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When 3.11 happened, we people of Fukushima Prefecture evacuated to cities to escape radiation. At that time city people spewed illogical abuse on disaster victims, telling them to go back to Fukushima. You would say, 'We're going to catch radiation from you.' Now I'd like to say, 'The coronavirus is infectious, you go back to Tokyo.'

11 Comments

A person from Fukushima Prefecture, posting on Twitter an objection to people from Tokyo fleeing thecoronavirus.

© Kyodo

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My wife is Japanese, & we live in New Zealand.

She is abused every day from New Zealanders who think she is from China.

Her workmates are the worst offenders to the point , she quit her job.

Walking the dog, in the Super, on the bus/train.

So we know your situation.

18 ( +19 / -1 )

Life comes at you fast!!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"Now I'd like to say, 'The coronavirus is infectious, you go back to Tokyo.'"

My, my how the tables have turned...

@ZENJI

"She is abused every day from New Zealanders who think she is from China.

Her workmates are the worst offenders to the point , she quit her job."

Terrible behavior from terrible people.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

Rich folks who own vacation houses in Karuizawa, etc are flocking in droves. A British news program showed footage of Tokyo number plated cars filling the local stores parking lots.

I know a guy who owns an Exiv timeshare in Karuizawa. He says it’s booked full till October.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

karma is a witch

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Im German, I lived in 関西 and 北陸regions for over 14 years, I even adoped the name fujiwara because my name is impossibly hard for Japanese as well as other foreigners to pronounce. Maybe as a German I might be oblivious to this but not once in the past 14years even traveling throughout Kansai or Hokuriku have I encountered an form of racism. Not once, I traveled to Kanto on a holiday and talked to local Japanese and when I said I was German they brought up things like Hitler and how Japan was allies with Germany during the worldwar 2 and for a German thats a topic that should not be discussed. My questions why Kanto only? Never had that problem any other place in Japan.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I remember the ostracizing of the Fukushima evacuees well. Some stupidly considered them contagious or poisoned.

In this case, the Tokyoites may actually be contagious so Fukushiman's really do have a legit gripe.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I would have rather the quote ended, "Now I'd like to say, 'The virus is infectious, you go back to Tokyo,' but instead, we welcome you and hope this is a chance to learn from each other, and to help one another in times of crisis."

Unfortunately, it doesn't end that way -- it sticks to the usual human condition of revenge and tit-for-tat treatment from which we will not learn, and for which we will continue to suffer. The people of Fukushima were given a wrong deal, and probably still are, and Asians are being treated extremely poorly in other parts of the world (and non-Japanese Asians in Japan, and probably Japanese and others in Asia, outside of Japan and those other countries). All we can do is try to educate people and hope they are willing to listen. A Japanese colleague called this, "The Chinese virus" today in a text on group Line chat, and I quickly corrected her. She apologized, but I doubt it will change her attitude as she is known to be quite anti-Chinese. I think she realized it was inappropriate, though.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

My wife is Japanese, & we live in New Zealand.

She is abused every day from New Zealanders who think she is from China.

Her workmates are the worst offenders to the point , she quit her job.

Walking the dog, in the Super, on the bus/train.

I would like to know which city you are living. I never thought Kiwis are so racist. Well, maybe I am too naive. There are many similar people here in Australia, too.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Please read Somerset Maugham's "The Appointment in Samarra." It is a cautionary tale about the futility of trying to run away from death.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Maybe as a German I might be oblivious to this but not once in the past 14years even traveling throughout Kansai or Hokuriku have I encountered an form of racism. Not once, I traveled to Kanto on a holiday and talked to local Japanese and when I said I was German they brought up things like Hitler and how Japan was allies with Germany during the worldwar 2 and for a German thats a topic that should not be discussed. My questions why Kanto only? Never had that problem any other place in Japan.

That's a very good question 藤原. I have had the same experience as you. I found Kansai people to be extremely warm and friendly while Kanto people I tend to dislike tremendously. I always enjoyed travelling around Kansai to get away from Kanto where I live mostly for the nature and the friendly people. I agree with you, but I don't know why like you I find Kanto people really mean and horrible. I don' t know what it is.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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