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Osaka discloses details of videos determined as hate speech

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The most shocking thing to me when returning was that other Asians such as Koreans and Chinese had to change their names and hide their identities, just in general day to day life, in order to not be called out.

Well I am glad that in my workplace the Koreans have no problem saying that they are, and they always have delicious foods and recipe ideas to share with me.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura said at a press conference he would consider revising the ordinance to obtain the names of posters.

No don't consider it mate. Just do it.

Well if this isn't classified as hate speech, I don't know what it is. In Japan, people are very ignorant to this way of thinking. They (SOME Japanese people) believe it's a "patriotic thing" to keep non-Japanese people out by bullying Like some clowns in America.

Agree 100%, with the above posters, but I think it goes beyond hate speech. This is an actual threat. And if I'm not mistaken threats are illegal. So they should be arrested for that

6 ( +9 / -3 )

I had to deal with bigotry and discriminatory insults at work at one time (until the perps were kicked out, died or retired) but what I am reading here, if accurate, beats anything I have experienced. This is saying a lot. Shouts of "Kill Koreans" even outdoes most of what you hear from white supremacists in the U.S. That is saying quite a lot.

The people I had to deal with were grotesques. I had never seen people like this before and (thankfully) not since. It makes me wonder who these Korean haters are. Are they grotesques or are they the nice polite people who spend 90 percent of their time smiling and bowing?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

The footage showed people shouting such phrases as "Kill, kill Koreans!" and "Boot out Koreans, the perverts!"

Well if this isn't classified as hate speech, I don't know what it is. In Japan, people are very ignorant to this way of thinking. They (SOME Japanese people) believe it's a "patriotic thing" to keep non-Japanese people out by bullying Like some clowns in America.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

If they know the handle names there should be NO trouble obtaining the real names -- they just don't want to go as far as the laws will allow them, because it won't fly well with the right wing. This is a good start, but not enough. Name them, and name them now. What are they afraid of? Some people might go to the posters' homes and shout "die" or some such just desserts? I don't think anyone would go that far, but it may well prevent the posters from doing it again instead of just changing handles and DEFINITELY doing it again, with no punishment.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Unfortunately, there will always be a few hate filled individuals, either in the country you live or online. Whether it's the Portland suspect yelling "death to the enemies of America" or these loopers in Osaka.

The racists need to be named and shamed.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

You have many misunderstandings.

LOL... the old Japanese standby response, ever at the ready, when they have been called out on their twisted "logic" and "unique" interpretation of history. Shameful.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

CH3CHO: "You have many misunderstandings."

No, my friend, it is you who have many misunderstanding about history and what constitutes hate crimes and hate speech, and the fact that you will bend over backwards and defend grown men and women literally shouting at school children through megaphones that they should die as freedom of speech instead of intimidation and threats. And that is the TRUE crime -- that there will always be ultra-right wingers defending the absolutely disgusting actions of these people, claiming that 'technically they did nothing wrong, so they can't be punished... shouganai' -- and why "laws" like those past in Osaka will never be anything more than lip-service. TIJ

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Honestly I have to keep myself from not thinking negative thoughts about people after living here for so long, because bashing other Asians and saying us Japanese are better, is completely normal behavior here.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Strangerland: "Probably, but it depends on the technical proficiency of these guys. Someone with enough knowledge could post with zero connection to their real person."

They have the power of law and government at their disposal. No nitwit on 2channel or niconico who's dumb enough to post such rubbish (let alone scum enough to do it!) is going to know enough or bother to hide their true identities by hacking into other servers or going through mirrors; they aren't hacking state secrets or stealing funds from the treasury, they are posting hate in a nation that largely ignores if not supports it (at least, has, until now... to an extent). All they need to is check the server IDs or the addresses for the registration of the handles, and they will at the very least get leads. These days you can't register for a handle for most things without going through a Facebook account and/or listing your cell phone number. Hell, last time I checked Mixi (years ago) you needed not only phone number and address (verified), but an invitation from someone else who is already registered. They'd have to go to quite a bit of work to post a video, and frankly I have yet to meet any clown like this who is up to the task.

