Comments on: Debito.org Newsletter for October 29, 2007 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/ Independent Podcasting from Tokyo. Featuring Seijigiri, a discussion of Japanese news and politics, as well as TPR News, our twice a week look at Japan's top stories. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:14:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Ken Worsley http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-448649 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:03:11 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-448649 <em>Gaiatsu</em> Hagen Dazs is my favourite flavour. Gaiatsu Hagen Dazs is my favourite flavour.

]]> by: Arudou Debito http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-448191 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:31:56 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-448191 Debito here. Thanks for the link, J. I've copy-pasted it up on my blog as well: http://www.debito.org/index.php/?p=676#comment-88655 Yep, nothing like a bit of gaiatsu from your friendly neighborhood hegemon... Debito here. Thanks for the link, J. I’ve copy-pasted it up on my blog as well:

http://www.debito.org/index.php/?p=676#comment-88655

Yep, nothing like a bit of gaiatsu from your friendly neighborhood hegemon…

]]> by: DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-447186 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 04:04:48 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-447186 Nice one, J. Entirely plausible that there's some <em>gai-atsu</em> here. I don't think this fingerprinting regime is going to go away - more likely, we'll see it expand to other countries. On the other hand, for financial and efficiency as well as convenience and human rights reasons, it would make sense for every country to come up with a way to exempt residents from routine, repeated biometrics. What we might be looking at is a return to fingerprints on alien registration cards. The sad thing is that it is all so pointless - just like most of what goes on at airport security screening. It's for show, to keep the fearful happy, and most of the fearful seem to be inclined towards a bit of xenophobia. Want people to get along better? Encourage them to visit other countries. Most people like most places they visit. This is especially true for developed countries. People who have visited the US overwhelmingly say they liked it and liked the people in surveys. I would expect that similar things are true of Europe and Japan. Japan needs to make it easier for foreigners to visit, even stay here, so that they'll develop an interest in and affection for the country. Nice one, J. Entirely plausible that there’s some gai-atsu here. I don’t think this fingerprinting regime is going to go away - more likely, we’ll see it expand to other countries.

On the other hand, for financial and efficiency as well as convenience and human rights reasons, it would make sense for every country to come up with a way to exempt residents from routine, repeated biometrics. What we might be looking at is a return to fingerprints on alien registration cards.

The sad thing is that it is all so pointless - just like most of what goes on at airport security screening. It’s for show, to keep the fearful happy, and most of the fearful seem to be inclined towards a bit of xenophobia.

Want people to get along better? Encourage them to visit other countries. Most people like most places they visit. This is especially true for developed countries. People who have visited the US overwhelmingly say they liked it and liked the people in surveys. I would expect that similar things are true of Europe and Japan. Japan needs to make it easier for foreigners to visit, even stay here, so that they’ll develop an interest in and affection for the country.

]]> by: J http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-445440 Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:04:37 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-445440 Hi, Debito. Just read the last paragraph of this document prepared by the Department of Homeland Security of the US, and find who is forcing Ministry of Justice of Japan to collect fingerprints of foreigners coming to Japan. http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0838.shtm Hi, Debito.
Just read the last paragraph of this document prepared by the Department of Homeland Security of the US, and find who is forcing Ministry of Justice of Japan to collect fingerprints of foreigners coming to Japan.
http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0838.shtm

]]> by: DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-444537 Thu, 01 Nov 2007 03:31:20 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-444537 Edie, I agree, that is a specious argument. The "at least this bad thing lacks this bad aspect of the other bad thing" argument is one of the flabbiest and vapid forms of argument there is. Frankly, what the US does is irrelevant and any direct comparison with the US system for the purpose of supporting or attacking Japan's fingerprinting plan is pointless and unhelpful. Jim Crow might be a bit far to go, but the plan is stupid even on a purely financial level - there is no way in which fingerprinting foreigners entering Japan is going to deter, reduce, or prevent terrorism of any kind. It is unlikely to even assist with crimes such as illegal entry or visa forgery. Just like the American system and most public airport security measures and border security measures, this step is designed to put up a good front for those who are both gullible enough to buy the propaganda that Japan is under threat from the outside and dimwitted enough to believe that collecting fingerprints and making people wait in long lines to return to their homes is making things safer. Is there racism involved? Yes, obviously, but the deeper problem is that that racism is combined with a willful imperviousness to reason. Edie, I agree, that is a specious argument. The “at least this bad thing lacks this bad aspect of the other bad thing” argument is one of the flabbiest and vapid forms of argument there is. Frankly, what the US does is irrelevant and any direct comparison with the US system for the purpose of supporting or attacking Japan’s fingerprinting plan is pointless and unhelpful.

Jim Crow might be a bit far to go, but the plan is stupid even on a purely financial level - there is no way in which fingerprinting foreigners entering Japan is going to deter, reduce, or prevent terrorism of any kind. It is unlikely to even assist with crimes such as illegal entry or visa forgery. Just like the American system and most public airport security measures and border security measures, this step is designed to put up a good front for those who are both gullible enough to buy the propaganda that Japan is under threat from the outside and dimwitted enough to believe that collecting fingerprints and making people wait in long lines to return to their homes is making things safer.

Is there racism involved? Yes, obviously, but the deeper problem is that that racism is combined with a willful imperviousness to reason.

]]> by: Edie Spencer http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-444401 Thu, 01 Nov 2007 02:33:55 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-444401 Wiliam Saletan at <i>Slate</i> made the rather specious argument that at least the Japanese won't be putting foreigners in camps, and that we treat Mexicans the same way. But the the thing, plenty of US citizens don't even want our goverment to treat Mexicans or who ever that way- it goes counter to what we as americans like to think we believe. And by targeting foreigners and <i>those who are perceived as foreigners</i> , it really does seem like a sort of Jim Crow system is being set up, right in front of everyone's eyes. Wiliam Saletan at Slate made the rather specious argument that at least the Japanese won’t be putting foreigners in camps, and that we treat Mexicans the same way.

But the the thing, plenty of US citizens don’t even want our goverment to treat Mexicans or who ever that way- it goes counter to what we as americans like to think we believe. And by targeting foreigners and those who are perceived as foreigners , it really does seem like a sort of Jim Crow system is being set up, right in front of everyone’s eyes.

]]> by: Arudou Debito http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-441415 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:32:38 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/10/31/debito-102907-fingerprints-japan-accenture/#comment-441415 "The issue" is unclear above, since the introductory title was removed. This is a SPECIAL ISSUE ON IMMIGRATION'S REINSTATEMENT OF FINGERPRINTING OF NON-JAPANESE AT THE BORDER fyi, Debito in Sapporo “The issue” is unclear above, since the introductory title was removed.

This is a

SPECIAL ISSUE ON IMMIGRATION’S REINSTATEMENT OF FINGERPRINTING OF NON-JAPANESE AT THE BORDER

fyi, Debito in Sapporo

]]>