S Korean ferry operator bans Japanese passengers: Yonhap

Wow that is some serious racial profiling there... way to show your colors there Korea

Like kids and bullies on a merry-go-round in a playground. This is ridiculous.

Korea is pulling a move right out of the Japanese play book! This is exactly what Japanese businesses do when a foreigner causes trouble at a Japanese business. That particular business would ban all foreigner from entering just because one foreigner caused problems. This type of racism is prevalent in Japan. It will be interesting to see how Japan responds to this.

It is easy to tell who is Japanese. You start out playing a game like "Simon Says". At the end of the game, the people pointing at their noses are the Japanese.

I've been refused entry to a bar (and a hotel) in Japan because I'm foreign. It sucked. But if any Japanese are upset at being banned from getting on this ferry, please spare me their outrage... Get your own house in order Japan before claiming "discrimination". Anyway, this is just one small operator - most tourist companies on both sides of the Korea/Japan Sea will welcome anyone - if they have the folding stuff in their wallet. And rightly so.

Boats go both ways. No more permission to dock in Japan.

A South Korean ferry service operator has decided to ban Japanese nationals

Surely this is illegal and against numerous international laws?

Who's next, the Seoul subway system? I wish Japan would retaliate by removing those weepy Hanryu dramas from commercial TV. I've never seen a bigger bunch of crybabies in my life. This is acting???

@BlueWitch Maybe, they will just bow to the passengers before boarding, and if they bow back they will be denied. ;o)

Maybe it is good this way. Who knows, maybe a North Korean submarine is looking for the next target?

How will they know they're Japanese? You don't need a passport to buy a ferry ticket for a domestic service....

This is too far beyond the line. SKorea is not any more free country? At least Japan will not do such a stupid thing for Korean tourists.

MrDog

"A South Korean ferry service operator has decided to ban Japanese nationals" Surely this is illegal and against numerous international laws?

Yeah maybe, just like some Japanese establishments that ban non Japanese from their premises. No different really.

Well..... the Japanese government prohibited officials from flying Korean Air the other day... What do you expect??

The government saying that the few people who go to Korea on official business shouldn't fly on Korean Air, and a ferry operator doing racial-profiling and saying that NO Japanese people can ride their deathtrap ferries is not comparable.

I know you were probably saying that it is just tit-for-tat, but still.

I wish Japan would retaliate by removing those weepy Hanryu dramas from commercial TV.

I don't watch TV, so I couldn't care less, but I wouldn't be surprised if it comes to that if this childish game carries on any more.

Makes me wonder how they can tell who's Japanese and who isn't....Hmmm

They'll look for the tour guide waving their silly flag of failure.

Sad and pathetic way to treat ordinary people over a trivial piece of rock!

@Hippo

Hangul signs are annoying? You're easily upset, obviously! :)

＠Burakumin

Why is going to the tiny Korean volcano island of Ulleungdo "essential" for Japanese - yet going to a bar for a foreigner in Japan not? Just asking...

I think what Yuri meant as essential was the Ferry Service and frankly, I couldn't give a crap about such worthless islands. Japan is just looking ridiculous by crying over such thing. I've been to Korea a couple of times and I can tell you honestly that I've been denied access to some places, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna hate the country, if they don't want me in their business then too bad, their loss! Same here in Japan, when a place denies entry to Foreign persons, screw them. Smile and look for a better place. The truth is that such places, and specifically their owners, are nothing but racist garbage, scum. They don't have any shame at all. No one should discriminate a person because of their race.

Why all Japanese nationals? Too bad a SK company is behaving just like some Japanese corporations for rationalizing racial discrimination reflected on political controversy.

I guess YuriOtani and I won't be taking that ferry anymore...LOL

Makes me wonder how they can tell who's Japanese and who isn't....Hmmm

Someone from Japan living in Korea should challenge this policy and sue the company for discrimination. Not that it would get any traction in the Korean legal system but...

all this pride over a bunch of rocks in the sea...

Korea is hitting back too hard and Japan is going to have and do something. Fadamor, a Ferry Service lives to a higher standard than a bar owner. Second going to a bar is not an essential service. There is always another one down the street.

Why is going to the tiny Korean volcano island of Ulleungdo "essential" for Japanese - yet going to a bar for a foreigner in Japan not? Just asking...

The truth is that such places, and specifically their owners, are nothing but racist garbage, scum. They don't have any shame at all. No one should discriminate a person because of their race.

Well said, BlueWitch! I don't doubt at all I would be rejected from many joints in Korea on the basis of my skin colour. Both sides here are embarrassing themselves - and embarrassing the great majority of their countrymen and women who respect the other mob over the ocean.

