We're all gaijin now - "Arizona is the new Japan."

As bad and as racist as these policies may be in Japan - and disclaimer wise, I've never actually had a problem myself, and honestly I don't get too worked up about it.  I'm a guest, not my country, etc - but who'd have thought the US would one up them?  More at the link/click through.

Keeping Pace in Japan: Arizona is the new Japan:

"In the past, foreign residents of Japan have always made arguments like: "If we were in America, this wouldn't have happened..."; "They wouldn't treat us this way if we were Japanese!"; "Sure, Japan isn't perfect, but other countries have better policies". And not always to blow off steam - sometimes they actually have a point to these arguments. For example, the ongoing gaijin card check: a legal inquiry usually performed by police officers discerning as to whether a foreigner in Japan is there for legitimate reasons; i.e. show your identification or face imprisonment or deportation. Black and white, but correct in essentials.

Now, it seems Japan isn't the only nation to jump the gun when it comes to keeping tabs on foreigners. In the US, the state of Arizona is considering a law allowing the police to:

1. Detain people they reasonably suspected were in the country without authorization
2. Charge immigrants with a state crime for not carrying immigration documents
3. It also allows residents to sue cities if they believe the law is not being enforced
(Source:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/us/22immig.html)

With the exception of number three, this law reads almost word-for-word that of current policy in Japan.

New to Japan? New to this blog? Never been the object of discrimination in your life (if so, lucky you)? Let me explain.

If you look foreign, police in Japan (and Arizona) have a right to stop you in your tracks, demand identification, and detain you if such documents aren't available..."