Hidenobu Matsuzawa, 70, head of a support organization for Kurdish people, in Saitama City. Bullying against Kurdish pupils living in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, home to the largest population of Kurds in Japan, has intensified to the point that some students are staying home to avoid classmates.
© Mainichi ShimbunVoices
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Many Kurdish children experience bullying here in some form. If they don't understand Japanese and therefore can't convey their thoughts clearly, it's easy for bullying to develop. Lack of knowledge regarding customs, culture and community life here can lead to misunderstandings and prejudice.
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savethegaijin
My daughter doesn't speak any language besides Japanese, she's never known any other culture. She even looks completely Japanese unless you see her next to me. And some of the kids still pick on her for being a foreigner. I tried really hard to make sure her half-ness wouldn't negatively effect her life, including making sure her first language was Japanese. I regret all of that because apparently being different in absolutely any way puts an enormous target on your back here. Thank god for international school, wouldn't dream of sending her anywhere else now.
Pukey2
Can we just replace the word Kurdish with non-Japanese or non-Japanese looking?
I'd hate to read the same article repeated 100 times.
Aly Rustom
Many Kurdish children experience bullying here in some form. If they don't understand Japanese and therefore can't convey their thoughts clearly, it's easy for bullying to develop.
Victim blaming.
Lack of knowledge regarding customs, culture and community life here can lead to misunderstandings and prejudice.
knowledge regarding customs, culture and community life here can STILL lead to misunderstandings and prejudice. Its not like Japanese children don't experience bullying. Bullying is an integral part of Japanese culture. AND its not just the schools either. The workplace is LOADED with it.
TrevorPeace
And this is just coming to the fore?
Transparenttalk
So what else is new?
kyushubill
Well welcome to assimilation. Bullying is how they roll here brah.