Every week I walk down the Midosuji and every week I see these yahoos in the black trucks or with a police escort as they march, old Imperial flags waving, shouting about how Takeshima needs to be returned, or how the Koreans should die. Nothing is done when it easily could be. So, again, this is a start, but is very little more than lip-service.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Robert S. Abenz: "Absolutely, our friend there is a bit too fond of science fiction, maybe it's the after-effect of consuming too much Anime/Manga."

Do you even know what science fiction is? And there are manga in Japan which intentionally depict Koreans and others in hateful ways as well (once again, protected by "freedom of speech"), so I doubt if s/he's imagining things it's from there, either, since in such manga it's pretty clear they're Korean.

In any case, many Koreans and Chinese do "hide" their names if they are second generation, and of course when they naturalise. Not all, but many. What's sad about the people that naturalise and change their names is that they perhaps SHOULD hide given how aggressively some are at rooting out their ancestry based on names -- and sometimes, admittedly, they choose odd ones when naturalising. I can't tell you how many times I've heard Japanese talking about a neighbour lean in, grimace and whisper, "They used to be Korean, and hence the name!" I think they can still get the history from registries, in fact.

In any case, just as a point of order, there was nothing "science" about what the person you quoted said, even if perhaps s/he sometimes engages in fiction (and s/he does so FAR less than CH3CHO).

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Robert S Abenz

No, I don't think it's lame, I think your negativity is! I mean when I am bombarded with negative comments about Chinese and Koreans from many people, I find myself trying harder to think positive thoughts and make the effort to remember it's not true.

Aly Rustom

I am aware that many do not hide their names, especially those who are here to work or study. However with the many thousands of Koreans and Chinese and their children, they usually have Japanese names, and I have no idea that they aren't Japanese.

Generally, after they trust me, or get to know me, they will come up and inform me that they are actually Korean. That's just been my experience so far.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

surely after what imperialist japan did to Korea, the rednecks should be shouting "don't kill us, don't kill us, we are sorry!"

0 ( +6 / -6 )

CH3CHO: "Statistics show, mortality rates dropped, population increased, per capita wealth increased, illiteracy rates dropped, and so on."

WHOSE statistics? Nationalists in Japan? Because, lest we forget, you deny Nanjing, sexual slavery, Unit 731, and every other atrocitity Japan committed, and think Japan made those countries better through colonization. It's not just "as far as Korea is concerned" when it comes to the ACTUAL facts, but the rest of the world. Japan is FINALLY catching up with much of the world and starting to punish hate crimes. It'll just be better when they do it not only on paper, but in reality as well.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I don't believe anything coming out from Osaka unless I hear it for myself; most of the time the agitators are not even from there.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If they know the handle names there should be NO trouble obtaining the real names

Probably, but it depends on the technical proficiency of these guys. Someone with enough knowledge could post with zero connection to their real person.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

sir_bentley28 Today 08:38 am JST

Well if this isn't classified as hate speech, I don't know what it is. In Japan, people are very ignorant to this way of thinking.

It is classified as "hate speech" by the local government. Read the article.

Aly Rustom Today 08:57 am JST

but I think it goes beyond hate speech. This is an actual threat.

Yes, it is "threat" and criminal offense. The perpetrators must be punished.

thepersoniamnow Today 08:20 am JST

The most shocking thing to me when returning was that other Asians such as Koreans and Chinese had to change their names and hide their identities

Returning to where? In the office I work for in Japan or the offices I have business contact with in Japan, I see many Koreans and Chinese who work without changing their names.

Goodlucktoyou Today 08:27 am JST

surely after what imperialist japan did to Korea,

Statistics show, mortality rates dropped, population increased, per capita wealth increased, illiteracy rates dropped, and so on. As far as Korea is concerned, facts may be different from the impression you may have.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

smithinjapan Today 12:55 pm JST

Japan is FINALLY catching up with much of the world and starting to punish hate crimes.

You have many misunderstandings.

1 Hate speech and hate crime are two different things. A hate crime is a crime, such as murder or violence motivated by hate often against other ethnicity. Regardless of the motivation, a crime is punished as such.

2 In most of the countries around the world, hate speech is not a criminal offence. Even in Germany, only hate speech against Jews is criminal offence, and hate speech against Muslims is not.

3 In Japan overall and in Osaka, hate speech is not a criminal offense. The law only makes it a duty of the government to reduce hate speech.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

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