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© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Leipzig apologizes after Japanese fans asked to leave stadium over virus fear
LEIPZIG, Germany©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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oldman_13
The coronavirus is making fools out of everyone.
Didn't a Japanese restaurant do something similar in putting up a sign saying Chinese were not allowed?
Tokyo-Engr
@oldman...I agree with you. Yes a Japanese restaurant did the same but that was one small restaurant. I think the order of magnitude of what was done in Germany was much higher.
Fortunately in the case of the Japanese restaurant if you read the Japanese comments nearly 100% of the comments were against the owner of the restaurant in the case of what happened in Germany it appears they got enough flak to realize what they did was a bit foolish.
These are interesting and trying times and people have different tolerances for this type of stress and will act out in strange ways. I just hope this subsides soon so we can get back to our normal bickering about politics, etc.....
Yubaru
Yah think? I give them credit for stepping up and admitting it, and trying to do something to correct the problem! Be nice for Japan to copy this!
Paul Laimal-Convoy
@Tokyo-Engr
There were two reported cases; One was a shop that banned Chinese people, while a ramen place in Ueno banned all foreigners.
ulysses
That doesn’t justify what happened to the Japanese fans. Racism by anyone, in any form is intolerable.
Shameful!!!!
Tokyo-Engr
Hi Paul....I did not know of the other one.
I did read about the one in Ueno. I found the Japanese comments on that and was quite happy to see that nearly all were against the shop owner. I think 20 years ago this reaction may have been different.
JJ Jetplane
This pure ignorance. Asking Japanese fans to leave because you are worried about the virus? They are aware that it is not just asian people infected with the virus right? They are aware that the soccer players were never even at risk of being infected from thos fans? They could have just pushed away lifetime fans that have been in Germany and supporting that teams for decades.
Akie
Litmus test works.
Cogito Ergo Sum
@ Yubaru
And the best part is that... it was immediate !
sourpuss
The Leipzig incident is inexcusable. It doesn’t matter if they regretted it afterward because they still did it in the first place. Anyways, most people regret something if they’re publicly shamed, so how can you judge their REAL feelings?
Tawkeeo
Y'all wouldn't ask Germans or Italians to leave, despite them being Europe's corona-hotspots.
Racism. Racism everywhere. I'm glad the Japanese were kind hearted and didn't justifiably retaliated.
Also, the comments here, once again, are a joy to read. Y'all can't stand the fact that the Japanese are, for once, being apologized to, so y'all bring up Keno restaurants and what have you. Familiar names, too.
Tawkeeo
Ueno*, not Keno, damn autocorrect
commanteer
Funny, since the per-capita rate of infection is roughly the same among Germans, French and Japanese, while Italians are 20 times more likely to be infected. Clearly a thoughtless and racist act. Anyone saying this is equivalent to some obscure ramen shop owner refusing foreign customers is just reaching for excuses.
FizzBit
Is it racism?
If the action is a deep seated hatred that has easily popped to the surface over the corona virus, then yes.
Or is it just a bunch of scared people who are targeting Asians out of fear?
Would this happen under normal circumstances? No=no racism.
Ignorant or precautious should be the discussion, with a side chat about “those” folks who never let a crises to to waste by claiming racism.
invalid CSRF
JJ Jetplane
@FizzBit
You are aware that this still = racism? The reason this is classified as racism is being it is believed that because someone is asian, they have the virus, whereas someone who is not asian is not likely to have the virus. Doesn't matter if the actions is one off. The frame of thought is what makes it racist.
OssanAmerica
What make you think they won't as soon as a whole sports fn group are asked to leave a stadium?
Peeping_Tom
RB Leipzig is known throughout the Word; the ramen shop is known in the neighbourhood.
"Anyone saying this is equivalent to some obscure ramen shop owner refusing foreign customers is just reaching for excuses."
And then they say all Japanese are racists.
fillmore2
so two wrongs doesn't make it right. um.....
action by the soccer club is far worse than the Japanese restaurant, restaurant put the sign outside so that you couldn't go inside to eat.
what the soccer club did was same as, kicking them out middle of their meal.
so which one worse?
and give them their full refund , not another ......ticket, i would never go back to that place again.
theFu
What's "AASENBALL" in the photo?