BlueWitch, it does not help if you say you are from Okinawa. The jerk called me a racial slur. No Korea is going to hit back harder and harder. So far Japan has done well but for how much longer. Life is strange, while in Korea I was denied access to a Korean bar and so was an American. It must of been fate...

First off, I'm not sure that Japanese are a seperate race from Chinese or Koreans, so I would call it nationalism, not racism. It does seem to be a tempest in a teapot. If the ferry operator wants to protest then let's just all boycott the tool. Not that I'm taking a ferry anytime soon, but you get the point. The Japanese government should just ignore the whole thing. No point stooping to that level of behaviour. And yeah, I've been asked to not enter certain Japanese establishments because I'm gaijin. Bigotry knows no bounds. But I've never had to go without a beer because of one bigot. His loss, not mine.

just-a-guy, neither one of us is the mayor of Tokyo. BlueWitch sounds like a nice lady and would not discriminate due to race. Korea is hitting back at all Japanese regardless of who they are. I do agree with BlueWitch, how are they going to know for sure who is Japanese? I would just say in English am an American and sorry only show my passport t government officials. This is of course if the ferry crew can speak English as I speak no Korean at all. Korea needs to step back and ask, is the ruling of one minister and the three clowns worth making Japan a foe? Please try and get less excited over these minor events. Lets not make the minority in both of our countries cause us to hate each other. We need to be friends, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Holds out my hand in friendship.

I'll feel some outrage when I can rent an apartment without hassle, visit any bar or sento I wish, and ride past a cop without getting a bike registration check.

Absolutely ridiculous and shameful. A private company that enforces this kind of discrimination should not be considered as respectable and should be boycotted by all.

Everyone should stop being so irascible. Both sides escalating tit for tat actions will result in both sides losing ultimately what they care about most: money.

vg866

So according to you, a single ferry operator not wanting Japanese customers suddenly equates to South Korea no longer being a democracy? Don’t they have restaurants in Japan that refuse to serve foreigners?

But thats different, just ask all those accusing South Korea of not being fair or democratic or acting like a child. Seems they are more than happy for Japan to racially discriminate against foreigners but when another country does it to Japan look out.

I just don't think a private company like this ferry operator has the legal right to discriminate on the basis of nationality IF Korea has anti-discriminatory laws.

But then, Japan has ZERO anti-discriminatory laws.....as far as I know in my 30 years born and raised here.

If I'm wrong, please feel free to educate me. ^_^

Somehow i feel that we are going back to the beginning of the 20th century. It's a different thing to love your country, and another to become obsessed with feelings of superiority, discrimination, etc.

This decision is totally nonsense and will only bring more issues between the two countries.

Tit for Tat... Then only Japanese will understand..

well i agree & its TRUE, Japan bans foreigners from places. so how is this different? its still discrimination. do i agree with it? NO. (how will they be able to tell)? Easy just ask them Most Japanese who can speak some korean are gonna be easly detected Besides theres signs up & whos gonna want to go on after seeing such a sign?

This ferry operator banning Japanese patrons is no different than a Japanese business owner banning foreign patrons... well, maybe a little different. If a Japanese business owner bans foreign customers, those customers would find another establishment to spend their money at. If the ferry line is the only way to get to certain parts of Korea, then what recourse do Japanese nationals have if they want to go to those locations?

Korea is hitting back too hard and Japan is going to have and do something. Fadamor, a Ferry Service lives to a higher standard than a bar owner. Second going to a bar is not an essential service. There is always another one down the street. So I agree with you.

If the ferry line is the only way to get to certain parts of Korea, then what recourse do Japanese nationals have if they want to go to those locations?

Row-boats are the only option.

Fadamor, a Ferry Service lives to a higher standard than a bar owner. Second going to a bar is not an essential service. There is always another one down the street. So I agree with you.

That's true though, if I get thrown out of a place for being a foreigner then FUDGE THEM!! I'll go to another one... There is always another one willing to accept me and take my money... =)

Yuri, do you think that if we try to board such ferry they will automatically ask to see our passports? How can they tell who's Japanese and who isn't? if I tell them that my family is from 石垣島, Okinawa, would that help? After all, trying doesn't hurt... lol

Hey guys! remember my post from news-thread about the three Japanese lawmakers who were stuck in Gimpo?

,about how the only proper course of action for South Korea to take is to treat all Japanese as potential protestors?

and remember how some of you guys said what a ridiculous course of action that would be?

WELL WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

I am now curious how this ferry operator would detect a Japanese national from its passenger manifest. This is a domestic ferry so no-one is expected to carry passports. They can search for passengers with Japanese names, but they could be NISSEI (non-Japanese citizens of Japanese ancestry), do they ask them for evidence of non-Japanese citizenship? what if they do hold Japanese citizenship but hold dual-citizenship with another country? The mind boggles! oh well, I'm sure they've got something in plan which isn't outright offensive (to non-Japanese).

