Shock as 'friendliest country in the world' suddenly orders 'crackdown on foreigners' | World

Japan is famous for its culture of politeness and respect. However, a whistleblower from the country’s police force claimed officers were ordered to “crack down on foreigners” and “judge them solely on their appearance.”

The left-wing Japanese publication Mainichi reported that an anonymous police source said she had been asked to “target foreigners for questioning and checking their residence cards.”

“There was a ‘month of repression of foreigners’ during which we had to redouble our efforts to check the cards, but also (to) search them for drugs or knives,” adds the officer. .

The order would come from the country Criminal Investigation Division, which was trying to track down undocumented migrants.

To make matters worse, the officer claimed that “blacks and Southeast Asians” were subject to particular bias by police.

This is not the first case of visitors or non-native Japanese encountering resistance in Japan.

In March, Kyoto city’s famous Gion district banned tourists from certain areas, including traditional teahouses.

The district is home to the city’s world-famous Geishas. Geishas are characterized by their traditional appearance, clothing and dances. It was claimed that tourists were harassing dancers and therefore restrictions were necessary.

The move has divided opinion, with some hailing it as a way to preserve the dignity of the Geisha and protect local culture. While others believe it is an unbearable misstep.

Speaking to German media outlet Deutsche Welle, two Dutch tourists Anna and Mark Van Diggenen said: “I think it’s very good to ban taking photos here in the region.”

Mark added that it was a welcome move to ensure “the girls’ privacy”.

However, this view was not universally shared. Australian tourist Jane Stafford said: “I wonder why this is imposed? To me it’s a unique heritage area, I suppose, that people want to enjoy and (they) like to photograph the architecture.”