Shiga inn stated on website it would reject Russians, Belarusians

"(The inn) feels strong anger toward the behaviors of Russia and Belarus. However, people of Russia and Belarus are

welcome to come and get berated.

Very common in other countries too. Imagine being Russian, scared of your country's government for openly opposing the war and then being denied a service because of your nationality.

I do not think Russians nor Belarusians can come to Japan easily anyway. But the statement "However, people of Russia and Belarus are innocent" is wrong as there are millions of Russians in Russia supporting Putin's war, out of patriotism or ignorance.

That's a step too far in my opinion.

What the Russian government is doing is very wrong. But blaming every Russian civilian for the actions of their ruler, it's unjust.

Japan,returning to its WW2 stance and coating everyone with the same brush.

Love Japan,but the underbelly is scary as hell.

Japan,returning to its WW2 stance and coating everyone with the same brush.

Love Japan,but the underbelly is scary as hell.

I agree that Japan has a huge xenophobia and stereotype problem, which goes largely unnoticed because of how nuanced it is. However, we're talking about one business in the countryside here, not some sort of blanket ban. I think you could find examples of this in pretty much any western or pro-western country.

So now it doesn't matter if you support Putin or not you are going to be blamed just because you have a Russian passport and you cannot just change that

Well I hope Canada never does anything to get people angry becau despite being I'm Japan for 30 years I would be guilty by association.

Ooohhh wait "guilty by association" isn't that the present theme world wide? Russia woman married to Japanese man in Japan 20 plus years "Guilty!"

White man in North America doesn't matter where your are from "Guilty!" or slavery, treatment of the natives and Sexism!.

And let's keep the best for last WW2 Japanese are all "Guilty" for the crimes of their parents and grandparents!

This is the way things are today.

Better hope your country or ethnic group doesn't get in trouble and you can't do anything because you to will be "Guilty by association"

In in Nagahama in Shiga Prefecture??? LOL and wonder if any Russian/Belorussian tourists ever stayed overnight there before...

The inn, located in Nagahama in Shiga Prefecture, admitted that rejecting guests from the two countries, although not a single customer from Russia or Belarus actually sought to stay there

This is just hilarious!

The prefectural government told the inn on Monday that the statement is suspected of violating Japan's Hotel Business Act, which prohibits hoteliers from denying a person lodging except for some specific cases, such as when the person has an infectious disease.

Or if they are tattooed. Or foreign. In fact, the "Act" seems pretty unspecific.

And what do normal russiansor bielorussian citizen have anything to do with the actions of their governments?

This rule is so discriminatory and so very Japanese.

Welcome to the country or prejudice and xenophobia.

This rule is so discriminatory and so very Japanese.

Try reading news other than JT.

This is not exclusive to this one place or Japan to be exact that only one is reported is interesting.

In places like Winnipeg Canada with a very high percentage of "ethnic" Ukrainians not only are Russians being denied service "ethnic" Russian Canadians are. As well as a increase in violence towards people seen as Russian or ethnic Russian.

At least Japan hasn't come to that.

FREE PR stunt, and they got it for free.

tiquesavingToday  06:24 pm JST

This rule is so discriminatory and so very Japanese.

Try reading news other than JT.

Are you mocking me?

I’m native German and Italian speaker and in the news I read from my countries (I’m a double) none is denying renting to russian citizens.

The world is not a huge anglo saxon agglomeration as you might think.

"Shiga inn stated on website it would reject Russians, Belarusians." Typical example of ignorance and bigotry.

Tsesarevich Nicholas of Russia (later Nicholas II) was nearly killed by an assassin in Otsu, and they have the nerve to ban Russians!

William77Today  06:37 pm JST

I will say it again look at other news including BBC CBC, etc...

If you can't find or see it, then it is because you don't want to.

Several police departments in Canada are investigating harrassment of Ethnic Russian owned businesses, it has gotten to the point that an ethnic Japanese Canadian who was interned during WW2 is warning Canada not to repeat what it has done in the past.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6405254

AntiquesavingToday  06:43 pm JST

William77Today  06:37 pm JST

I will say it again look at other news including BBC CBC, etc...

And I tell you again,I have different sources.

On the other hand I vividly suggest you to read the FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine) Le Figarò or the neutral Corriere Della Sera.

Different countries and different stories,again the world is not only the one side of one speaking country you look at.

zichiToday  06:58 pm JST

I doubt any Russians or Belarusians would even go to Nagahama

Really? I will grant you it I probably very unlikely, but my adult children went to school and are still good friends with mixed Russian Japanese.

