Hayashi concerned about human rights abuses against Russians in Japan

I don't think that the majority of Russians support Putin's crimes in Ukraine, many are even leaving Russia in protest or fear of retaliation by Putin's security services.

Russians are part of our world with great contributions and the world understands that well.

This is a hard one to deter. It's amazing how the mind clumps all Russians into the same category as being Putin like. We must not do this. I know. It's the same as when an American does something terrible in Japan and the entire population of Americans in Japan are criticized for what someone did in Okinawa. Not all Russians are Putin like. I agree. We need to understand this.

concerned about human rights abuses against Russians in Japan

There are so many human rights abuses in Japan, and not limited to Russians only.

How about highlighting the hatred Korean people get in Japan Hayashi?

That is exactly what I said here before.

What Putin and his insane mass murdering Mob are doing in the Ukraine have a very bad impact on the nice and peaceful Russians who are living all over the world.

And additional, all the Russian Putin fans, who are living in Japan and all over the world, who are nonstop cheering up and defending what these insane russian mass murders are doing in the Ukraine, are also responsible for that.

But they are too stupid to recognize that.

This whole Ukraine situation is a tragedy for the people of Russia nearly as much as the people of Ukraine. The people of Russia are not being murdered, so it's not the same, but they're paying the price of their lifestyle to satisfy Putin's ego.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday expressed concerns about human rights abuses against Russian nationals in Japan, in reference to hate speech, harassment and other discriminatory acts that have occurred in the country since Moscow invaded Ukraine in late February.

Meanwhile, today as every other day, somewhere in fair Nippon someone will walk in a real estate office, the staff will look at them, check which landlords will accept this kind of renter, make some phone calls, get rejections which can be overheard by the prospective renter depending upon their language ability...

It does not rise to being the level of an international issue though.

How about highlighting the hatred Korean people get in Japan Hayashi?

Yes, how dare he only speak on a single societal issue, and not address every issue faced by society all at once, and in equal measure, right? The idea that his message could even be anything less than laughable, when he hasn't addressed every issue faced by society all at once, and in equal measure, is itself laughable. Right?

...right?

Only 9,000 Russians living in Japan? That’s a surprisingly small number. A good thing about Russia is that, unlike the other nuclear-armed superpower, they’re not trying to inundate Japan with immigrants.

Pure hypocrisy from Hayashi.

The minister should know that already every day in his country there are plenty of human rights violations against visible minorities in his countries from the daily denying of renting flats or entering in public SPA as the slave like status of the short term workers from Vietnam or Philippines beaten at their workplaces or forced to abort.

Or how their immigration detain centres treat the people with mental and physical abuses.

Pure tatemae from a country that want to display to the world that they are on the right side.

Probably more people in China support Putin at the moment than people in Russia.

Of course, reading the Chinese internet is difficult, so the Great Translation Movement is helping here.

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/tweets-translation-03152022150823.html

https://twitter.com/TGTM_Official/status/1501751810477809665

So, let's give average Russian just a little bit of breathing room.

Pure hypocrisy from Hayashi.

The minister should know that already every day in his country there are plenty of human rights violations against visible minorities in his countries from the daily denying of renting flats or entering in public

Yes, his lack of addressing every issue faced by society all at once and in equal measure, clearly identifies him as a hypocrite, and anything he says should, nay, MUST, be discredited,

What a timely hypocritical comment! I have been hearing "hate speech" for decades against military members here in Okinawa for decades, and not a peep out of anyone in the government against it either!

Enact some antidiscrimination laws with teeth, start an education campaign and then maybe you’ll see a difference in Japan about such issues.

For a country that is on the world stage it’s high time for this to happen.

There are so many human rights abuses in Japan, and not limited to Russians only.

Absolutely!

How about highlighting the hatred Korean people get in Japan Hayashi?

unfortunately, that won't score brownie points with the west but will score brownie points with the far right here

Meanwhile, today as every other day, somewhere in fair Nippon someone will walk in a real estate office, the staff will look at them, check which landlords will accept this kind of renter, make some phone calls, get rejections which can be overheard by the prospective renter depending upon their language ability...

It does not rise to being the level of an international issue though.

Excellent point!

Pure hypocrisy from Hayashi.

The minister should know that already every day in his country there are plenty of human rights violations against visible minorities in his countries from the daily denying of renting flats or entering in public SPA as the slave like status of the short term workers from Vietnam or Philippines beaten at their workplaces or forced to abort.

