ABSTRACT
In the construction of national identity, Japanese minorities have had difficulty in fully assimilating into mainstream acceptance and participation. Yet despite racially exclusionary practices, Japan maintains a remarkable level of civility and most Japanese do not fully acknowledge or address racial inequalities as being problematic. This civility, however, is often betrayed by state-level actors, who have attached nationalist sentiments to racial identity, projecting an ideology of Japanese superiority and exceptionalism. Japan’s legacy of colonial relations with its Asian neighbors continues to rile Japanese politics, preventing historical reconciliation and a deeper understanding of civil rights in Japan.