@YuriOtani

BlueWitch, it does not help if you say you are from Okinawa. The jerk called me a racial slur. No Korea is going to hit back harder and harder. So far Japan has done well but for how much longer. Life is strange, while in Korea I was denied access to a Korean bar and so was an American. It must of been fate...

Same here, when I was in Korea, I got denied access to a night club, don't know why but I have to assume because of my Japanese nationality. Oh well..like I said before, their LOSS!! I just wanted to enjoy with the common folk, I didn't want to cause any trouble. I've been places in China (Shanghai is one) that do not accept Japanese as well. Those places usually have the notice written in kanji that clearly says: "NO Japanese Or Dogs are allowed here" I was like..MMkay, lol

@just-a-guy

No one should discriminate a person because of their race.....Please advice the mayor of Tokyo first!

Please Do not ask me to degrade myself by having any type of contact with that SCUM. Ishihara is nothing to me. He's everything that's wrong with this country, from the national right-wing nuts, to not having anti-discriminatory laws that would help Foreign people facing BS from some realtor companies and other business which I know it happens, even though the media won't let it go public. Another dirty move from this damn corrupted/draconian government. But there you go, you have Korea playing the same race-cards...making them even more stupid. When is it gonna end anyways?? I'm from Ishigakijima, ok? I've been looked down upon by other MAINLAND Japanese a few times before, discrimination happens even among Japanese themselves, so PLEASE, don't try to blame me for this nonsense...THANK YOU!!!

Well, you know there are certain historical considerations - like Japan annexed Korea in the past, so they are probably a little paranoid and less than happy about Tokyo claiming their territory now. The playing field is not exactly level.

Japanese have no reason to be paranoid, and they should be very careful about claiming others territories, given their imperialist past.

most useless piece of rock in the ocean!

It's not about the rock(s)...

Another boring S. Korean news...

Do you honestly think it would make the news if a Japanese taxi driver refused someone?

What a poor analogy. A better analogy would be if a ferry company or whole taxi company refused South Koreans, in which case it would make news and the company would be centured by the business authories and probably have the threat of its business license being revoked.

Remember when one of the Japanese travel companies started charging higher prices for foreigners? That made the news, and the company was read the riot act.

I broke up a fight between a man from Japan and another from South Korea when I was visiting my family in Australia last christmas. 8000 Kilometres away at Sydney Terminal train station, The animosity still causes tension you can cut with a knife.

Hope it leads to more, on both sides. The hard feelings are too deeply rooted and will never go away in our lifetimes. Dramas, concerts, TV shows...bye bye.

Perhaps the Korean communities in Japan feel a little more heat from these tensions.

S.Korea is just hurting themselves with so much bad publicity. Both mainland China and S.Korea, No.1 and No.2 destinations for Japanese tourism is sinking like a rock both losing approx.10% in numbers compared to last year. This will continue as this kind of shxt continues.

JAG...or Japan and Japanese can remain one of the most homogenous ethnic groups in the modern world, with any foreign thoughts, objectives, etc being of no consequence whatsoever. When visiting Japan, I rather like it.

The whole melting pot thing has it's drawbacks. That said, the history you refer to will remain for our lifetimes and all the silliness of tv shows, popular celebrities, etc. can now go back into obscurity.

The world's full of these issues. It's fine....Pakistan/India, England/Ireland, basically all of the former USSR, not to mention Israel and their neighbors.

This is wrong. Let them go anywhere they want and protest as much as they want. Let the world see them very well.Falling to their level is plain stupid.

Keep in mind, this is one private company and NOT the Korean government.

It's unfortunate that they are getting any publicity.

This is too far beyond the line. SKorea is not any more free country? At least Japan will not do such a stupid thing for Korean tourists.

So according to you, a single ferry operator not wanting Japanese customers suddenly equates to South Korea no longer being a democracy? Don’t they have restaurants in Japan that refuse to serve foreigners?

If the ferry captain doesnt want Japanese passengers then that’s his choice. That leaves more money for the gazillion other ferries in Korea that accept Japanese customers. This incident isn't news at all.

This is so funny, an unsubstantiated claim compounded by stupidity results in more stupidity and a Ferry service declaring Japanese off limits. What is next?

This ferry operator banning Japanese patrons is no different than a Japanese business owner banning foreign patrons... well, maybe a little different. If a Japanese business owner bans foreign customers, those customers would find another establishment to spend their money at. If the ferry line is the only way to get to certain parts of Korea, then what recourse do Japanese nationals have if they want to go to those locations?

EXACTLY~~

seriously, who wants to visit that rock ( as tourist ) ?