Or how their immigration detain centres treat the people with mental and physical abuses.

Pure tatemae from a country that want to display to the world that they are on the right side.

Exactly what that is! Well said William!

What a timely hypocritical comment! I have been hearing "hate speech" for decades against military members here in Okinawa for decades, and not a peep out of anyone in the government against it either!

Yup!

I’ve discussed this war with Japanese and it seems to me that they’re mostly angry at Putin and the Russian government, not its people.

The Japanese government actually saying something logical for once. You can’t blame Russian citizens living in Japan or anywhere else for Putin’s war crimes. From what I can tell, most Russians living abroad with free access to media, do not support Putin at all and are ashamed.

I have been hearing "hate speech" for decades against military members here in Okinawa for decades,

Maybe because of the behaviour of the military like sexual assaults, rape, drunk driving, flying in without any PCR tests...and so on.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, thank you for defending Russians, many of them refugees, in Japan from discrimination.

Please leave the Russian Ortodox Churches alone. They are a mixed bag and have little if anything to do with Putin.

Please leave the Russian Ortodox Churches alone. They are a mixed bag and have little if anything to do with Putin.

Not when the leader of the Orthodox church, Kirril, supports the war and actively supports/backs Putin

Would really hurt to have a last name like Putin right now and be living Anywhere.

I’ve discussed this war with Japanese and it seems to me that they’re mostly angry at Putin and the Russian government, not its people.

I don’t know if you watch Japanese news, but Russia is constantly criticized with no news or defense of events from a Russian perspective or Donbass, only western propaganda.

TokyoJoeToday  07:08 am JST

How about highlighting the hatred Korean people get in Japan Hayashi?

Sure. The day when South Korean politicians do something about the hate towards Japanese people and the use of anti-japan sentiment and historical revisionism as a diplomatic and political tool.

Michael MachidaToday  06:58 am JST

This is a hard one to deter. It's amazing how the mind clumps all Russians into the same category as being Putin like. We must not do this.

It's funny to see this post here, because that's exactyly what we see day in and day out. Every article about Hiroshima gets comments about Japan's "victim" attitude.

Nobody differentiates the actions of the Japanese military invading other countries, and the civilians in a city who were only fed the militarist government's propaganda.

Exactly what we are seeing today, with most Russians supporting the invasion of Ukraine because they are fed only their govt news.

Actually the Russian ‘justification’ has been explained many times and in some detail on Japanese TV.

Although enlightening, and makes some good points, unfortunately it does not hold too much weight in the world of common sense. It certainly does not justify what Putin is attempting to do right now.

And while we are on the subject, Russians are human beings first and foremost.

I really dislike any emotional and ignorant attacks on individuals, so the Japanese government is right to try and remind the population.

I think its important to remember to comment on what the article is referring to.

This is a step in the right direction for Japan to stop hate crimes and discrimination towards all Russians because of the acts of putin .

This opens the door to less discrimination in general.

I wholeheartedly agree there are many human rights issues and prejudice discrimination issues in Japan but however the article is focusing on Russians in Japan.

We can only change the future not change the past.

If not all Russians in Japan are with the same opinion of Putin, problem with war is that you will find some of those Russians living in Japan with executive positions and also pro-Putin position...

How to know for sure ? That is the main issue in every war. Acts show what you are.

I pray for all the innocent victims.

Obviously not all Russians are innocent and not only oligarchs by the way. Putin is a system like the Nazi system was.

Maybe Japanese TV shouldn’t highlight AZOV neo nazis like they did last night.

Jonathan -

That is a very valid point.

But to outwardly discriminate everyone because they are Russian is what the discussion is about .

"Not when the leader of the Orthodox church, Kirril, supports the war and actively supports/backs Putin." Agree with any condemnation Kirril. He is truly a corrupt, self-serving monster. Putin's first order of business was to buy off the ROC hierarchy. All the better control the Russian people, he thought. However he may have succeeded, Kirril is not the like the Pope. There are lots of Orthodox Churches all over the world---from Arminian to Zambian (?) and they tend to be independent and at times quarrelsome. In Kobe we have a ubiquitous Orthodox church that lets in anybody who is an Orthodox and feels like one.

How about Hayashi help put his money where his mouth is and if there are instances of hate speech and/or acts of violence against Russians (or others), prosecute those responsible. Too much?

