Why foreigners only?

Emotion clouds clear thinking. Sometimes though, it boils down to try and asking the most simple question. The matter at stake here could be wrapped up like this:

Why does Japan single out and screen foreigners only?

It could also be slightly simplified like this:

Why does Japan only screen foreigners?

And even further clad in minimalist wording:

Why foreigners only? (shall we make it into a tee-shirt print for international marketability from the start? )

In the mind numbing propaganda of the authorities as November 20th was closing in, I hardly remember reading or hearing any kind of answer that would somewhat look straight in the eyes of the question : why foreigners only? then start answering: Because ... .

But fact is that the answer is readily available in daily life. Yesterday, I tested again during a break a theory of mine that middle class mind Japanese is still strong, nay, endemic, world class as a matter of fact, and probably forever. I invite you to do the same and report back here. We had plenty of time to chew the fat on banalities with my clients, one of whom being Japanese, +20 years in a large foreign company, engineer, read, posed, learned, travelled in many places in the world, speaking English fairly well, etc. The conversation about life in Tokyo slipped to street safety with my American client chatting about walking alone at night in New York and feeling scared all of a sudden because aware to be absolutely alone. His Japanese counterpart launched the standard "crimes in Japan are on the rise" mantra, me flashing back that statistics are telling a different story, him placidly delivering the other standard story about organized groups of Chinese and Koreans, me lashing back by asking whether he ever had any experience of crime of any kind, him telling no, me asking whether he knew about family members or close friends having met with crime, him telling no. End of the interrogation. Someone stole my Bridgestone bike some 10 years ago. Almost brand new it was.

What is the number of crimes perpetrated by non-Japanese as a percentage of all crimes listed in a year in Japan? I have never seen a clear answer to that seemingly simple question. Simple questions that do not tread on metaphysics, moral or religious ground should easily come with simple answers, unless they generate in the mind of the questioned a massive attack of sudden mind-chilling numbness.

Your mission - if you accept it - will be from now on to ask around the single and simple question : "Why foreigners only?". Be warned however that you may end up loosing friends, feel the chill of silence and disapproving glances, to end up not being invited ever again next time.

And if you wish to seriously write, report and pounder on related issues in Re-Entry Japan as a collaborative writer, please raise you hand.