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2026
My Shingetsu News Agency VM 78: “Kimi Onoda and the Trauma of History”, on how the Cabinet Minister in charge of policy towards “foreigners” is basically removing them from Japan. I see it as the natural outcome of Japan’s legacy of abuse towards its Visible Minorities.original ↗
13 Sept 2026
Debito’s SNA VM column 77: “Big Garbage Day and The Purge”, a light, relaxed summer slice-of-life in Japan essay on how long-term lifestyles for NJ Residents are doomed (Aug 9, 2026)original ↗
9 Aug 2026
Aly Rustom on the unequal treatment of being Gaijin Carded for phone service at Rakuten Mobile. Anyone else?original ↗
18 Jul 2026
Debito’s SNA VM Column 76: “The Semiquincentennial vs. The Bicentennial” (July 4, 2026). After my hometown fifth-grade class opened a 50-year time capsule last month, a reflection how America has made a hash of its 250th Birthday, but foreigners brought a better party instead.original ↗
5 Jul 2026
Debito’s Shingetsu News Agency Visible Minorities column 75: “Japan’s Foreigners and the Four Worst Words”, on how Japan’s recent public policies making NJ Resident lives more miserable is what happens when NJ continuously self-disenfranchise (May 28, 2026)original ↗
28 May 2026
Debito’s SNA column 74: “Life under a mad king”. Subtitle: Everyone is learning what happens when the world’s most powerful man goes crazy (April 7, 2026)original ↗
11 Apr 2026
“Internationalisation in Name Only: What Japan’s ALT System Reveals About Structural Limits in Education Reform”. Book summary of “More Than an Assistant”, by Nathaniel Reed (Amazon KDP, Global Classroom Author, 2026)original ↗
10 Apr 2026
Japan Times, “What you need to know about Japan’s new joint custody system: Advocates say that the changes will allow both parents to remain involved in the raising of their children”, March 24, 2026. On landmark legislation that came into effect on April 1, about 25 years too late for our generation of parentsoriginal ↗
1 Apr 2026
Debito’s Shingetsu News Agency col 73, “Revolution is Due in America” (March 1, 2026). Democracies happen because of a Middle Class, but you have to keep it fed and watered. America is no longer doing that.original ↗
1 Mar 2026
My Shingetsu News Agency Visible Minorities column 72: “Confronting AI in Higher Education” (Jan 27, 2026), with decent primary source data on the harm being done to universities — by enabling students in the Social Sciences to cheat.original ↗
30 Jan 2026
2025
Mainichi & Asahi: 40% of Japan’s local govts received complaints about their policies designed to help NJ Residents. This fits a history of coordinated efforts from Far-Right internet trolls nationwide to stymie conscientious public policy. Hence being the “Good Gaijin” will not help you assimilate in this political climate.original ↗
22 Dec 2025
My SNA Visible Minorities column 71: “Karen Hill Anton’s Willful Ignorance of History” (Dec 1, 2025), on how a self-declared spokesperson on behalf of Japan’s Visible Minorities is hurting them by deliberately ignoring info counter to her narrativeoriginal ↗
15 Dec 2025
Japan commentator Karen Hill Anton writes on “What Racism is — and isn’t — in Japan” (her Substack, Nov 12, 2025). I critique, as it’s under-researched and willfully ignorant of the historical record. UPDATE: Karen responds on her Substack to say anyone is “free to disagree” with her, then deletes all of our correspondence from her Substack (which I archive as screen captures here)original ↗
16 Nov 2025
My SNA Visible Minorities column 70: “Takaichi’s PM Election Changes My Projections”, on how I have to recant my previous column because this new LDP party leader and probable PM is bad news (Oct 8, 2025).original ↗
5 Oct 2025
My SNA Visible Minorities col 69: “Japan’s Rightward Swing is Overblown” (Aug 24, 2025), on how the emergence of Sanseito shouldn’t be ignored but it doesn’t deserve the media hype, as its ideas are neither new nor well-plannedoriginal ↗
25 Aug 2025
Some Q&A with a reporter about Japan’s xenophobia, before the July elections. Do my claims still hold water?original ↗
13 Aug 2025
My SNA Visible Minorities 68: “Viewing Trump’s ‘DOGE reforms’ from the inside”, where I interview a civil servant in the US Government on how the bureaucrat purge is affecting them (July 21, 2025)original ↗