To the Russian people who are living in various countries throughout the world, its is not your fault and no one has the right to treat you any different and you would be welcome in my home. However, if by chance any of you support what Poo Tin is doing and think he is a great guy then please go home where you belong.

smithinjapanToday  03:35 pm JST

How about Hayashi help put his money where his mouth is and if there are instances of hate speech and/or acts of violence against Russians (or others), prosecute those responsible. Too much?

If anyone can answer in a straightforward manner, what line in the sand is it ? to excuse all those your comments for years here at JT about Japan, Japanese, the Japanese, Japanese people, Japanese voters (that let LDP runs the nation) , are not hate speech abusing Japanese readers if they are reading your posts.

Don't even think, you have been referring to J-govt only.

In my experience, it's common for people to say 'Russia is bad' when they mean the Russian government (and that goes for all countries). Therefore, they tend to think all Russian people are bad too. The same goes for China or North and South Korea. When I press them, they will admit that they don't really believe this, but it's a worrying phenomenon.

Anyway, well said, Mr Hayashi.

I don’t know if you watch Japanese news, but Russia is constantly criticized with no news or defense of events from a Russian perspective or Donbass, only western propaganda.

I don't know if you watch Western news, but Russia, and only Russia, has invaded the sovereign nation of Ukraine, and is executing innocent civilians in the streets. Russia has no defense. There is not, and cannot be any justification of invading a foreign nation and executing its civilians. So quit your whining. Russia can stop the "propaganda" instantly, by retreating from Ukraine.

If Russia stops fighting, there is no more war.

If Ukraine stops fighting, there is no more Ukraine.

I think it is important to be concerned about Russians who are ban from giving a piano concerto, sports competitions etc. They have to answers questions about their positions of Russia’s invasion, so I guess this new rule should be applied for very country that does arm to other humans.

Well, for now, Russia is enough. Maybe we can consider other countries in the future.

The only way humanity can put an end to Russian-like atrocities of murder of citizens in other nations is to combine as humanity to say "no, you can't do that". It's unfortunate innocent Russian citizens have to lose their opportunity to participate in humanity as a result of this, but compared to living in a world where we just let Russian invade another country and murder its citizens, banning Russians from participation in the rest of humanity is clearly the lesser evil. It's not even comparable. The Russians who are banned are still alive, living life, in homes that aren't being and haven't been shelled.. The Ukrainians who are murdered can't say the same.

Innocent Russian citizens should not be morally persecuted. But their leadership only leads at the behest of the people, and Putin is their problem to deal with. Until then, Russia must be quarantined.

This is hilarious, a member of the government telling people not to discriminate because of factors that have taken place over the last 7 weeks.

Perhaps he will explain what has been happening for many years, the discrimination shown to all foreign people, by the government, the police and society in general.....he should remember that for 2 years he is part of a government that has not allowed foreigners to come to Japan as it is them who bring the nasty viruses...

Laugh....I almost did my pants

The article mentions a string of incidents, but nowhere does it mention a specific time period or the number of incidents. Perhaps the number of incidents is not newsworthy in other countries, and anyone who says that Japan is a discriminatory country based on this level of news is probably not living in Japan and simply hates Japan.

MarkApr. 20  06:57 am JST

I don't think that the majority of Russians support Putin's crimes in Ukraine, many are even leaving Russia in protest or fear of retaliation by Putin's security services.

Russians are part of our world with great contributions and the world understands that well.

May I mention the abuses the US did to Japanese-Americans during WW2? Today is George Takei's birthday and he was a child when that occurred. Yes, the US was at war with Japan which was ruled by a brutal scummy fascist regime. But that was no excuse to detain or even mess with our own citizens of a certain ethnicity.

> Michael MachidaApr. 20  06:58 am JST

This is a hard one to deter. It's amazing how the mind clumps all Russians into the same category as being Putin like. We must not do this. I know. It's the same as when an American does something terrible in Japan and the entire population of Americans in Japan are criticized for what someone did in Okinawa. Not all Russians are Putin like. I agree. We need to understand this.

You hate the enemy government but not the people. When I was in the Navy, we had wars with Libya and Iran. I hated Gaddafi, he was a terroristic bastard but I don't hate Libyans or Arabian people. Now he's gone. I hate the theocratic totalitarian government of Iran but I don't hate Iranians. I had a couple of Iranian friends in college.

Putin is a dictator jerk but that doesn't mean all Russians are. They should not be mistreated because of him.