Visible Minorities: An Obituary for Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori
What Fujimori did with power became a cautionary tale—of how an outsider, once let in, can corrupt everything.
Category Archives: Column
Visible Minorities: MAGA’s Roots in Japan
How Japan treats its non-citizen residents and diverse communities is a bellwether for how future neofascist demagogues in other countries will treat their minority voices and views.
Visible Minorities: Kamala Harris and Shorter US Elections
Could the Harris campaign be a case for a new playbook streamlining the wasteful American political process?
Visible Minorities: Japan’s Census Shenanigans
Include foreign residents as part of the official Japan population and give us official data for just how diverse Japan actually is.
Visible Minorities: “Overtourism” As Racism
Some Japanese need to stop blaming the tourists for doing what they asked them to do—come here and enjoy themselves.
Visible Minorities: Addressing Japan’s Child Abduction Problem
It has been one of Japan’s worst-kept secrets. It has shattered lives and caused enormous international embarrassment to Japan’s reputation as a nation of laws. It has caused untold misery to countless children and families worldwide. And among all the G7 “developed” nations, it only happens like this in Japan.
Visible Minorities: From Dancing Monkey to Symbol of Hope
Jon Heese is becoming an old hand in Japanese politics, having served thirteen years at various levels of government. He is the first foreign-born politician to ever serve at the regional level. He sat down for an interview with Debito Arudou.
Visible Minorities: Non-Japanese Residents Claim Political Power
Non-Japanese politicians find that they must be the change which they hope to bring to the country.
Visible Minorities: Miss Japan Karolina Shiino Lost Her Crown, Inevitably
You might have heard the big news last month about Karolina Shiino, a Ukrainian-born Japanese citizen who won the title of Miss Japan. You have also heard earlier this month that she lost her crown due to allegations of her having an affair with a married man.
Visible Minorities: Positive Steps for Non-Japanese
This month’s column will offer my impressions about how much Japan has changed regarding the issues that have always been on my radar screen—society’s openness to newcomers. On that score, I have some positive developments to report.
