ex_matelot comments

@ex_matelot, you mean peel and chop potatoes in the back of their restaurants? I highly doubt it.

and all this time i thought ive been eating fresh ones? Oh No

There's no secret to it Japan, if you want chips all you need to do it cut up the potatoes. I manage alright

Yep right on that Elizabeth

I thought Macdees make their own fries?

Very often house owners dont have a choice either unless they show up in the construction site uninvited, like i did

So in your case they should be really checking for your visa wont they? Unlike you I was actually working for this company and I had been going to every gemba with them. Hence why I and the other foreigners took Great Offence at the sudden approach of the Home Office.

The Japanese police will be more that capable of handling an offender no matter there size or color, because they are trained to do so.

They do have an outstanding reputation of ability to rapidly responding to incidents to make up for the lack of tactics and intelligence though. I've seen Roppongi avenue swarming with Police in minutes in the early hours of a Sunday morning. They do really well in Big numbers I guess that's what keeps the streets safe aye.

@Toshiko hope that you're not being sarcastic mate, this is not personal rant. I do love Japan and get on with most people in Japan. I dislike discrimination especially against something I have No control of which I experienced quite a lot while I was there.

WilliBDec. 05, 2014 - 05:47PM JST Lets see how they deal with the big, aggressive Nigerians in Roppongi.

Took the words out of my mouth lol . Fact is Japanese Police lack the Police Intelligence and Tactics that UK is quite good at. I remember standing at a bust stop with my brother and his wife in Kamiyacho waiting for the bus when 2 Police constables approached started asking us questions then getting on their radio, few minutes later a wave of Men in Police uniform was pouring in. We couldn't believe it. After getting a translator from the embassy to verify our identity we found out from him that there was a robbery in Toranomon Mizuho bank done some by some Pakistani guys. Seriously these guys are taking the P I S S aren't they? Imean why would anyone in their right mind rob a bank and catch the bus? LOL

International marriage is all about adapting to each other and mixing your traditions.

What you signed up for aye. Thats all these Japanese WAGS ranting On need to remember.

Joshua GarciaDec. 05, 2014 - 03:06AM JST It could be the socialized pressure to marry the person they got knocked up with and then carry it to term.

And that makes it alright to kill the baby, Does it fella?

but keep in mind your kids will get judged anyway whether it's covert or overt

@luvjpfam youre missing my point, I brought them out of Japan so that they can have the freedom of speech that they wont have in Japan. I know that they will be judged anyway everyone goes through that its a natural thing I still go through that as a grown man. But what Im saying is that if they live back in J- land they will not be able to learn to speak up for themselves and get listened to especially when getting bullied, I know how it is over there. Trust me fella.

why comment on a JPN site when you don't care about JPN anymore?

Dont mind me mate I am just practising my Right of Opinion, the one of many that I fought for whilst serving. God Save the Queen.

Alex EinzDec. 04, 2014 - 11:32AM JST

actually ex_matelot , if you were working at my construction site - yes I would want to inquire about your visa state. its probably the owner checking up that contractor doesnt pull cheap tricks.

If you are a well prepared and organised owner of a construction site you would Really be doing checks Prior to employing a contractor if cheap tricks (as you say) are your concern. Because having the Home Office agents just showing up half way through the job and checking the contractors employees' visas are in place just shows the lack of Professionalism on both sides. Knowing how things are done in Japan, your so called valid Point is definitely not the reason. This was a tip off by the angry neighbours who probably didnt like the sight of 3 Big black foreign men doing the work in site.

and then killed him by covering his mouth and nose

Lots of good people out there who dream of having kids and this psychopath does the unthinkable. What a Bully

Alex EinzDec. 04, 2014 - 11:32AM JST

actually ex_matelot , if you were working at my construction site - yes I would want to inquire about your visa state. its probably the owner checking up that contractor doesnt pull cheap tricks. If my contractor would have illegal workers at my site, I would both sue the contractor and make sure the workers are arrested.

@Alex I get your point but this was not the case. The day before these Agents came around I was on my lunch break from work and was trying to get some drinks for some of the workers. Putting the money in but with nothing coming out of the machine I tried to shake it slightly thinking that it would produce what i wanted. A Japanese man passing by who wouldnt even mind asking me what had happened got on his phone to the Police to report. This same guy had just seen me put lots of money in, now he is going to be a C u n t and grass me up. The next day is when we got the Agents rolling up very early in the morning. How embarrassed do you think it felt to be asked if you have a visa infront of a lot of Japanese workers. Now the contractors mate this is something that they have done from the start and if a site owner needed to know they would phone the contractor, this Inspection by the agents with my strong suspcion was triggered by the incident that I had with the vending machine the day before.

