Foreigners in Japan
Discussion at Kobe Japan German Society
Theme: Foreigners in Japan
Five women and five men participated in the meeting. To begin with, the discussion leader, Ms. Ikawa, who graduated from Heidelberg University, gave an overview of foreigners living in Japan.
The number of foreigners in Japan is about 2,500,000. They account for 2 percent of the whole popluation, whereas in Germany staggering 10 percent of the population is foreigners.
In Japan most of the foreigners are Koreans and Chinese. They account for 2,000,000. The rest: Americans 50,000. The French 8,000 Germans 5,000. Where did the Germans go? They went back home, because they were afraid of earthquakes and radio-activity exposure. Chicken!
So much for the jokes. Getting back on track on the topic, everyone wondered what's the cause of so few foreigners in Japan?
Japan consists of archipelagoes. Japan Island is cut off from the Eurasian Continent by Sea of Japan. The neighboring contry is USA. But America is 8000 miles away in the east. Historically the Japanese had few contacts with foreigners, until the arrogant American admiral Perry opened up Japan in 1852.
Moreover the Japanese are not good at speaking English, as school English is concentrated on reading and translating.
Among the participants there was a young woman,a graduate of Kobe University. She lived in Loerrach, a small town along the border between France, Germany and Switzerland for four years. She learned how to make agro-bio-products as a member of the international students exchange program under the auspice of German agricultural society.
It is interesting to know the French in the region are willing to speak German while the Germans are not good at speaking French. People always mistook her for Koreans and Chinese. But when she spoke German, the Germans could tell that she is Japanese.
On the contrary an older woman who lived in New York for a long time told us vice versa. She was called by Americans that she was a Californian. America is indeed an immigrants' country. For the benefit of Kosai-san, I'd like briefly touch on the foreigners living in Kobe. It's a shame that the number of Germans in Kobe is only 36. But I'd like to remind you that Kobe is a friendly international city.
Kobe people don't discriminate against foreigners. Americans, Europeans and Asians are treated on the same level.
So far so good. In the meantime we began to talk about the recent Korean accusation of Japan. Then Ms Ikawa said something interesting. The word of "Baka-Chon"(foolproof) camera stems from the discrimination against the Koreans. It means that even the stupid Koreans can handle simple functioned cameras. You know "Chon" is a derogatory word for the Koreans, for example we called them "Chon-Ko".
Then I jumped on the bandwagon and I sang a song. "An older Korean uncle got mad at me and said Ah, Korea! Ah, Korea!" Everyone laughed.
Last but not least I'd like to leave you with this one last thought.
Europeans cannot tell the Japanese from Koreans and Chinese. As the same token we Japanese cannot tell Americans from Europeans.
Don't lump us Asians together. We Japanese are reserved people who are not into arguing. We rather live on harmony.
Theme: Foreigners in Japan
Five women and five men participated in the meeting. To begin with, the discussion leader, Ms. Ikawa, who graduated from Heidelberg University, gave an overview of foreigners living in Japan.
The number of foreigners in Japan is about 2,500,000. They account for 2 percent of the whole popluation, whereas in Germany staggering 10 percent of the population is foreigners.
In Japan most of the foreigners are Koreans and Chinese. They account for 2,000,000. The rest: Americans 50,000. The French 8,000 Germans 5,000. Where did the Germans go? They went back home, because they were afraid of earthquakes and radio-activity exposure. Chicken!
So much for the jokes. Getting back on track on the topic, everyone wondered what's the cause of so few foreigners in Japan?
Japan consists of archipelagoes. Japan Island is cut off from the Eurasian Continent by Sea of Japan. The neighboring contry is USA. But America is 8000 miles away in the east. Historically the Japanese had few contacts with foreigners, until the arrogant American admiral Perry opened up Japan in 1852.
Moreover the Japanese are not good at speaking English, as school English is concentrated on reading and translating.
Among the participants there was a young woman,a graduate of Kobe University. She lived in Loerrach, a small town along the border between France, Germany and Switzerland for four years. She learned how to make agro-bio-products as a member of the international students exchange program under the auspice of German agricultural society.
It is interesting to know the French in the region are willing to speak German while the Germans are not good at speaking French. People always mistook her for Koreans and Chinese. But when she spoke German, the Germans could tell that she is Japanese.
On the contrary an older woman who lived in New York for a long time told us vice versa. She was called by Americans that she was a Californian. America is indeed an immigrants' country. For the benefit of Kosai-san, I'd like briefly touch on the foreigners living in Kobe. It's a shame that the number of Germans in Kobe is only 36. But I'd like to remind you that Kobe is a friendly international city.
Kobe people don't discriminate against foreigners. Americans, Europeans and Asians are treated on the same level.
So far so good. In the meantime we began to talk about the recent Korean accusation of Japan. Then Ms Ikawa said something interesting. The word of "Baka-Chon"(foolproof) camera stems from the discrimination against the Koreans. It means that even the stupid Koreans can handle simple functioned cameras. You know "Chon" is a derogatory word for the Koreans, for example we called them "Chon-Ko".
Then I jumped on the bandwagon and I sang a song. "An older Korean uncle got mad at me and said Ah, Korea! Ah, Korea!" Everyone laughed.
Last but not least I'd like to leave you with this one last thought.
Europeans cannot tell the Japanese from Koreans and Chinese. As the same token we Japanese cannot tell Americans from Europeans.
Don't lump us Asians together. We Japanese are reserved people who are not into arguing. We rather live on harmony.
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