Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
How has the conflict in Ukraine been affecting Russian nationals here in Japan? Nikkan Gendai (March 19) assigned a reporter to check out Red Square. Not that Red Square by the Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral, but a shop in Ginza that sells Russian food and beverage items.
Several days earlier, some unknown individual had vandalized the store's sign. This despite the fact that the shop's proprietor is Ukrainian -- as are many of its employees.
Gendai's reporter was summarily brushed off. "Forget it. Some people have been coming to get quotes from our workers," a staff member at the shop informed him. "Discussing politics is off the table."
The reporter did manage to sneak in a question to one of the shop's female workers. Did she know of any other attacks against the store or its employees?
"Actually it's quite the contrary," she smiled. "We've received quite a few phone calls and letters of support, mostly positive."
Still, the writer observes, Russian residents of Japan are clearly on pins and needles these days. As if times weren't hard enough due to the coronavirus pandemic, the war has impacted business at so-called gaikokujin pubs serving up a one-two punch.
The pubs, concentrated in the Kinshicho district of Tokyo's Sumida Ward, employ many women from Russia and countries of the former Soviet Union.
A Russian female in her 20s -- we'll call her Anna -- conveyed her concerns to Nikkan Gendai's reporter.
"I've heard that Russian children attending Japanese schools had been bullied by their classmates," she says. "Also, the websites of some Russian restaurants were hacked. It's got me pretty uptight."
Until last summer, Anna had been working at one of the pubs.
"Work dried up because of the coronavirus pandemic, so I had to quit," she said. "Before then, a lot of girls from Eastern Europe posed as Russians because Russian girls were in high demand by customers; but now the situation has completely reversed.
"I'm not aware of anyone being on the receiving end of violence, but the shops' web sites have been hit by messages telling them to 'Get the hell out of Japan,' or posts slandering Russian girls. We're all scared," she added.
Atsushi Tashiro, a reporter who covers the crime beat, told Nikkan Gendai that as more people tested positive for COVID-19 with the recent "wave" of new infections, regular customers at the pubs began receiving calls from females, propositioning them to enter into a papa-katsu (sugar daddy) relationship.
"The customers were bombarded by repeated phone calls from the girls, but it's been difficult for them to take them up on their offers because of the recent tough times," Tashiro said. "There was already a bad mood brewing at the pubs, with Russian women, who tend to be popular, being looked down upon by Asian women. More recently I've been hearing that the rift between the two sides has deepened even further."
Presently taped to the window of the Red Square shop in Ginza is a notice that reads, "We wish for peace between the two countries." But, the writer concludes, it appears that President Putin's violent outburst has fomented all sorts of hatred.
© Japan Today
17 Comments
Login to comment
Monty
"I've heard that Russian children attending Japanese schools had been bullied by their classmates,"
because of the anti-Russia hysteria in the Western media.
No!
It is because the Russians invaded Ukraine and are mass murdering innocent people, including women and children.
And that is exactly what I said already before:
Because of the Russian mass murdering insane Mob and all his supporters, the nice and peaceful Russians who are living worldwide will feel bad consequences from that.
It is very very sad to see that.
but the shops' web sites have been hit by messages telling them to 'Get the hell out of Japan,' or posts slandering Russian girls. We're all scared," she added.
Things like that don't only happen in Japan. These things are happening worldwide.
And that is the result and consequences from the Russian insane murderer Putin and his insane mass murdering Mob AND from all his supporters worldwide!
Like I said, it is very very said to see that.
The biggest problem is that all the supporters of that mass murdering insane Putin and his Mob, didn't see what they are doing to the nice and peaceful Russians living worldwide, by supporting these murdering Mob.
Either they completely ignore it or they are to stupid to recognize that.
Michael Machida
When America goes to war and it's a unfavorable war, we Americans get the same kind of treatment. When an American Military Guy attacks a young Japanese girl, we Americans in Tokyo get the brunt of the situation way up here. So, when Putin from Russia starts an unjustified war and kills thousands and thousands of people from Ukraine, the world will react to the way Russians seem to support Putins' War. It's natural for people to react. It may not be correct, however - we all have a reaction to violence. It's our duty and obligation to question our governments. If you do not and just complain, consequences will be a reaction from the rest of the world.
nero
Unlike China virus the media fully endorse vilification of Russians. Why is that ?
garypen
Because the gov't of China did not deliberately release it as an attack on another sovereign and peaceful nation. And, China is suffering the ill effects of the virus themselves. (Also, it's not called "China virus". But, you knew that.)
ayausj
Nikkan Gendai ?
One of the most notorious tabloids in Japan.
Addfwyn
Not surprising, it is pretty much a worldwide thing, I don't think Japan is any more guilty than anywhere else. People are going full on McCarthy these days, and it is only being encouraged by mass media. Chinese worldwide had to deal with similiar discrimination in the wake of Covid, but this is even more heated.
