NationStates Jolt Archive

No, it's Japan!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19185274-2703,00.html

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners. I remember cries of Fascist! and Orwellian!

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.

While we're at it; we should fingerprint everyone, and issue ID tags! That'll save us from these criminals!

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners.

No we didn't. I still say "meh, who cares? Not I"

No, it's Japan!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19185274-2703,00.html

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners. I remember cries of Fascist! and Orwellian!

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.
Kimchi, living in Japan where I will have to be facing this (and the gaikokujin population is NOT happy about these turn of events), I would just like to extend to both the Diet, the LDP, and Prime Minister Koizumi (and of course you) a nice big FUCK YOU!

Unless you plan to contact your reps in Congress to put diplomatic pressure on Japan, go take your self serving 'tude somewhere else.

Kimchi, living in Japan where I will have to be facing this (and the gaikokujin population is NOT happy about these turn of events), I would just like to extend to both the Diet, the LDP, and Prime Minister Koizumi (and of course you) a nice big FUCK YOU!

Unless you plan to contact your reps in Congress to put diplomatic pressure on Japan, go take your self serving 'tude somewhere else.

Hey, I am all for fingerprinting and registering and tracking foreigners. It's already the law here in the US - I can't criticize Japan for it.

But, for those people who love to bash the US, it was just another opportunity. I'd just like to see them bash another nation for doing the same thing.

It is rather disturbing that Japan is following our example. It's pseudo-fascist of us, and pseudo-fascist of them.

Isn't this thread kinda the equivilent of that kid who gets in trouble, and then tries to justify it by pointing at another kid and saying in a whiny voice, 'They did it too'?

Isn't this thread kinda the equivilent of that kid who gets in trouble, and then tries to justify it by pointing at another kid and saying in a whiny voice, 'They did it too'?It's all DK's got left, since it's become clear that he doesn't give two shits for the principles set out in the Constitution of the country of his origin.

Japan? Not surprised. Japan is not democratic in my opinion, just look at their prison system.

No, it's Japan!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19185274-2703,00.html

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners. I remember cries of Fascist! and Orwellian!

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.

They are also very very anti-immigrant but noone is yelling them racist...

They are also very very anti-immigrant but noone is yelling them racist...
Mainly because there are only two people in Japan who are active on this board, everyone else wants to talk about anime and samurai.

If you'd like to hear some bashing of Japan for their views, go to any JET forum, you'll catch more than an earful there.

Isn't this thread kinda the equivilent of that kid who gets in trouble, and then tries to justify it by pointing at another kid and saying in a whiny voice, 'They did it too'?

Pretty much.

But of course, the only time we're supposed to care is when the USA does it - we're all well aware that everywhere else is totally perfect, right? :rolleyes:

They are also very very anti-immigrant but noone is yelling them racist...

Oh yeah, I'm Chinese ethnically traditionally the Chinese and Japanese governments don't get along. Japanese used Chinese for their biological experiments during WW2.

To be fair, I don't see anything wrong with the fingerprinting of Foreigners or Citizens alike. My fingers are not exactly private information, and it is somewhat difficult to misuse information on the shape of the whirling patterns at their tips since nobody uses fingerprinting as a means of biometric security these days anyway.

I would get more than a little miffed if they asked for a DNA sample though. Or an iris photo.

It was a stupid and xenophobic thing for the Americans to start doing, and a good reason not to go to America.
It's a stupid and xenophobic thing for the Japanese to do, and a good reason not to go to Japan.
It will be a stupid and xenophobic thing when the British jump on the bandwagon (and I have no doubt that we will, we like doing the same stupid things as everyone else and xenophobe is our middle name), and it will be a good reason for people to not come here.

Go stupidity and xenophobia! *\o/*

It was a stupid and xenophobic thing for the Americans to start doing, and a good reason not to go to America.
It's a stupid and xenophobic thing for the Japanese to do, and a good reason not to go to Japan.
It will be a stupid and xenophobic thing when the British jump on the bandwagon (and I have no doubt that we will, we like doing the same stupid things as everyone else and xenophobe is our middle name), and it will be a good reason for people to not come here.