Such s shame, But it happens all over the world in these places. Shameful though

Shame Aye? All over the world in what places? Shame is in that this particular story and forum is not about the rest of world or whether it happens elsewhere but Japan.

are you still in JPN? If so, why? If you having issues there, you should be finding somewhere else that fits you.

@luvjpfam Im not in Japan Noo left there before my kids could grow up, I couldnt bear to see them grow into a society where their right to an opinion and equal rights is strained & be judged by their ethicinity and skin color. I am a Proud man very Proud of my Heritage but I also believe in creating a world that I dream of as well as a healthy environment for my children to live and grow Hence why I now live in a country which I am not of origin but as a Naturalized citizen into a society where I know that I can Stand UP and speak Up to any Inequality.

No. If this happened on a Monday, he would be given medical care.

HUH? What are you On about now?

More medical care at detention centers to people who violate the immigration law?

Its called a Human Right to give Medical care to everyone you ignorant little minded man. One Would have thought that people get educated and sympathetic towards other races of this earth after travelling and living in a foreign land as the mind gets broaden, But No You are probably worse off than you left your homeland. Have a Heart you T W A T

Alex EinzDec. 03, 2014 - 02:59PM JST I agree that medical care should definitely be provided 24/7 and should not be left to the immigration center authorities judgement, but I am quite satisfied with Japan general approach to illegal immigration , illegal immigration is a crime and if you feel that your stay is in fact warranted , you always have the option to fight the deportation order .

The general approach to Illegal immigration? Like when I was working in a construction site with two african guys and the Japanese Home Office agents entered the site and demanded to see and find out about our visa status in Japan.Till this day I still wonder if that was done by intelligence or Just by the fact that we were all black Gaijin working in a construction site. Anyway they got nothing because we all had spouse visas and were legally allowed to be there.

I was being facetious, for all the defenders and apologist, who seem to be absent when this kind of thing happens.

Of course I find it appalling and Im sure you will never see it reported as well. Wasnt there a man from Ghana a few years ago that was beat in similar circumstances?

Ah right Ok I get you, they all need to read this then. With a country thats going to host the 2020 Olympics this will look really Awesome in their CV. Wont it? 3 deaths in a months in Immigrations centre. Where is Humanity in that?

I wouldnt know about Ghananian man story as I dont live in Japan.

Well, I guess I am going to have to take your side. All Japanese people are the same. Now I will go home and blame my wife and my kid who is 1 because they are Japanese unfortunately.

No dont say that, I am married to a Japanese too and hve kids I wouldnt put the blame on them its not their fault. Its the system Im blaming.

yakimoDec. 03, 2014 - 07:38PM JST ""i agree with the officials. they have no duty to serve anyone who comes with no visa to japan. onces you open that door everyone keeps flooding in and the taxpayer have to pay for it. just see australia or europe... Japan is smart. show that those people are not welcomed. its japans right to do so, if you dont like it learn to love it or leave. plain and simple."

Yakimo I know youre defending your native country and I respect that but this is involving the loss of life of another human being, a Human Rights Breach. I have no respect for a society that treats people like that. As I said here before we dont know the real circumstance of the man who died, the story never says so we can never make up our own mind. Japan needs to practise Equal rights Thats a Fact. No Country wants their Citizens being treated like animals No matter what.

Don't you think that the reason these Africans aren't working in "real" jobs in Japan could be related to skin color?

I dont think so, I got work in construction a very few were open to me because of the colour of my skin and that I was Gaijin but I got it. There were quite a big number of black african working in it mostly failed businessman. I think these guys set out to Japan with a plan to set up their business and theres nothing wrong with that as long as they pay their taxes.

Larry Woodworth says - Ah yes... the "poor ethnic people are forced into shady activity because they look different" excuse. Sorry, I'm not buying that. These "oh-so-unfortunate" people managed to fly to Japan and find a paying job. These guys were not dressed like homeless people so they're making at least enough for wardrobe upkeep

Well Mr Woodworth I worked in a nightclub in Roppongi for one of the shady activity you so call and the big boss was a man in his 50s who had worked hard in younger years back in his homeland and saved up a lot to pursue his dream in setting up his own business in a foreign land. Mr Woodworth Thank God you were born into a rich country and was white that you didnt have the same experiences that people from the poor ethnic minority go through.Looking different and coming from a 3rd world country is not an excuse Its real because you get treated differently in Japan.