Composers and authors whose work predates even the Soviet Union are being banned. My friend rescued a copy of an early edition of War and Peace that was going to be thrown out of his local library. Russian groceries and russian-owned businesses are being defaced. Facebook explicitly allowing death threats and hate speech (this has thankfully be rolled back for now).
The worst part is how many people are hand-waving this, saying they deserve it for being Russian, or that this is a perfectly natural and acceptable response. I am sure we aren't far from people suggesting they be relocated to "internment camps" for their protections.
McCarthy would be proud to see that his fearmongering and hate has such a long life. I really thought we were better than this by now, but clearly little has changed.
Peter14
The really strange thing is the only people talking of such narrative are pro Russians looking for sympathy for their cause.
There is no anti Russian feeling for arts or culture or literature in Australia. Ban Russian made products to help Ukraine, sure. Most Russians do not support Putin but do support a free Ukraine and want Russia to stop hostilities immediately. Public support for Ukraine is high almost everywhere. Schools are not stopping the teaching of history. Music lessons still keep classical Russian musicians in the curriculum and no libraries here are throwing out any Russian written books.
There is much disgust for Russian actions in Ukraine right now. A hate for Putin and his surviving Generals, and a solidarity for sanctions against Russia and not doing things to assist the Russian wartime economy.
It helps some anti west people continue to hate the West by spreading such "anti Russian culture" theories and rumors. I have yet to actually see it or hear of it outside of Pro Russian opinions and their manufactured unreliable sources.
NCIS Reruns
ayausj@ It has a circulation of about 1.6 million. What is it you don't like about the article?
jeancolmar
There are now some 15,000 political prisoners who protested Putin's war in jails across Russia. Anyone want to denigrate them? Do the Facebookers want to send threatening letters to those prisoners?
When Putin's war started, thousands of Russians came out in protest and were arrested.
The Russian kids being bullied at school, the young Russian women working in bars are not Putin and ought to be left in peace.
Lord Dartmouth
BroncoMar. 29 06:33 am JST
because of the anti-Russia hysteria in the Western media.
Banning disabled atheletes from the Paralympics that they spent their whole lives preparing for.
Facebook allowing posts that advocate violence towards Russians.
Disgusting behavior.
The fact that this post gets 17 dislikes and only 11 likes is truly scary. The hysteria that has been deliberately whipped up against Russians is one of the most sickening things I have seen in recent years. Shame on all of you who disliked this post.
Khaos
Remind me how we called people who engage in displays and acts of hatred toward people of a given ethnicity.
Yuuju
Im against violence towards russians even if there are many those who dont care whats happening.
But, instead of
itd better write sth like “We are truly sorry as the representatives of the nation who did wrong and did wrong to Ukraine many times before in history, in 2014, in previous centuries as well, in times of Great Famine made by Stalin and in times of slavery made by russian tsars” i think thatd be only fair.
is their sadness equal to the sadness of Ukrainian children and women dying and being raped, kidnapped and hurt?
socrateos
The solution to this problem is simple for Russian people. Just depose their authoritarian ruler. What are they waiting for? The time is now for them to act.
Laguna
As an American who has lived in Japan over 30, there have been times when my country's actions have led me to claim to be Canadian. Wrong is wrong, regardless of nationality.
Skeptical
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted in bias against individual Russians abroad?
Unfortunate.
Yet understandable, to a certain degree, in that the average person residing in a democracy will easly be forgiven for believing that average Russians have any say whatsoever in the country's leadership or how the country is run (apart, perhaps, for certain oligarchs).
All reasonable evidence collected by a host of NGOs tell us otherwise.
(Note: To save time and effort for future anticipated replies by bots / semi-bots, I'll say it for you: 'Lies, all filthy lies! The Put Man is great, everybody else isn't! They don't understand him! They are all jealous!').
Kind of like blaming the messenger for the message. Understandable, considering the growing evidence of attrocities, amounting to war crimes. Laughable, though, to even start to believe that The Put isn't at the controls of all these crimes against humanity.
(Again, for the bots: 'Lies! Filthy lies! All make-believe! Everyone's out to get us!').
Some may argue that Russians abroad would have become practiced and experienced in apologizing for the excesses of their government, in general, and their human rights record, and their coercive and corrosive foreign policy, in particular. So many examples to pick from, but we can let that drop. One couldn't blame them if they kept an overseas lower profile. Apology fatigue, don't you know!
I'm truly sorry that they feel badly about how their leaders are flattening the civilian population of several major cities and multiple smaller communities. But I'll be even more sorry if they didn't.
Strangerland
It is sad that Russian citizens are paying the price for Putin's ego.
But unfortunately reality has dictated he's their problem to deal with. Until/unless they do, they will be the ones who end up suffering.