Go stupidity and xenophobia! *\o/*

Gosh, when I was in the UK, I was not only questioned about my stay and when I was going to be leaving, but they knew WHERE I was staying, and WHO I was working with and had addresses and phone numbers. A few days before leaving, they dropped in IN PERSON (two officers) to make sure I still had my plane ticket and still planned to leave.

That was for four visits of three weeks each. And each time, the procedure was the same.

Considering the number of cameras in use in London, I had the vague feeling that they were checking on me occasionally that way as well.

They are also very very anti-immigrant but noone is yelling them racist...

Because only white people (and countries) can be racist, of course.

Considering the number of cameras in use in London, I had the vague feeling that they were checking on me occasionally that way as well.

Well there are two CCTV cameras for every person in the UK.

Pretty much.

But of course, the only time we're supposed to care is when the USA does it - we're all well aware that everywhere else is totally perfect, right? :rolleyes:

The difference, my friend, is that Japan hasn't been going around invading other countries, claiming to be the bastion of freedom and democracy, and taking on the role of world peace as though their laws and ideals are the 'best'. If you fail to see why people are more concerned by what the United States does than by what Japan does, then nobody can help you.

Well there are two CCTV cameras for every person in the UK.
I guess you'll be free until your house is wired like Big Brother.

Gosh, when I was in the UK, I was not only questioned about my stay and when I was going to be leaving, but they knew WHERE I was staying, and WHO I was working with and had addresses and phone numbers. A few days before leaving, they dropped in IN PERSON (two officers) to make sure I still had my plane ticket and still planned to leave.

That was for four visits of three weeks each. And each time, the procedure was the same.

Considering the number of cameras in use in London, I had the vague feeling that they were checking on me occasionally that way as well.
Well, I did say xenophobe was our middle name. That'll teach you to be an evil degenerate foreign criminal terrorist stealing our jobs.
I guess you weren't here as a tourist? There's often a lot of fuss about foreigners coming here to work, for some reason, although what you describe does sound far more... competent than I'd typically expect our authorities to be. Orwellian, yes, but unusually competent.

Most CCTV is owned and ran by private businesses I think (can't back that up, though; I do know the police operate CCTV schemes in many town centres, but not to the extent that private business does). There aren't nearly that many out in the real world (ie. not London), but most shops, offices, etc. will have cameras on. Don't they in the US?

I guess you'll be free until your house is wired like Big Brother.

The problem with Britons is that they don't give enough of a damn about politics to do anything about anything. That, and they keep electing Labour into government. Even with small things, they won't lift a finger.

For example, I tried to organise some sort of protest against our local council's extremely unfair, unhygienic and down-right disgusting new trash collection policy in our neighbourhood. Over the summer last year, trash left outside for a fortnight was baking in the sun; the stink was horrendous, there were flies everywhere, and there was no way in hell it was hygienic for anybody. Everybody is against the new policy, but when I saw that nobody was doing anything about it I tried to get some sort of petition together as a prelude to a proper protest. Know how many people I managed to recruit? None. Everybody hated the policy, but they all mysteriously lost interest when the prospect of actually doing something came along. And then they went and voted in the same party AGAIN in the elections! So I say, sod it. Everything that happens to them now is their own fault.

Apathy and partisans, combined will bring about the death of democracy in ALL countries.

I'm not sure I like this idea.

They are also very very anti-immigrant but noone is yelling them racist...
Nobody? Have you read the article?
TOP UN race-discrimination investigator Doudou Diene has denounced a new Japanese law for compulsory fingerprinting of foreigners as evidence of a worldwide trend towards "criminalising" outsiders.
"Especially since 9/11, there has been a process of criminalisation of foreigners, as foreigners - of asylum-seekers, migrant workers, migrants," Mr Diene said. "(The Japanese law) is an illustration of a very worrisome development of racism in the world; it is what I call the 'banalisation' of discrimination, of racism."

Mr Diene produced a report earlier this year on racial discrimination in Japan, which many Japanese deny exists in their country because of its assumed racial homogeneity.

