A civil lawsuit accusing Japanese police of racial profiling opened Monday with emotional testimony from plaintiffs who said they were constantly stopped and questioned without good reason. The case, filed in January by three residents of Japan with overseas ancestry, including an American, claims their treatment constitutes discrimination and violates their human rights.
We are relaying our feelings, our experiences and our views,' said plaintiff Syed Zain, a Japanese citizen of Pakistani descent, speaking to reporters after appearing in Tokyo District Court. Zain said he has been treated like a criminal, despite having lived in Japan for two decades, having attended Japanese schools as a child, and being fluent in the language. He wants to be recognized as a Japanese person and to help make Japan a better place, he said.
It also highlights how a culture that prides itself on its insularity is grappling with the recent influx of people from abroad. The number of non-citizens living in Japan reached a record high recently, with more than 3.2 million people. The lawsuit demands about $20,000 in punitive damages per plaintiff as compensation for 'unconstitutional and illegal' treatment, plus 300,000 yen per plaintiff in attorneys' fees.
Recent government data show no difference in the crime rate between Japanese and foreigners. Maurice Shelton, the American plaintiff, said he has been stopped by police about 17 times during his 10 years living in Japan, although he is permanent resident and has Japanese family. 'As a Black American coming here ... knowing that I had to deal with the same fights and battles is quite disappointing,' he said.
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