24 Jul 2025
My Shingetsu News Agency Visible Minorities column 67: “Int’l tourism has been good for Japan” (June 19, 2025), where I argue that short-sighted criticisms about Japan being “overtouristed” may spoil things, so don’t let the debate backfire into racialized policymakingoriginal ↗
20 Jun 2025
My Shingetsu News Agency VM column 66: “How Trump survives scandals”, where I offer a theory for the longstanding question, “How the hell does he get away with all this?” (April 30, 2025)original ↗
2 May 2025
My SNA Visible Minorities column 65: “Letter from Canada”, where a country weirdly threatened by its southern neighbor, including racist/secessionist merchandise from FBI Director Kash Patel, is somehow taking it all in stride (April 1, 2025, and it’s not an April Fools’ article)original ↗
31 Mar 2025
My latest SNA VM 64: “It can only end in violence” (Feb 26, 2025): On how ignoring the rule of law will mean somebody’s going to get hurt, and in a society that goes to extremes like America does, only extreme blowback is going to make the pendulum swing back.original ↗
28 Feb 2025
HNY 2025: My SNA VM column 63: “Trump’s Weak Mandate” (Jan 20, 2025), on how 47’s victory was in fact a narrow one, and arguably not because people support his authoritarianism. More a worldwide election trend against incumbent parties. Don’t fall for 47’s ploy.original ↗
20 Jan 2025
2024
Debito’s SNA Visible Minorities 62: “Electing the Joker” (Dec 10, 2024), on how a trend over the past decades to depict the “villain as hero” in popular culture has influenced politics downstream and made Trump more electableoriginal ↗
13 Dec 2024
My SNA Visible Minorities 61: “An Obituary for Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori”: As Trump is set to take the US Presidency again, let us consider the damage wrought by mixing political machines with family ties (Nov 2, 2024)original ↗
6 Nov 2024
Debito’s SNA VM 60: “MAGA’s roots in Japan” (Oct 3, 2024), where I argue the GOP’s targeting of non-citizens as “pet-eating illegals” in Springfield OH would be rather quaint in Japan. It’s straight out of the quarter-century-old playbook of the Far-Right “Netto Uyoku”original ↗
3 Oct 2024
BLOG BIZ: Devoting my waking hours to teaching these days, so please be patient with monthly updatesoriginal ↗
23 Sept 2024
My SNA Visible Minorities column 59: “Kamala Harris and Shorter US Elections”, on how the US, as the “arsenal of democracy” has to do something about its wasteful election system; could Harris have inadvertently provided a template? (Sept 2, 2024)original ↗
31 Aug 2024
Debito’s SNA VM column 58 “Japan’s Census Shenanigans”: How Japan’s registry system and accounting of foreign residents has led to statistical inaccuracies and exclusionary politics (July 30, 2024)original ↗
31 Jul 2024
Debito’s SNA VM column 57: “Overtourism as racism” (July 1, 2024). Most media on too many foreign tourists in Japan ignores how xenophobes are using “overtourism” to bully foreigners. Debito.org even argues it’s producing discriminatory policies worse than “Japanese Only” signs!original ↗
2 Jul 2024
Robert Whiting on “Slaughter in Saitama adds to list of foreigners murdered in Japan, shines light on social issue”, on the Bishop Family Murder Case, an underreported event in 2022 that I consider to be a hate crimeoriginal ↗
22 Jun 2024
Incidents of confrontationalism toward NJ are on the rise. Debito.org argues that this is standard social bullying of foreigners being disguised as a reaction to alleged “overtourism”. Push back at it.original ↗
3 Jun 2024
My SNA Visible Minorities column 56: “Addressing Japan’s Child Abduction Problem”, on the recent bill passed to allow joint custody after divorce (May 27, 2024)original ↗
28 May 2024
After decades of international exposure, embarrassment, broken treaty promises, xenophobic and racist tropes, and deprived children, Japan finally changes its laws to allow joint custody of children after divorce, taking effect in 2026.original ↗
20 May 2024
Reuters: Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia (May 2, 2024). Bravo Biden!original ↗
17 May 2024
My SNA Visible Minorities col 55: “From Dancing Monkey to Symbol of Hope”: Interview with Ibaraki Prefectural Assemblyman and naturalized Canadian-Japanese Jon Heese (May 2, 2024)original ↗
16 May 2024