@ex_matelot I have had quite the opposite experience myself. I'm black with J wife and two mixed kids, and we never have a problem in Japan. We lived in Kansai, never had issues

I am black originating from a 3rd world country and English is not my first language maybe thats what makes the difference in the type of experience you and I go through? Take a look at what happened to the Sri Lankan man who died in the hands of the Japanese Immigration, you wouldnt see that happening to a 1st world national right. I will never understand how a society can judge a person by something that was given to them by birth right. Thats really cold and shallow.

-15 5petalsDec. 03, 2014 - 10:23AM JST Before we jump to any conclusions, plese consider that perhaps he was being uncooperative or beligerant. Anyway, Im sure he was too old for the work trainee program. Lets keep things in perspective.

Dude notice how you got 15 dislikes for your comment. Youre just as bad as the people who did this to the poor guy by saying something like that. How about consider maybe he was an honest man who held a good job and did it well but the only reason he was detained was probably his visa ran out and when he was busy working to pay attention, thats keeping things in perspective. Like someone said here Medical care is a Human right and No Human being in any circumstance should be refused. You saying he was told? Mate He was 57, hope you feel good about yourself for saying that and pray nothing like that happens to you or someone you love. You are just plain Nasty.

You gotta understand where you stand in the eyes of the Japanese. The higher class you belong to, the better you're treated. Class 1: Native born, pure bred Japanese Class 2: Foreign born Japanese Class 3: Blue eyed, blonde haired Caucasian Class 4: Other Caucasian Class 5: Japan borned, non Japanese (or mixed) Class 6: Other northeast Asians (Koreans and Chinese) Class 7: The rest

Always knew that was the case. Also consider yourself a lucky 1 if you were born in countries like the UK & USA or any other 1st world country. They want you. This Guy was from Sri Lanka-thats a 3rd world country- they thought "Hes just pretending so we can set him free so No way we are gonna let him, God bless and Rest his Soul, He was a Human Being too.

Japan is what it us today because it isn't a melting pot or multiracial the way the U.S. is. The day mass immigration is allowed is the day Japan ceases to be what all of you pro-immigration types love.

With ageing generation/death rate higher than its birth rates and a country with more women than men I'd say Good luck Japan with finding people to do the work.( We all have had come from somewhere to be where we are, and nations like Australia, USA, UK NZ have all been built by people coming together and building the country to what it is today. Japan needs Immigration on Humans not robots Thats a fact.

How is that the fault of the person at hello work? Why would you be rude to them?

The Hello Work is like a Job Centre right? So they should be the ones promoting the word Equality and Diversity to the Employers looking for staff, it starts from the base. Nobody should care if a worker is black skinned just so long he can speak the language and has a Can Do attitude. After being told that I couldnt get any work because of my skin color and being a Gaijin I thought why is this unfairness and thought this was really rude. How simple is it to hire a big lad to come do the manual work, but No they gonna tell me I cant do the work because of something I have no control of, the colour of my skin. How is that I cant be rude to someone who discriminates me like that. Thats just wrong, its like Martin Luther King never existed.

Japan is a Xenophobic country, I think a lot people know that so Encourage intergration, teach it in school and at home and let the whole world know about it 6 years to go a wall is built brick by brick

Politeness at the right time works wonders

You mean like trying to my best to be Polite to a jobs advisor at Hello work so I can get a job and then be told that there are only very little jobs that I can get because Im black and Im a Gaijin. There I was 21 and very keen to try to make a living and contribute to society but unfortunately someone had decided that my kind are not worth to employ even before meeting me.

And there's nothing stopping you in Japan either.

Maybe theres nothing stopping me but as a Gaijin its that "Who the hell cares attitude. Come on you cant deny it there are obvious inequalities in the Land of the rising sun.I lived there for 7 years worked for 3 and have always felt that I could never fit in. The only time that I was comfortable when I was around other fellow Gaijins.

Japan does have problems with racism. That much is fact.

Yep. Imagine how I felt when my two HAFU kids aged 6 & 9 got racial slurs for their brown skin colors. Thats definitely not an environment that I want them to grow up in.

In Canada, immigration is out of whack and is causing nothing but problems.

Unemployment, overcrowding schools, lack of housing the whole lot right? Its happening everywhere else too mate . I heard in Canada Immigrants have had to come in to fill the low and high skills job shortages as cases because the locals have either been reluctant or just not qualified enough.