Racial Profiling in Japan

As you've probably heard, the U.S. Embassy warned foreigners in Japan about racial profiling in the form of unwarranted police checks. Most of these stops happen in front of busy train stations or streets, and can be humiliating and traumatizing experiences. These types of police checks do nothing except further negative stereotypes about foreigners in Japan.

You can read about the U.S. warning here.

Being a victim of any type of discrimination can be a traumatizing experience. If you or someone you know has been stopped by the police, and think you may have been a victim of racial profiling, please let the Tokyo Bar Association know about it! They are currently conducting research into racial profiling by Japanese police. The survey can be found here.

Lastly, here is a list of helpful information in case you are ever stopped by the police (as well as other difficult situations you may find yourself in).