Debito Arudou's bruising critique of the government's "Public Survey on the Defense of Human Rights" (Oct. 23 Zeit Gist article, "Human rights survey stinks") leaves one question unanswered: If 59.3 percent of respondents agreed that foreigners should have the same human rights protection as Japanese, what on Earth did the other 40.7 percent think? That foreigners should have less than human rights?
If some of Japan's good citizens display an unfortunate ambivalence on the issue, it is not for the want of legal guidance. Article 3 of the Labor Standards Law makes it an offense for an employer to discriminate against a worker on the basis of nationality. Even more pertinent is the assertion in Article 12 of Japan's Constitution that "there shall be no discrimination in political, economic or social relations because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin."
Yet, this noble legislative rhetoric will be subverted from next month. In the dark and despondent shadow cast by the annual release of crime figures aimed at differentiating foreigners (who are demonized) from Japanese comes the ignominious fingerprinting and photographing of foreign residents as they re-enter the country.
Friends and families will be divided, the wrong nationality consigning foreigners to a long and weary line for biometric processing. The rationale for this abuse of dignity and decency is that we are a possible security threat.
For the economic and social contribution to the country that many of us have made our homes, we deserve to be treated better than potential criminals. Is it too much to ask?