Whiteface

[Deleted member 18243]

外国人
Gaikokujin Hito
The Japanese term for foreigner can be used in a variety of ways and comes down to tone and context to convey the intent behind the word. Usually used in the vernacular as "Gaijin" it can be said to a foreigner as an insulting term. I'd heard it before and was surprised to hear it used so freely in Tokyo Vice (about an American Jew working as a journalist).

...the word "gaijin" is slang for someone who looks like a non-Japanese. Because it is slang, it is not appropriate for formal contexts, but as slang, the appropriateness of its casual use is contextual—99% of the time, I think the way it is used is fine. It is the 1% of used with malice that causes most of the controversy. I do not subscribe to the view that its limited malicious use means the term should be made taboo. The term gets a lot of focus by people new to Japanese culture who become aware of the exclusivity of Japanese social circles and struggle with the feeling of isolation the culture can give new arrivals (just as it gives migrant Japanese within Japan).
@Tofugu.com

There're more people from the West living and working in Japan than you'd expect and it isn't a monoculture but a strictly hierarchical society that accepts Western (American) influence on its own terms, ensuring the supremacy of Japanese language and customs above all others. You can be a Christian, for instance, but you might experience subversive attitudes to your lifestyle among Japanese. Christianity was severely restricted in the South for centuries and suffered sporadic persecution, notably at the end of the 19th century when many Churches were closed and priests were hunted into isolation.

Yes, they've protected their culture but no, they do still harbour suspicion of foreign influence that can become racist depending upon the time and place you meet certain individuals; just as you do in the UK...

...although there's always an exception to every rule.

Ah! So.