typically easily distinguishable

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

This would be after she's introduced herself, but you can make a pretty good guess about most Asian people once you get used to the differences as well

[–] kalleboo 4 points 1 year ago

I'm raising a family here in Japan. Pick them up from daycare, take them to the clinic when sick, go to bars, talk to cabbies. Never had a hint of negativity about it.

Sure there's xenophobia in Japan, lots of it, but I've never seen this meme of "they love tourists but when they hate it when you move there!" that people (who mostly have not lived in Japan) repeat online.

If anything, the examples of racism I see are the opposite - they dislike tourists who barge into small corner bars and violate local manners, but if you live there, speak the language and show an understanding of the customs they're fine with you.