13 May 2024
Debito cited in article, “Japan is becoming more diverse. Will its government?” Christian Science Monitor, April 12, 2024. As are several other naturalized and elected Japanese citizens originating from Canada, Uzbekistan, Syria/Egypt, and Bolivia.original ↗
17 Apr 2024
My SNA Visible Minorities 54: “Non-Japanese Residents claim political power” (Mar 31, 2024), where I argue the power of the vote matters whether you are a candidate or part of the electorate; the J Govt tries hard to make sure neither happens for Japan’s Immigrants.original ↗
31 Mar 2024
Kyodo: “Record 3.4 million foreign residents in Japan as work visas rise” in 2023. Only a brief reference to foreign crime (i.e., overstaying) this time. Fancy that.original ↗
30 Mar 2024
Debito.org Reader XY on “Rakuten Card is asking for sensitive Koseki Family Registry documents for Naturalized Japanese clients as a prerequisite for continued service”, even though nobody is clearly requiring them to.original ↗
8 Mar 2024
My SNA Visible Minorities column 53: “Miss Japan Shiino Karolina lost her crown. Inevitably.” (Feb 26, 2024)original ↗
27 Feb 2024
Reuters: Visible Minorities (“Foreign-born residents”) file lawsuit against government for police racial profiling. Good. Go for it.original ↗
30 Jan 2024
My latest SNA VM column 52: “Positive Steps for Non-Japanese in Japan” (Jan 23, 2024), a report of a month spent in Tokyo and all the progress towards tolerance observed.original ↗
27 Jan 2024
Happy 2024: Japan Times: “Japan should aim to maintain population of 80 million by 2100”, says private panel of business interests. 24 years later, no new ideas, since it calls for rises in birthrates, not immigration, yet again.original ↗
11 Jan 2024
2023
Japan Times: “Fukuoka court rules ban on dual nationality is constitutional”. Debito.org makes the case for why banning dual nationality is unrealistic, not to mention just plain stupid, with an excerpt from my book “Embedded Racism”.original ↗
21 Dec 2023
My SNA VM column 51: “Being thankful despite adversity” (Nov 27, 2023), a think piece on how people survive terrible lives because the basic unit of survival is being part of a pair. And if you’re not in one in Japan, life is especially difficult.original ↗
28 Nov 2023
My SNA Visible Minorities Column 50, “Memory-holing the ‘Japanese Only’ signs” (Oct 31, 2023), where I conclude that, since racial discrimination is unconstitutional but not illegal in Japan, the most effective way to get “Japanese Only” signs down is to get the media and government involved. If they won’t help, you’re probably out of luck.original ↗
30 Oct 2023
“Japanese Only” sign on izakaya bar in Naha, Okinawa (Okinawa Times and Japan Today). Removed after govt scrutiny and media exposure.original ↗
11 Oct 2023
My SNA VM 49: Be Mindful About Cultural Education (Sept 25, 2023), on how teaching people about Japan can backfire if the regular stereotyping found in language education isn’t carefully consideredoriginal ↗
25 Sept 2023
My SNA col 48: “Visible Minorities: Citizenship and Authoritarian Racism”, on how conservative movements worldwide are using racist “real citizens” tropes to reserve power for themselves and create minoritarian governments (Aug 22, 2023)original ↗
22 Aug 2023
Mainichi: “UK won’t extradite man over Tokyo jewelry heist, cites Japan’s human rights record”. Looks like Japan’s reputation for “hostage justice” is gaining groundoriginal ↗
13 Aug 2023
Kyodo: “Japanese population falls in all 47 prefectures for first time”. Actually, untrue, even according to the article itself. Once again, Japan’s exclusionary population tallies are only for “Japanese nationals”, not all people living in Japanoriginal ↗
31 Jul 2023
My SNA Visible Minorities column 47: “The Reverse Culture Shock of Leaving Japan” (July 25, 2023), with some pointers on how to resettle and reassimilate overseas despite all the things you might miss about Japanoriginal ↗
24 Jul 2023
My SNA Visible Minorities 46: “Visible Minorities: Departing Japan at Middle Age” (May 15, 2023)original ↗
16 May 2023
My SNA Visible Minorities 45: “Judges Strip Equal Protection from Naturalized Citizens”, on the unjust Aigi Country Club decision (Apr 24, 2023) (full text)original ↗
24 Apr 2023