Or is that RASENBALL or ARSENBALL?
Unfortunate photo?
Amir Marzouk
The two situations don't need to be compared. They are both horrible situations. Doesn't matter if you are barred from a restaurant or asked to leave a game. It's a horrible feeling, unjust, and improper regardless of where it takes place. The restaurant owner is no better or worst than the club.
lucabrasi
@theFu
It's Rasenball. Like "lawn ball" in English. Weird name for a football team....
nintendogirl
Racism
fillmore2
some of you need to take ethnic studies 101, there are many types racism and racist acts, not just deep rooted hatred, this is one kind.
other racism is what this soccer club did, fear of the c19 virus, they kicked them out, this is ignorance , stereotyping, generalization, and etc. more but will stop here.
Japanese restaurant's act is racism also, fear of the virus, they don't foreigners come into their store, very ignorant people here.
FizzBit
Soccer games in Italy have been canceled. Everyone is freaking out. Including those who are trying to use this ignorant act.
Oh, it’s not the deep seared kind of racism, it’s racist-light.
Gimme a break. After your Ethnic Studies 101, go next door and take Social Psych 102.
So who is the racist? The security guard? the whole security team? just the security manager? The whole club? All of Germany?
i think before people go labeling anything racism or racist they better be able to name names. What’s the popular term these days for people that do this?
nandakandamanda
Were they all wearing masks, I wonder?
DaDude
Pretty much most major sports worldwide have Japanese sponsors. These companies should take their money elsewhere and make it sting.
smithinjapan
oldman_13: "Didn't a Japanese restaurant do something similar in putting up a sign saying Chinese were not allowed?"
Yes, and on a daily basis you can hear people say, at least leading up to the massive spread in Japan, "When I heard them speaking Chinese, I became afraid!", etc. etc. And you can STILL here people saying how glad they are there are less Chinese around.
The point being, this kind of xenophobia is by far not limited to any particular nation, and Japan is NOT the nation to be crying foul when it won't clean up its own examples first.
commanteer
And short of American customers in the US as well.
JJ Jetplane
@zichi
@commanteer
I frequent the Chinatown in Kobe. Some give good discounts.
Scientist in the US recently said, after examining the virus, that there is a likelihood that the virus has long been circulating around the US and other countries for months. Because the average person isn't truly affected. So eating at a Chinese restaurant and sitting next to the person at work gives me the same risk.
Blattamexiguus
It's called Rasenball to get around strict sponsorship rules for clubs in Germany. They are backed by Red Bull.
KittyGeorge
One was a shop that banned Chinese people, while a ramen place in Ueno banned all foreigners.
The shop had been vandalized by bad manner Chinese and the owner took advantage of corona virus.
TigersTokyoDome
How come this kind of accusatory post is permitted for some users, but deleted for others? How come users like smith are permitted to continue their anti-Japanese sentiment, very anti-Japanese, but others here get deleted at the slightest hint of accusations against any nation? Maybe JT can explain the guidelines.?
thepersoniamnow
No, its not racism, its making blanket statements, its fear taking hold instead of logic, its a wide brush blanket treatment instead of patience and respect.
But racist? Cmon, I am Japanese and I have seen racism. They were asked to leave because of the Corona Virus Mania. They were not asked to leave because they were Japanese.
You do actual racism a favor by suggesting this is racist.
yoshisan88
Same thing here down under as well.
木口 怜史
Unfortunately, in Japan, few people spread sentimental insistence that the government should shutout non-Japanese especially Chinese and Koreans.As one Japanese I deeply feel ashamed. I read these comments, I was compelled to reflect whether we Japanese think racism seriously as Germans ? Maybe not. I love so much the city and people of Leipzig, that I was shocked at first. But I feel we must learn much from Germany. If Germans feel you too from us , I feel very happy.
木口 怜史
Unfortunately, few Japanese people sentimentally claim that "We should shutout non-Japanese especially Chinese and Korean."As one Japanese, I deeply feel ashamed.And also I can't feel most of Japanese are thoughtful enough about racism.
We must learn that we can be both offenders and victims of racism any time any case.