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Rumours rife against foreign workers in Japan
TOKYO. Dec 12: An influx of unskilled foreign workers into factories around Tokyo has touched off panicky rumours that they are committing rapes, robberies and other crimes, officials say. reports AP.
Almost all the rumours have proved false, the National Police Agency said Wednesday, but some Japanese are worried about rising xenophobia as the nation reluctantly opens its dwra to much-needed foreign
This is an issue that the nation must begin to face squarely if the 'internationalization' and the greater role In the world community that we hear so much about are to have any meaning at all." the English
Usnguage Japan Times said in a
recent editorial.
The anxieties over foreign labour haven't generated anything like the violent backlash seen recently In Germany. But fear of foreigners is deeply ingrained in Japan, where crime rates are tow and government officials sometimes boast of the nation's racial homogeneity.
In some of the factory towns affected by the rumours, mothers are keeping their children at home after dark.
distributed a flyer to employee families to watch out for foreigners. Kyodo News Service f—WW.
Ironically, many of the rumours have originated in Mooka, a town about 90 kilometers north of Tokyo where most of the foreign workers are Brazilians and Peruvians of Japanese ancestry.
Since last year, the government’s "pure blood" policy has allowed unskilled foreign workers to enter Japan's labour market if they are ethnic Japanese.
Japan is suffering from an acute labour shortage, aqd Its high wages have attracted thousands of Asians and other foreigners to service, construction and factory Jobs here, despite tight restrictions on
working visas. Often they come on tourist visas and stay Illegally
In Mooka, more than a dozen rumours characterizing foreign workers as assailants have been spreading among local residents since October, said city spokesman Tokuji Kondo.
He said the stories have emerged "simply because of the Japanese prejudice against foreign workers."
Among the rumours, all of which proved unfounded.
A 50-year-old woman in a neighbouring town has been suffering from mental depres-
sion since she was attacked by a foreigner;
A couple in their 40s were attacked by a group of five for eigners. The husband ran away after the struggle, while his wife was raped. She then killed herself; And
An elderly woman committed suicide after being raped by a foreigner.
In the last few years, the number of unskilled foreign workers in Mooka, which has about 55 factories. Including auto parts and aluminum manufacturers. has dramatically Increased. Kondo said.
Of Mooka's population of
60.000, at least 3,000, or five per cent, are foreign workers, he said.
Kondo said Mooka is to distribute 22,000 newsletters later this week to call for more understanding among citizens about foreign workers.
Similar rumours in other areas have also turned out to be groundless, a National Police Agency official said, speaking on condition of anonymity
In the small fishing town of Hasakl. 100 kilometers west of Tokyo, officials have received frequent phone call* from worried parents asking about
the rumours.
"If we mishandle this, it could be a racial issue.' a town official anonymously said. "Hasakl is a small conservative town, where people are not used to seeing foreigners
"But those people (foreigners) actually walk around and make noises late at night, which nobody here thinks Is normal." the official added.
The National Police Agency said the number of crimes by foreigners in Japan hit an all-time high of 4,814 cases — 3.227 cases of which are theft — tn the first nine months of this year
But the number of foreign^ ers also has hit record highs.
So far, the government's "pure blood" policy has attracted nearly 130.000 ethnic Japanese from Brazil, where many Japanese settled earlier this century, and much smaller numbers of people from other countries Including Peru.
However, even the newcomers from Brazil and Peru are discovering that despite their Japanese ancestry, they face discrimination because their language and customs are foreign In a society that honours conformity.
Similar rumours In other areas have also turned out to be groundless, a National Police Agency official said, speaking on condition of