On January 29, local time, three Japanese residents of foreign descent filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court, accusing the Japanese police of frequently interrogating them because of race, skin color, nationality and other reasons.
Saeed Zain is a Japanese of Pakistani origin who has lived in Japan for more than 20 years. He recounted being rudely questioned by the police for the first time.
Plaintiff Saeed Zain: I was riding my bike and they (the police) stopped me. As soon as he came up, he said to me, "This is not your bike", "Who is the real owner?", "Did you steal it?", ...... That's what I heard when I first met the police. I felt offended when something like this happened.
Originally from a Pacific island nation, Matthew has now been granted permanent residency in Japan. He said that because he was afraid of being questioned by the police, he kept hiding at home when he was not working.
Plaintiff Matthew: I've been cross-examined too many times over the years. Whether I'm driving or walking, or taking a train, riding a bike. There were too many times to count, and in the end I felt like I was a little "socially phobic". Every time after work, I hide at home and I don't want to go out. I always asked myself, why can't I go out, and the reason is that I don't want to face the police again. Nine times out of ten, they're going to stop me.
Morris, the final plaintiff, said that the indifference has contributed to the current prevalence of racial discrimination, and he hopes that the lawsuit will draw attention to the matter.
Plaintiff Morris: People like me are being treated unfairly because people are indifferent. I hope they understand that this kind of thing happens every day. For the sake of the next generation, we must do something.
The plaintiffs demanded that the Japanese central government, as well as the governments of Tokyo and Aichi Prefecture, determine that the frequent interrogation of foreigners by the police was an "unconstitutional act of racial discrimination" and compensate each of the three plaintiffs 3.3 million yen (about 160,000 yuan).
(Source: CCTV News)
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