Xenophobia in Action

Abstract

This article investigates the use of online communication and social media in connection with the recently emerged right-wing, xenophobic movement in contemporary Japan. Since the early 2000s there has been a surge in xenophobic and racist discourse on the Internet, tied to numerous attacks on Koreans and other ethnic minorities in Japan. The result is that a new nationalist and xenophobic movement, generally referred to as the Action Conservative Movement, has emerged in Japan. Based on participant observation and in-depth interviewing of the people involved with and impacted by the movement, this article explores the significance of the Internet — especially online video sharing, streaming service, and social media — in the formation of this contemporary right-wing social movement. With the proliferation of online live streaming, the Internet has become an even more effective tool, permeating every aspect of the group's activism and everyday life, creating a realm of communication for supporters and critics.