However, Mr Diene found widespread discrimination, at official and private levels, against indigenous Ainu on northern Hokkaido, Okinawans in the south, and Korean and Chinese residents.

The difference, my friend, is that Japan hasn't been going around invading other countries, claiming to be the bastion of freedom and democracy, and taking on the role of world peace as though their laws and ideals are the 'best'. If you fail to see why people are more concerned by what the United States does than by what Japan does, then nobody can help you.

Please note the eye-rolling smiley, I generally support your point of view...

....although I also criticize non-US nations when they fuck up.

Because only white people (and countries) can be racist, of course.

Or maybe it's because Japan hasnt got a colonial history, so they dont have to keep apologizing. But wait! They actually have.
Or maybe because they werent fascist and violently racist in their history. But again, they were!
It's probably the sheep people (extremely politically correct and who memmorize 'immigration is good' and repeats it after and after like some kinda religious nut case repeats a verse from a holy book) cant think anything outside their boundaries and dogmas.

No, it's Japan!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19185274-2703,00.html

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners. I remember cries of Fascist! and Orwellian!

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.

You'd better believe I am aware of it and am at the very least as pissed about it....

You'd better believe I am aware of it and am at the very least as pissed about it....

I remember you being not Japaneese? You have to respect them, it's their country and it's their very right whom to accept or not and how to accept or not.

Kimchi, living in Japan where I will have to be facing this (and the gaikokujin population is NOT happy about these turn of events), I would just like to extend to both the Diet, the LDP, and Prime Minister Koizumi (and of course you) a nice big FUCK YOU!

Unless you plan to contact your reps in Congress to put diplomatic pressure on Japan, go take your self serving 'tude somewhere else.

Word.

It is rather disturbing that Japan is following our example. It's pseudo-fascist of us, and pseudo-fascist of them.

Actually, Japan was doing it well before. To paraphrase Arlo, "And friends, somewhere in city, enshrined in some little folder, is a
study in black and white of my fingerprints."
In fact my equivilant of a green card had my thumb print on it for many years.

They are also very very anti-immigrant but noone is yelling them racist...

Excuse me? You must not have seen my posts on the recent racism thread. And you certainly are not aware of the various ethnic rights campaigns.

Japan? Not surprised. Japan is not democratic in my opinion, just look at their prison system.

Or the electoral system.... Or the manner in which statues are presented to the Diet....

Mainly because there are only two people in Japan who are active on this board, everyone else wants to talk about anime and samurai.

If you'd like to hear some bashing of Japan for their views, go to any JET forum, you'll catch more than an earful there.

Or listen in on the conversation in the teachers room at the Tennoji branch of a certain eikaiwa today... ;)


:::beats various others about the head and shoulders:::

I remember you being not Japaneese? You have to respect them, it's their country and it's their very right whom to accept or not and how to accept or not.

I've lived here long enough (15 years) to have a vested interest. I pay my taxes, and am an upright upstanding member of society here.

And the law applies to 3rd generation "Koreans" born and raised here, who speaks Japanese, is culturally Japanese, and who've never been to their country of "residence", and who still have to carry a "foreign" resgistration card. Meanwhile, any random third generation Japanese-Brazilian who speaks no Japanese and is Brazilian through-and-through can bypass many of the government restrictions.

Meanwhile, the law allows ful fledged legal citizens of foreign birth to be discriminated against, contrary to the constitution and Japan's treaty obligations.

This is not to mention the recent incidents of ethnic Japanese being arrested simply because they appear to be "foreign".... :mad:

They are also very very anti-immigrant but noone is yelling them racist...


Everyone knows only white people can be racist!

I've lived here long enough (15 years) to have a vested interest. I pay my taxes, and am an upright upstanding member of society here.

And the law applies to 3rd generation "Koreans" born and raised here, who speaks Japanese, is culturally Japanese, and who've never been to their country of "residence", and who still have to carry a "foreign" resgistration card. Meanwhile, any random third generation Japanese-Brazilian who speaks no Japanese and is Brazilian through-and-through can bypass many of the government restrictions.

