Name: Anonymous 2006-10-27 0:06
He buys his entry ticket from the vending machine. But the staff bar him as he enters the changing room:
"We don't allow foreigners here..."
"I am a Japanese," he says, showing his driver licence. The staff, although at first taken aback, refuse to give in, saying, "In the eyes of our Japanese customers, you are still a foreigner."
Otaru City, Hokkaido. At the entrance of a public bath facility it reads, "foreigners not allowed inside". After a frank exchange of views (oshimondou), American-born Japanese citizen Arudou Debito gave up trying to enter. His former name was Dave Aldwinckle.
It has been a full ten years since he came to Hokkaido. With a Japanese wife and two kids, he received Japanese citizenship last autumn. Accomplished in Japanese, he is also a taxpayer. Even still, he has a number of unpleasant experiences due to his physical appearance.
"Even though it is said that the number of foreigners will increase, as a Japanese citizen I worry about Japan's future when things like this happen."
"We don't allow foreigners here..."
"I am a Japanese," he says, showing his driver licence. The staff, although at first taken aback, refuse to give in, saying, "In the eyes of our Japanese customers, you are still a foreigner."
Otaru City, Hokkaido. At the entrance of a public bath facility it reads, "foreigners not allowed inside". After a frank exchange of views (oshimondou), American-born Japanese citizen Arudou Debito gave up trying to enter. His former name was Dave Aldwinckle.
It has been a full ten years since he came to Hokkaido. With a Japanese wife and two kids, he received Japanese citizenship last autumn. Accomplished in Japanese, he is also a taxpayer. Even still, he has a number of unpleasant experiences due to his physical appearance.
"Even though it is said that the number of foreigners will increase, as a Japanese citizen I worry about Japan's future when things like this happen."