Their mothers are Russian and living in Japan.

Under this policy they would be refused.

I wonder if that policy would apply to the mixed children?

I rarely agree with William77, but in this instance I agree with the particular point he is making.

Having said that, the business is a private concern and if the owner chooses out of moral outrage at the atrocities being committed in Ukraine, not to have the business and lose money surely that is his choice not some local authority pen pushers?

englisc aspyrgendToday  07:07 pm JST

I rarely agree with William77, but in this instance I agree with the particular point he is making.

What part that this is just Japan being xenophobic?

This rule is so discriminatory and so very Japanese.

Welcome to the country or prejudice and xenophobia.

I guess because the news doesn't agree with some then ignore it, right?

Reports are all over in many countries of Russians and ethnic Russians being targeted, harassed and refused service.

Japan is one place

Better to not make it an issue of nationality and simply state that "supporters of Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine will not be made welcome here."

Many Russians and Belarusian citizens are against Putin's invasion, and they should be welcome.

This is not good. There're lots of Russians, not to mention already in Japan, who hate Putin rejecting today's Russia

‘Possibly’(?) @Zoroto but no way to say for certain, is there?

The local authorities should have fined them instead of urging them to stop their racist "protest."

Of course, @Antiquesavings, there are always those here that seem to think they know better than you and others on every topic: “I doubt any Russians or Belarusians would even go to Nagahama.” - For those not in Japan, Nagahama is a Shinkansen stop on the N700 between Nagoya and Kyoto. BIL is CEO of major company on a variety of projects throughout central Japan. Amongst the many companies ‘entertaining’ staff, vendors and clients in the Chubu & Kansai regions, there is a certain popular, let’s say, ‘contingent’ of very sociable, attractive, young ‘part-time students’, fluent enough in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, English and a variety of European languages. There are also a great number of corporate owned and private vacation homes and yachts ringing Lake Biwa. Perhaps all these guest are they’re there to view the bonsai as well ?

GarthgoyleToday  08:31 pm JST

The local authorities should have fined them instead of urging them to stop their racist "protest

It may be difficult to do that.

Years back an Osaka glasses store told a black man to leave saying they don't serve black people.

He took the store to court and the courts rulled that discrimination does not apply to non Japanese.

This ruling basically meant that it is perfectly legal in Japan to refuse service, lodging, transportation, etc...to non Japanese.

The Only way to fix that is to modify the constitution and that is a dangerous Pandora box to open in this country.

The Japanese inn has done what many others have thought about doing. They just needed to show support for Ukraine in a better way.

You mean like inciting people by throwing machismo comments around?

Nearly every Police department in Canada now has an investigation going into harassment of people of Russian origin.

This is the result of the machismo attitude and comments by certain people around the world.

Can we imagine if during the Vietnam war people did the same to Americans?

We have reports of Russians fleeing Russia in order to not be drafted into the military very much like the US during the Vietnam war but here we are nearly condoning the actions that are discriminating against a group of people regardless of their political view!

Maibara Station then, if you want to be so specific. The unnamed inn could be across from the station for all that’s been reported here.

Many inns also deal in cash. Seems only prudent that not every ‘entertainment’ expenditure and side excursion while on a company retreat away from the cities would go on the ledgers.

kennyG

This is not good. There're lots of Russians, not to mention already in Japan, who hate Putin rejecting today's Russia

Agree 100%

It isn't clear if the inn wants to refuse people visiting Japan from Russia or Belarus (in which case they would be writing down their nationality and passport number), or if they lived in Japan and happened to have Russian or Belarusian nationality (in which case the hotel would have no way of knowing their nationality, unless they asked). Guests who live in Japan aren't obligated to tell the hotel what their nationality is, only what their address is. I hope the hotel wasn't planning to ask anyone with a name ending in -ov or -ova where they were born and then booting them out.

Reminds me of an incident a couple of decades ago when an Onsen in Hokkaido banned Russian sailors. There was a court case and the sailors won.

The russian sailors didn't bring the lawsuit and if they would have they would have lost as it isn't illegal in Japan to discriminate against foreigners.

The plaintiff is a good friend of mine Debito Arudou who is a naturalized Japanese originally from the US. He filed the lawsuit based on the fact that he was Japanese and that he was being discriminated against by not being allowed access to the bath.

Seems some people can be quite litigious when they feel even the least slighted. Just be humble, admit to an occasional misstep and move forward, like the unnamed inn has done with their retraction.

Who gives a hoot whether it's in Nagahama or Maibara?