Meanwhile, the law allows ful fledged legal citizens of foreign birth to be discriminated against, contrary to the constitution and Japan's treaty obligations.

This is not to mention the recent incidents of ethnic Japanese being arrested simply because they appear to be "foreign".... :mad:


Brazil is an immigration country, Japan is not. The fact that Japan is so unique is because of their isolation for long years in past. They got every right not to give citizenship to foreigners. If immigrants dont like it, they can always go back to their original countries.

It was a stupid and xenophobic thing for the Americans to start doing, and a good reason not to go to America.
It's a stupid and xenophobic thing for the Japanese to do, and a good reason not to go to Japan.
It will be a stupid and xenophobic thing when the British jump on the bandwagon (and I have no doubt that we will, we like doing the same stupid things as everyone else and xenophobe is our middle name), and it will be a good reason for people to not come here.

Go stupidity and xenophobia! *\o/*

No, it's not xenophobia, it's just common sense. Plus we need to keep track of the foreigners in the US-not out of hatred or disgust, but out of security.

whats it matter?

its fingerprinting, not disecting your brain.

oh no the government might know what my fingerprints look like, run for the hills

Or maybe it's because Japan hasnt got a colonial history, so they dont have to keep apologizing. But wait! They actually have.
Or maybe because they werent fascist and violently racist in their history. But again, they were!
It's probably the sheep people (extremely politically correct and who memmorize 'immigration is good' and repeats it after and after like some kinda religious nut case repeats a verse from a holy book) cant think anything outside their boundaries and dogmas.

Yeah, that's true. I have nothing against Japan or Japanese people, but if you look at their history, what they did in China in terms of atrocities against civilians before and during WWII easily rivals any European colonial or fascist actions. The thing is, Europeans feel bad about this stuff that happened before they were born, for some reason, but I'm not sure if the Japanese really do.

Everyone knows only white people can be racist!

I just said that! Darn racist white people!

Isn't this thread kinda the equivilent of that kid who gets in trouble, and then tries to justify it by pointing at another kid and saying in a whiny voice, 'They did it too'?
actually, it's more of a, you get punnished for chewing gum in class.. you are publicly humiliated in the class and as you go and sit down, you see three other students chewing gum and no one says anything... including the teacher.

people here say they don't hate the US or Americans and that it's the principal that matters to them.

however, DK could've posted differently and more tactfully to get his/her point accross.

Japan is a fairly racist country, institutionally and politically.

- They'll repeatedly re-elect people like Ishihara Shintaro, who blame post-earthquake civil disturbances on the Korean and Chinese residents.
- They'll inexplicably send a box full of hundreds of severed Korean ears back to Seoul, then express confusion at the furore it causes.
- The repeated visits to Yasukuni don't exactly help either, or the fact that Aso Taro is a front-runner for the premiership, or the manga espousing the belief that the Korean people ought to be greatful to the Japanese for civilising them during the occupation.
- Or the fact that the LDP has historically recieved the support of the CIA, with postwar Japan once considered a frontline in the fight against communism in Asia.

I don't have a problem with the Japanese people. I just believe that in many ways, Japan is just about the only other major power that rivals the U.S. in terms of the sheer size of its institutional obliviousness toward the rest of the world.

No, it's not xenophobia, it's just common sense. Plus we need to keep track of the foreigners in the US-not out of hatred or disgust, but out of security.
Exactly - Xenophobia (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=xenophobia), as Compulsive Depression said.

No, it's Japan!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19185274-2703,00.html

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners. I remember cries of Fascist! and Orwellian!

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.
You say that as if you think we won't. This is a country whose Prime Minister makes frequent visits to a shrine dedicated to war criminals and terrorists, is doing its best to drive certain species of whales to extinction in the name of scientific research, has the highest suicide rate in the world due to a total failure of its culture to support its citizens, and so on...

Brazil is an immigration country, Japan is not. The fact that Japan is so unique is because of their isolation for long years in past. They got every right not to give citizenship to foreigners. If immigrants dont like it, they can always go back to their original countries.

