After spending nine whole days in Japan, the UN's "special rapporteur on racism and xenophobia" Doudou Diene pronounces his verdict on the nation of 130 million:

racism in Japan is deep and profound, and the government does not recognise the depth of the problem.

It must be nice to have a job where you get to tour around and denounce your hosts for their inner thoughts and attitudes. Japan is the second—largest contributor to the United Nations budget, after the United States. But to no avail. Here is the deep doudou in which the Japanese government finds itself:

He said that although the government helped to organise his visit, he felt many officials failed to recognise the seriousness of the racism and discrimination minorities suffered.

He was also concerned that politicians used racist or nationalist themes, as he put it, to whip up popular emotions. He singled out the treatment of ethnic Koreans and Chinese and indigenous tribes.

The BBC does note that roughly 1% of Japan's inhabitants are not Japanese, principally ethnic Koreans and Chinese. But in fact Japan has enough illegal immigrants that the total may reach 2% or more. So, for those Japanese not living in the bigger cities, there may be relatively few opportunities to interact with foreigners and be racist. But I am sure that as an expert on racism and xenophobia Doudou Diene is able to reach a judgement on their poor attitudes. Nine days makes him an expert.

Shame on the Japanese for daring to have nationalist themes. They should recognize that their hard work, energy, and solidarity with one another has earned them a place among those groups which must forever abase themselves before other groups more ennobled by the consciousness of being victims.

If you ask me, Japan is not worthy to be contributing so much to the United Nations budget. I am certain that Doudou Diene would be far more comfortable if his salary were reduced so as to contain no reflection of Japan's tainted money.

Having spent nearly four decades studying Japan, living there several times, and speaking and reading the Japanese language, I can affirm that many people there, lacking direct sustained contact with other ethnic groups, base their opinions on stereotypes learned in the media. They also have a great deal of pride in their collective accomplishments.

They are, in fact, such a terrible lot that millions of non—Japanese would love nothing better than the opportunity to live there.

Thomas Lifsonа 7 11 05