Mainichi & Asahi: Naturalized Zainichi Korean-Japanese sues “Japanese Members Only” Aigi Country Club; court rules denial of golf membership explicitly for being a former foreigner NOT illegaloriginal ↗
21 Apr 2023
Kyodo: Kagawa Pref Govt urges hotels not to request foreign residents’ ID. Bravo. Shame it took nearly 20 years to happen.original ↗
29 Mar 2023
My latest SNA Visible Minorities column 44: “Interview with Jon Heese: Life Lessons from a Naturalized Japanese Politician”, March 20, 2023original ↗
20 Mar 2023
My SNA Visible Minorities 43: “Salute to the “Author of Cartels of the Mind’,” an obituary of influential Japan Studies scholar and mentor Ivan Hall (1932-2023)original ↗
20 Feb 2023
RIP Ivan P. Hall (1932-2023), author of “Cartels of the Mind” and “Bamboozled”, and one of the last major postwar scholars of Japanoriginal ↗
3 Feb 2023
My latest SNA Visible Minorities column 42: “Japan’s Remilitarization is a Bad Idea” (Jan 23, 2023), on why Japan is simply not the country to represent the world’s liberal democracies as a revived military poweroriginal ↗
23 Jan 2023
17 Jan 2023
2022
My SNA column 41: “Celebrating Christmas as a Compromise” (Dec 27, 2022), about what to do when people say you shouldn’t celebrate regular traditions you hold dear because they’re “not Japanese”original ↗
27 Dec 2022
My SNA Column 40: Visible Minorities: “Hard to Root for Japan at Sports Events” (Nov 28, 2022), due to all the nasty and racialized attitudes towards our athletes, and the lack of fair play in generaloriginal ↗
28 Nov 2022
My SNA Column 39: Visible Minorities: “Never Forget Japan’s Racist Covid Policies” (Oct 24, 2022), where I ask you to seriously reconsider devoting your life to a place that could revoke your legal status at any timeoriginal ↗
24 Oct 2022
Debito.org post #3000: SNA Visible Minorities 38: Visible Minorities: “Queen Elizabeth, Monarchies, and Progressivism” (Sept 19, 2022), on whether royals should still be allowed to existoriginal ↗
19 Sept 2022
Debito’s SNA VM37: “Reforming Japan’s Dickensian Foreign Trainee Program,” Aug 22, 2022, and why I remain skeptical that reforms will actually happenoriginal ↗
22 Aug 2022
Asahi: Okayama public prosecutors drop co-worker violence claim by Vietnamese “Trainee” despite video evidence. No wonder Japan’s violent bully culture thrives! (UPDATE: Out-of-court settlement was reached)original ↗
17 Aug 2022
Japan Times on neighborhood sento bathhouse restoration activists: Omits history of how Japan’s already-declining public bath industry hurt itself with “Japanese Only” signsoriginal ↗
12 Aug 2022
Migrant Integration Policy Index rates Japan as “Integration Denied”, and “Critically Unfavorable” in terms of Anti-Discrimination measures. And this is for 2019, before Covid shut Japan’s borders.original ↗
5 Aug 2022
Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets up “foreign media policing website” where anyone can report to J govt any foreign info “incompatible with our country’s standpoint”. Actually, quite within character.original ↗
25 Jul 2022
My SNA Visible Minorities 36: “Abe’s Assassination and the Revenge of History” (July 18, 2022), on how his historical revisionism created a blind spot that ultimately killed himoriginal ↗
18 Jul 2022
Tokyo Musashino City fails to get local referenda voting rights for its NJ Residents (Dec 2021). Absorb the arguments of the national-level xenophobic campaign against it.original ↗
7 Jul 2022
Archiving my SNA VM12 “A Despotic Bridge Too Far”, on Japan’s racist blanket ban on Foreign Resident re-entry, July 20, 2020 (link to full text)original ↗
29 Jun 2022
My SNA VM35: “Visible Minorities: Torture and Murder in Japan Detention Centers” (June 20, 2022) including the Sandamali, Suraj, Fernando, Okafor, Ekei etc. Cases.original ↗
20 Jun 2022
Archiving SNA VM10: “The Guestists and the Collaborators”, May 18, 2020, on how long-term NJ leverage their newfound privilege against other NJ Residents (e.g., Donald Keene, Tsurunen Marutei, and Oussouby Sacko) (Link to full text)original ↗
20 Jun 2022
Asahi: “Prosecutors drop case over death of detained Sri Lankan woman”, predictably ending Criminal Case brought by the family of Wishma Sandamali, and keeping Japan’s deadly “Gaijin Tanks” unaccountableoriginal ↗
17 Jun 2022
Debito’s SNA VM9 archived: “Pandemic Releases Antibodies toward Non-Japanese”, April 20, 2020 (link to full text)original ↗
15 Jun 2022
14 Jun 2022