I think you have misunderstood him. By Japanese Brazilian he means a descendent of the many Japanese people who came to settle here in Brazil a century or so ago and who has now gone to Japan for the first time. This person is Brazilian, in that they were born and educated here in Brazil. They speak portuguese, they dance the samba, but, because their great grandparents were Japanese, they are not treated as foreigners in Japanese law.

What this law does mean is that Brazil will start fingerprinting Japanese visitors. We did it to US citizens, and they did not like it at all.

No, it's Japan!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19185274-2703,00.html

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners. I remember cries of Fascist! and Orwellian!

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.

Yes, because you've never been one to expect a different set of standards on the rest of the world from the one you expect from the USA.

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.

I'd be more than happy to. I'm quite the opponent of Japan, actually. Of course, I would never hear the end of it if I did. In fact, in places where I have spoken out against Japanese racism and so forth, I'm still hearing about it.

On second thought, let's not go to Japan. It is a silly place. (http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/grail/g-arthur.jpg)

You say that as if you think we won't. This is a country whose Prime Minister makes frequent visits to a shrine dedicated to war criminals and terrorists, is doing its best to drive certain species of whales to extinction in the name of scientific research, has the highest suicide rate in the world due to a total failure of its culture to support its citizens, and so on...

That's the first time I've heard you bad mouth the Japanese.

Brazil is an immigration country, Japan is not. The fact that Japan is so unique is because of their isolation for long years in past. They got every right not to give citizenship to foreigners. If immigrants dont like it, they can always go back to their original countries.

I think you have misunderstood him. By Japanese Brazilian he means a descendent of the many Japanese people who came to settle here in Brazil a century or so ago and who has now gone to Japan for the first time. This person is Brazilian, in that they were born and educated here in Brazil. They speak portuguese, they dance the samba, but, because their great grandparents were Japanese, they are not treated as foreigners in Japanese law.

What this law does mean is that Brazil will start fingerprinting Japanese visitors. We did it to US citizens, and they did not like it at all.

Thank you AB, this is exactly so. And to expand, the 3rd generation Koreans were brought here forcibly during Japan's occupation of that country.

No, it's not xenophobia, it's just common sense. Plus we need to keep track of the foreigners in the US-not out of hatred or disgust, but out of security.

Okaaaaaay. Because all foreign visitors are planning to commit crimes and all US (or Japanese) citizens can be trusted to obey all the laws.

Remind me to tag the governor's office when I visit tokyo.

RACISTS! FASCISTS!! ORWELIAN!!! DOWN WITH THE OPPRESSIVE REGIME!!!!
P.S.: I WAS planning to visit there. What a downer!

Okaaaaaay. Because all foreign visitors are planning to commit crimes and all US (or Japanese) citizens can be trusted to obey all the laws.

Various Japanese politicians have said as much, including the bastard governor of Tokyo. (If you want the detalis I'll make a nice long post on it. There is a special place in hell for Shintaro Ishihara who seems to want a replay of the 1923 massacre of Koreans and Chinese after the next Great Kanto earthquake, and more or less told the Japanese military that 6 years ago.)

Remind me to tag the governor's office when I visit tokyo.

:cool: If you do, might I suggest a shit bomb....

RACISTS! FASCISTS!! ORWELIAN!!! DOWN WITH THE OPPRESSIVE REGIME!!!!
P.S.: I WAS planning to visit there. What a downer!

Don't let all the bitching and moaning stop you. No place is perfect, and there are many lovely people here who are equally horrified by their government's and countrymen's actions. Afterall, there's a reason why I've lived here 15 years even though I detest certain aspects of the society. Japan is assuredly a love-hate relationship for many long term residents (including some Japanese).

I think you have misunderstood him. By Japanese Brazilian he means a descendent of the many Japanese people who came to settle here in Brazil a century or so ago and who has now gone to Japan for the first time. This person is Brazilian, in that they were born and educated here in Brazil. They speak portuguese, they dance the samba, but, because their great grandparents were Japanese, they are not treated as foreigners in Japanese law.

What this law does mean is that Brazil will start fingerprinting Japanese visitors. We did it to US citizens, and they did not like it at all.

Oh, I'm liking Japan more and more. They see being japaneese as being a family, with ethnic connections.

