Blatant Discrimination Disappears, But…: The Politics of Everyday Exclusion in Contemporary Japan

Abstract

Focusing on the experience of the Korean minority in Japan (zainichi Koreans), this article demonstrates that exclusionary practices against ethnic minorities persist in everyday life in subtle and covert forms although blatant discrimination against them has significantly disappeared. The article examines the current situation of zainichi Koreans and traces how they have been treated in Japan. On the basis of interviews, it is apparent that exclusionary practices against zainichi Koreans persist in everyday interpersonal interactions. The forms of exclusion are very difficult to remedy by legal/institutional measures, leading to the conclusion that a more fundamental change is needed to solve the problem.