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- WE NEED TO EDUCATE THEM
- The UMJ Volume 2.9 (Hot corner)
- By: Danjuma Malik
- The UMJ Volume 2.9 (Hot corner)
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I used to react violently against any kind of prejudice inflicted upon foreigners either direct or indirect. But, at the last meeting, I was moved by Terri Nii's comments that to change this indigenous society we need to educate them about our situation. Although most of them are very reluctant for a change. It is obvious that most Japanese don't know that foreigners with Japanese spouses are deprived of the rights we deserve. These are some examples of prejudices I have encountered directly or indirectly. Last summer my wife and I decided to change our (2DK) apartment. Since it is becoming inconvenient for us and our then 7-month-old baby. Most of the real estate agents we visited turned us off for the reason that I am a foreigner. There was only one agent who said he will give us a room under the condition that we wouldn't have a choice but to take what we are given. We told him we are sorry that his condition did not suit us. The agent said that since I am a foreigner the probability of getting a room where the land lord will agree to rent to us is one out of ten. My wife became very mad and told the agent he was rascist because if I were Japanese, he would explain to me more politely with dignity as a customer. A young Japanese woman whose foreign husband died in a car accident has to send her three-year old boy to a day nursery school. She wanted to work regularly to take care of her son as a single parent. One day she happened to come earlier than usual to take her son home. To her astonishment, she found her son surrounded by the other boys and yelling at him,"Gaijin, gaijin, gaijin...." The Japanese teacher was there and did nothing to stop the boys. My question is who taught the children that the mixed boy is different from them? Who is responsible here? Is it the teacher or the parents? Most Japanese don't know that foreigners with Japanese spouses don't have their names written on the Kokuseki Tohon and the Jyuminhyo as do Japanese Nationals. Furthermore. these are some questions my colleagues ask me at my office. 1. Do you have Japanese citizenship?( kukuseki) 2. Do you have proof of residency? (Jyuminhyo ) 3. Do you pay residence tax? (Jyumin Zeikin) To bridge these differences, we have to educate them as to what foreigners are and what effects these problems have on our lives here.
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