No Japanese FM civil servant taking the KAL ( Japanese initiative ), no Japanese citizen taking the Ferry to some rocks near Korea ( Korean initiative )..no bus..no subway..no Lotte shopping center..available for Japanese tourists ! Surprised that narrow-minded sentiment could be stirred up in a matter of weeks ? What has gone wrong ?

boat diplomacy?? Let the goverments work it out. Hurting business will sucede in accomplishing only one thing, hurting business.

Oh wow, to think Neojamal's cycnical, juvenile and outright offensive predictions of Korea's subsequent course of actions came true made me lose faith in humanity..Just kidding!

I've been keeping tabs over the score for this media circus, so far Japan is winning. Their right-wing nutjobs are getting all the attention they needed just by sitting in at Gimpo Airport and the Koreans are reacting in a furious and outrageous manner. I wonder what more our friends on the Peninsular have in store for us!

why take ferry when there are plenty of alternative transportation

mitoguitarman, South Korea is facing over One Million North Korean troops within artillery range of their capital. Japan has been claiming these rocks for many years, over 50 in fact. The south is looking for an excuse to hate Japan and Japanese, never mind I am Okinawan. So why do you hate Japanese? Neither I or any of my family as ever hurt a Korean person. Soon there will be no Japanese or Koreans that were alive during the colonial period.

And the winner for the most insanely, childish population of people on the earth goes to...... Ladies and Gentlemen...we have a tie! South Korea and Japan tie for fighting over the most useless piece of rock in the ocean!

Now this is really silly, although I take it there are other ferries going to Ulleung anyway.

Both sides behaving like children here.

Countermeasures:

Clean up Okubo, Tokyo of all illegal activities by Koreans

Boycot all Korean-run restaurants and pachinko parlors

Put all so-called Korean "actors" and "talent" on a plane

for starters

Keep blashing each other, the South Korean-Japanese ally and partnership is dead!

smith

Dude, it would get thrown out faster than a Chinese sex-slave seeking reparations, the difference being the Chinese sex-slave has a slightly more valid claim. And then the Japanese person would have to pay the court costs to boot.

I don't know what kind of anti-discrimination laws are in the books in Korea, but I think that if I was Japanese and I was refused service by this company solely on the basis of my nationality I would have a pretty valid discrimination suit. It wasn't the nicest or most diplomatic thing to do but the GOJ was completely in its legal rights to restrict its employees from using government funds to purchase services from a foreign company, Korean Air. Don't get me wrong, I think that was pretty immature, but it's definitely not discriminatory in the legal sense. I just don't think a private company like this ferry operator has the legal right to discriminate on the basis of nationality IF Korea has anti-discriminatory laws. IF it does, then the Korean courts shouldn't be able to summarily throw out such a law suit..

Nobody feels interest to that Doko/Takeshima isles, just like the Senkaku isles itselfwasnt the main issue of conflict. The main focus is some people just cannot get along each other although they were permanent neighbours! The moment they can cheering is the demise or tragedies of the others! Thats how Japan and China, Koreas ,Taiwan is doing everyday!

@Bluewitch:No one should discriminate a person because of their race.....Please advice the mayor of Tokyo first!

Well..... the Japanese government prohibited officials from flying Korean Air the other day... What do you expect??

USNin, making sense as usual.

This isn't news. Its a single ferry operator who is doing this.

Do you honestly think it would make the news if a Japanese taxi driver refused someone?

Ah, and they keep on degenerating into children (both sides). This could cause serious problems for ferry operators on BOTH sides if they decide to follow suit.

USNinJapan2: "Someone from Japan living in Korea should challenge this policy and sue the company for discrimination. Not that it would get any traction in the Korean legal system but..."

Dude, it would get thrown out faster than a Chinese sex-slave seeking reparations, the difference being the Chinese sex-slave has a slightly more valid claim. And then the Japanese person would have to pay the court costs to boot.

Koreans ban Japanese from traveling around Korea? Fine...........

For starters, Japan should respond by not allowing Koreans on the Tokyo Subway IMO

Take away those bloody annoying hangul sign too!

Many Japanese people still lagging behind times, their mindsets were left in 'imperial-era' and they refused to get along with others! Seoul should do more to wakeup those 'misleaded japanese people'. Otherwise someday a group of japan lawmakers will claiming the entire Korean peninsula is japan's soil, blaming the Koreans unilateral declaration of independence at August 1945 was preying on japan's surrunder. You know alot of 'ridiculous demands' may happen if japanese people's history concept still 'lagged behind times'! Japan has never condemning her brutal colonial rule and the responsible of causing thousands and thousands Korean families divided since 1945! Banning Japanese using some public services doesnt work, Seoul has got to be more' assertive' to send her messages clearly!