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Fri May 19 00:21:19 CEST 2006

In the name of anti-terrorism

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http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20060518a2.html

The Japanese diet (the parliament) passed a bill yesterday
requiring fingerprinting and photographing of all
foreigners. Officially, its to protect the inhabitants of the
Japan from the terrorist threat.

*bah*

Nonsense. In what way will this help? This is just another
example of a government cutting down on human rights, all the
while waving the 'anti-terrorism' flag.

It's about immigration and vote fishing. Japan is and has
always been a very closed nation, making it very hard for a
foreigner to feel really welcome. This compared to other
western nations, including Sweden. Xenophobia isn't rampant or
anything, but as a foreigner in Japan you'll definitely run
into (both official and inofficial) discrimination in one way
or the other before long. Even faster if you're a western
woman (but thats another story).

Even before this new bill, all foreigners were supplied
with an 'Alien registration card', with your photograph and
fingerprint on it. Im guessing that this card will still be
around. Upon demand you are (at least formally) supposed to be
able to flash it to the authorities.

I suppose the new bill isn't that different from this card,
and thus people will argue that things haven't really
changed. You know what? I never liked the card. I don't like
being singled out as 'something else'. But what really pisses
me off is that they're doing all of this in the name of
anti-terrorism and protecting the people from terrorists. This
law implies that foreigners are not reliable, and that they
are suspect of being anti-social solely based upon their
heritage. wtf?

How many actual crimes are commited by foreigners in Japan?
How many members of Aum Shinrikyo were foreigners?

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