Thank you AB, this is exactly so. And to expand, the 3rd generation Koreans were brought here forcibly during Japan's occupation of that country.

Maybe they should send them back. It wouldnt be a problem, I guess, since Korea is a wealthy country as well. It's a better way of reversing their mistake of forcibly moving them.

Maybe they should send them back. It wouldnt be a problem, I guess, since Korea is a wealthy country as well. It's a better way of reversing their mistake of forcibly moving them.

Did you read the '3rd generation' bit? It wasnt those people that were removed, it was their ancestors. Korea will likely be a completely foreign contry to them, so why bother removing them now?

While we're at it; we should fingerprint everyone, and issue ID tags! That'll save us from these criminals!
Which actually isn't a bad idea, although ID cards would be cheaper. :)

Which actually isn't a bad idea, although ID cards would be cheaper. :)

Whilst we're at it, we can get barcodes on our necks as well. That should provide enough security, after all. They could all be linked to the new Ministry Of Peace - Minipax.

Whilst we're at it, we can get barcodes on our necks as well. That should provide enough security, after all. They could all be linked to the new Ministry Of Peace - Minipax.
Don't forget the network of satellites to monitor all car movements.
Purely for road taxing, of course.

Whilst we're at it, we can get barcodes on our necks as well. That should provide enough security, after all. They could all be linked to the new Ministry Of Peace - Minipax.
Office of Homeland Security is pleased to provide answers to frequently asked questions about Operation Mandatory Patriotic Tattoo:

Q: Is it true that every American will have to get a tattoo?
A: Yes. Every last man, woman, child, and gender-ambiguous freak.

Q: My pastor says this is the mark of the beast. Is it?
A: No. Your "pastor" is spreading treasonous lies. Report him to the FBI.

Q: What if my religion forbids me to get a tattoo?
A: You are strongly advised to convert to a different, more patriotic religion.

http://www.whitehouse.org/homeland/images/hands.jpg http://www.whitehouse.org/homeland/images/swimmers.jpg http://www.whitehouse.org/homeland/images/baby.jpg

No, it's Japan!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19185274-2703,00.html

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners. I remember cries of Fascist! and Orwellian!

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.
Both the US and Japan are wrong to do this.

And what the hell kind of a whiny, pathetic excuse for an OP is this? I hope you're willing by now in the thread to admit that you were wrong -- we don't just criticize the Bush admin and no one else. That's because we are criticizing the policies, and the policies are wrong no matter who does them. They are wrong on principle. Principle. That's something you're probably not familiar with. Here's a quick reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles

They are also very very anti-immigrant but noone is yelling them racist...
This is the second thread (that I've seen) in which this cheap, throw-away myth of yours has been thoroughly debunked. Why do you keep posting it?

No, it's not xenophobia, it's just common sense. Plus we need to keep track of the foreigners in the US-not out of hatred or disgust, but out of security.

its deeply offensive to non-americans like me who visit your country for business or a holiday to be fingerprinted like a criminal. its inappropriate and of no meaningful security value.

will the information collated about me by the US government be shredded once i leave? will it fuck. will it be passed onto commercial interests? answers on a postcard....

japan has an unhappy history of this kind of low level racism.

Maybe they should send them back. It wouldnt be a problem, I guess, since Korea is a wealthy country as well. It's a better way of reversing their mistake of forcibly moving them.

Right. Hows about the US forcibly deports all those of Norwegian descent (as your location says you're in Norway)? Or maybe the US can do that with those of African descent? Sound like good ideas to you?

No, it's Japan!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19185274-2703,00.html

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners. I remember cries of Fascist! and Orwellian!

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.
Well this is the same Japanese government that violated its own constitution in order to send troops to Iraq, so what do you expect?

No, it's Japan!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19185274-2703,00.html

Ok, you all jumped on the US for its Visit program where they fingerprint visiting foreigners. I remember cries of Fascist! and Orwellian!

Now, if you're truly believing that this sort of thing is bad, I expect you to level the SAME vitriol at Japan.

Actually, I knew it was Japan... They reported it here, too.