In the video, a former prosecutor says
I think this critique is a discrimination against Asia. Discrimination against Asia from the West. They despise Asia. 'Oh it's just an Asian country anyway I don't think there can be such a modern criminal justice in Asia like ours'. That's what they are thinking. It's extremely unpleasant, to be honest with you.
I have seen this tactic used very frequently, not just in the context of Japan or its legal system. Orientalism is of course real and there's no doubt in my mind that some Westerners who criticise the Japanese criminal justice system are relying on the orientalist "Asian people are backwards" trope.
But the critique remains justified and there are plenty of people who are not just attacking Japan because of their internalised orientalism. So what is the counter to that guy's tactic? My initial thought about this example was to let Japanese people themselves speak up about it, but even those Japanese people are attacked by the reactionaries and are said to not be "real" Japanese people (something that was also discussed by the Against Japanism podcast).
My only experience with Japanese cops was when I saw some doomsday cult in Tokyo doing a soapbox speech about the apocalypse and how Jews are doing it. It's pretty common to see cultists hanging around the streets there and this time there were a few cops standing nearby, probably assigned to protect them.
A guy tried going up to the cult leader guy with the megaphone and a cop blew a whistle and told him to get back. I remember thinking it was really similar to back home in America.
Japanese police aren't good, but the most frequent criticism of them you'll see in western discourse is something like: "they only arrest people when they are certain they'll get a conviction! that's why the conviction rate is so high." my brother in Christ the problem with Japan's cops isn't that they don't arrest enough people!
they have a lot of the same problems as American police do, but the scope of the problem is completely different. far fewer people get arrested, far fewer are in prison, etc. if you're countering someone who brings this stuff up, try to steer the argument to solutions - if they're not a prison/police abolitionist, then they'll probably argue for chud shit that we know from experience with the War on Drugs just doesn't work (and if they are a prison/police abolitionist you should be agreeing with them).
you may be interested in this interview with a japanese film director who made a movie about police corruption. he lays down some stuff about what goes on there from a japanese perspective (it sounds just like the US) http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/2011/03/15/confessions-of-a-dog-interview-with-gen-takahashi/
In Japan you have the kisha, or press club, and they write their articles based on what the police tells them. They actually have their offices in police stations, and the rent and the phone bills are paid for by the police. So if they were to criticise the police, they would just be biting the hands that feed them.
:what-the-hell:
Gen Takahashi: Because I hate the police, and yes, it’s all true.
Based haha. Thanks for the link!
