You're in the middle of a conversation with your Japanese co-workers when one suddenly quips, "Most foreigners are job hoppers who don't have any loyalty to their company." "Wow," you think to yourself. "Where did that come from?"

The conversation continues but you're stuck on the comment. It's not fair to generalize about such a large group and, on top of that, you have opinions on how Japanese HR practices may be part of the cause of that behavior. Now, you're faced with a dilemma: Should you rise to the defense of fellow non-Japanese workers by pointing out that not all of them change jobs frequently, or should you quietly dismiss the comment and wait to see if this person says anything similar in the future?

Many non-Japanese workers know what it's like to be in a situation in which their Japanese co-workers make comments that contain stereotypes about other cultures or races. Some comments may be flat-out racist (unfortunately, every country in the world has its share of jerks), but more common will be micro-aggressions, passive prejudice and stereotyping. This article focuses on the latter type of problematic behavior.