In June 2009, writer, lecturer and human rights campaigner Aurdou Debito made a trip down to Tokyo to attend a conference. Whilst in town, he was kind enough to provide Japan Podshow with an interview.

About Arudou Debito
Debito first came to prominence in early 2000s when, upon taking a trip to an onsen in Otaru, Hokkaido, he and his family and friends were turned away because they ‘weren’t Japanese’ – despite their being naturalised Japanese citizens.

After lengthy negotiations, the onsen still refused to change its ‘no gaijin’ policy: this led to Debito and two others to take the case to court. For more information on the Otaru Onsen Case please visit Debito’s site.

Since the Otaru onsen case Debito has continued to campaign against discrimination – Japan is still the only developed country without any form of law banning racial discrimination. He has a regular columns in the Japan Times and maintains a website aimed at helping others who face discrimination whilst charting the progress of the anti-discrimination movement within Japan.

In this interview Debito talks about:

• The first few years of his life in Japan
• The Otaru Onsen Case
• The new Gaijin cards and associated human rights issues, and what you can do to stop their introduction
• Foreigners who defend discrimination against other foreigners claiming that ‘We are guests in Japan’
• Has the situation improved for foreigners in Japan in recent years?
• His public image, and new beard, Arthur.

Debito has published a book on the Otaru Onsen Case – available here
He is also co-author of the Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants to Japan

AUDIO

You can listen to / download it here [40min MP3 version]

VIDEO

We are releasing a slightly modified version of the third video into the iTunes RSS feed, as we feel this is the most important one to watch. Download it here.

View the whole interview here:

Japan Podshow Interview: Arudou Debito from japanpodshow on Vimeo.

Alternatively, you can watch the video in parts embedded below, or download individual sections as mp4 video files (for use in iTunes).

Part 1: Meet Debito

[Download: 20.7mb]

Part 2: The Otaru Onsen Case

[Download 20.6mb]

Part 3: The New Gaijin Cards: Tracking Foreigners

[Download 33.8mb]

Part 4: “Foreigners in Japan are guests – we have no right to protest” – Debito responds

[Download 13.2mb]

Part 5: How has the situation for non-Japanese in Japan changed in recent years?

[Download 21.9mb]

Part 6: Debito’s public image, and his new beard, Arthur.

[Download 24.1mb]