India, Pak, US-born residents file suit in Japan over alleged racial profiling

Three foreign-born residents of Japan, hailing from India, Pakistan and the US, have filed a lawsuit against both national and local authorities, alleging unlawful interrogation by police driven by racial profiling, according to a Reuters report. The lawsuit marks the inaugural instance of such legal action in Japan, according to the report, citing plaintiffs’ lawyers, and and comes amid a sharp rise in the number of foreign workers coming to the country to help stem labour shortages as its population ages and declines. The legal action also unfolds against the backdrop of a revived discourse on Japanese identity and appearance, following the recent crowning of a Ukrainian-born naturalized Japanese citizen as Miss Japan. The trio lodged their complaint with the Tokyo District Court demanding that the national, Tokyo Metropolitan, and Aichi Prefecture governments to acknowledge the illegality of police detentions and interrogations solely based on race, nationality, or ethnicity. Citing distress from recurrent police interrogations grounded in their physical appearance and ethnic background, the plaintiffs assert that such practices violate constitutional rights. According to Reuters, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Aichi Prefectural Government, and National Police Agency abstained from offering comments, while representatives from the Ministry of Justice remained unreachable. Accompanied by their legal counsel, the plaintiffs appeared at the Tokyo District Court around midday, addressing the media before proceeding to submit their case. One of the plaintiffs, Matthew, a person of Indian heritage residing in Japan for over two decades with permanent residency, recounted numerous encounters with police questioning. He expressed fear of venturing outside due to the apprehension of being subjected to further stops. “I never knew what social withdrawal was until recently,” Reuters quoted him as saying, declining to provide his surname for fear of harassment. “I feel like every time I finish work, I’m hiding in my house,” he added. Syed Zain, who was born in Pakistan but took Japanese citizenship after moving to Japan with his family as a child, said he hoped the case would lead to positive change in a society where the number of Japanese with foreign roots is growing. Likewise, Maurice, an American who did not provide his surname, said he hoped to raise awareness of the issue among Japanese people and make life easier for others. “I want them (Japanese people) to understand that this is an everyday occurrence, it’s an everyday thing, and that we have to do something to prevent that,” he told Reuters. The lawsuit also seeks 3 million yen (about $20,250) in damages for each plaintiff. With inputs from agencies