Racism

My wife was born in Del Norte Colorado to a single mother.  Her mother and grandmother was Hispanic and her grandfather was Cherokee.  On the side of town side she lived on (literally the wrong side of the tracks) there are no paved roads and and no schools.  She grew up and went to Catholic schools.  She was raised by her grandmother until she went to live with her mother and stepfather in Ogden, Utah.  When she came to Ogden, she spoke no English and had to learn it from her school mates.  Most of the white children she went to school with did not have anything to do with her.  What she did was to stay with "her own kind." Discrimination was just something that was around her and since she mostly played with other Hispanic children and only went to Mexican stores, she missed a lot of ugliness.  Common things that happened to her was name calling, being ignored at "white" stores, and being talked to rudely.

JAPAN

According to the Japanese constitution, all citizens are equally important regardless of ethnic identity. At least one native people-group (the Ainu) has been formally recognized by the Japanese government. However, foreign nationals are sometimes restricted from certain services and activities.  A friend of mine lived there for 5 years.  He discovered some interesting facts that he relayed to me.  As long as you are a visitor, the Japanese are very polite and courteous.  I have experienced this first hand.  It doesn't matter what race you are or your cultural background.  But if you are living there there is a different category you fall into.  According to my friend, the Japanese have to aspects of society: the ones who have the power and the ones who do not.  If you do not have the power your basic attitude is to conform and and not to bring shame upon your family or yourself.  If you have the power you can basically treat everyone below you however you want.  

Nationality	Number	Percentage
China	653,004	32.0%
South Korea and  North Korea	530,421	26.0%
Philippines	203,027	10.0%
Brazil	193,571	9.5%
Vietnam	52,385	2.6%
Peru	49,483	2.4%
United States	48,371	2.4%
Thailand	40,146	2.0%
Indonesia	25,543	1.3%
Nepal	24,073	1.2%
Taiwan	22,779	1.1%
Others	195,356	9.6%
Total (as of 2012)	2,038,159	100%

Resources

Japan Statistics Bureau (Japanese)(2007)  [1] 平成２４年末現在における外国人登録者統          ついて].  Abramson, Paul(1999), Conversation after my first trip to Japan. Hogg, Chris (2005), Japan racism 'Deep and Profound"BBC News. Retrieved from      http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4671687.stm