© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
A video featuring an Indian named Nikhil Tripathi in Japan sharing his experiences with racism in the country has gone viral, sparking conversations online. Tripathi was approached by a Japanese vlogger who asked him, “How is it living in Japan as an Indian?” His response touched on food habits before moving on to instances of discrimination he had faced.
Tripathi explained that many Indian expats in Japan avoid pork and beef, with some being strictly vegetarian. “Since they can’t eat chicken or other meats, they have to cook for themselves to survive,” he said, adding that many often rely on simple dishes like kappa maki (cucumber rolls) when dining out.
However, beyond food challenges, Tripathi opened up about facing racism multiple times over the past two years. He recalled incidents where random strangers picked fights with him and one instance where a man intentionally bumped into his shoulder. Another unsettling moment happened on a train when a group of high school girls were laughing loudly. Though he wasn’t interacting with them, one of them suddenly told him to “shut up.” Unwilling to let it slide, he confronted them directly: “Oh, are you being racist right now?”
The video, posted on the Instagram page Riki With Japan Mates, quickly gained traction, amassing over six lakh views. Many viewers resonated with his experiences, sharing their own encounters with discrimination in Japan.
One user commented, “Got the same experience, bumped hard into my shoulders at least three times, and being yelled at in the street by a racist word.” Another added, “Let’s be honest, racism is everywhere.”
Some people also pointed out the challenges of dating as an Indian in Japan, with one person stating, “There is so much racism when you’re dating as an Indian. It’s insane. Not every Indian is a nighttime low-paid 7/11 worker. Heck, the workers are not even Indian but Bangladeshis. Japan still treats Indians as low-paid labour when actually Indians are far from low-paid labour.”
This discussion comes shortly after another case of racism involving an Indian-origin woman in the UK. While traveling from London to Manchester, she was subjected to racial abuse by a fellow passenger after discussing her work with a charity that helps immigrants. The situation escalated when a reportedly drunk individual overheard her conversation and began threatening and verbally abusing her.
