Peace Philosophy Salon March 20 - "Foreigners in Japan"

This is the first "student-led" Peace Philosophy Salon. We hope many will be able to attend. RSVP to Arc info@peacephilosophy.com by March 19.
（はじめての学生主導による「ピース・フィロソフィー・サロン」です。トピックは、日本在住の外国籍の人たちのことです。ふるってご参加ください。出席の方は１９日までに info@peacephilosophy.com までお願いします）

Peace Philosophy Centre "Foreigners in Japan"

Date: Saturday, 20 March 2010
Time: 15:00 - 18:00
Location: Peace Philosophy Centre, Vancouver (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details)

* Free admission/donation welcome
* Tea will be served (snack donation welcome)

Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed the Olympics, or are enjoying the Paralympics that are going on right now.

For the March 20th Salon, we decided we'd like to discuss the issues surrounding foreigners in Japan. We are going to explore a variety of topics concerning foreigners living in Japan, and we're really hoping for some varied and frank discussions on the topic.

While looking at the origins and situation of the Zainichi, we would like to explore culturally related perceptions about this group. We would also like to discuss possible cultural and social basis's for discrimination, as well as ethnic and racial topics.

The government position towards schools outside of the government curriculum and the funding and recognition of the diploma from these schools is an important topic for foreigners in Japan. This is also including the recent attack by right wingers near Kyoto on a Korean school, as this incident is especially related to all these issues.

This salon would be led and facilitated by students from UBC and SFU. Dan Aizawa (UBC) and Arc Zen Han (UBC) would be dealing with issues of policies of Japanese government towards Nikkeijin and Zainichi on national level, Shoko Hata (SFU) would talk about how Japanese society and people are conscious about their rights, and Andrew Livingston (UBC) would like to share his experience of living in Japan as a foreigner. Go Murakami (UBC) will also talk about the rights of foreigners in Japan.

For international students and immigrants in Vancouver, I believe your experience of living in abroad must have changed your point of views about issues associated with race, ethnicity, culture, and identity.

Also, some of you might have lived in Japan as a foreigner, "Gaikokujin", like Andrew. You might have some thoughts if there is any points that Japan as a state, Japanese society, and Japanese people need to change their attitudes towards non-Japanese people living in Japan to respect
their dignity.

We hope that this salon would be a great opportunity for all of us to reflect and share our experience and thoughts.

Peace Philosophy Centre