Biden's Controversial Critique: Japan and Allies Labeled 'Xenophobic

[Social Media]

 

President Joe Biden has sparked controversy by labeling close US ally Japan as "xenophobic," along with India, Russia, and China. These remarks were made at a Washington, D.C., fundraiser, contrasting sharply with his recent praise of the US-Japan alliance during a state dinner.

 

During the off-camera event, President Biden suggested that these countries, including Japan, would see economic improvements if they embraced immigration more fervently. He argued that the reluctance to welcome immigrants was a significant factor contributing to economic stagnation in China, Japan, Russia, and India.

 

The initial report released by pool reporters did not include India in the list of countries mentioned by Biden. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later clarified that the president was making a broader point about the importance of immigration to national identity and economic prosperity.

 

Despite the controversy, Jean-Pierre emphasized the enduring importance of the US-Japan relationship, assuring reporters that it would continue. However, she left open the possibility of similar remarks from the president in the future, stating that it was "up to the president."

The criticism of Japan's immigration policies is not new for Biden. Earlier, he had labeled Japan, Russia, and China as "xenophobic" during a radio interview in March. This latest critique comes shortly after hosting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a state visit and nearly a year after hosting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

Biden's administration has emphasized the importance of strengthening ties with Japan and India as strategic counterweights to China's growing influence. However, Japan has long grappled with a demographic crisis, leading to concerns about its workforce and economy. The reluctance to embrace immigration as a solution further complicates these challenges.

 

These comments from President Biden also come amidst domestic political pressure over his administration's handling of immigration. With resources strained by an influx of migrants and sharp criticism from Republicans, Biden faces challenges both at home and abroad regarding immigration policy.

 

2024-05-03

 

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[Hanaguma]

The President is, as is so often the case, utterly wrong.

 

One of the strentghs of Japan is its cultural and social cohesion and unity.  Simply put, things work. People don't trash their cities, commit random acts of violence, etc. There is respect for neighbors and public spaces. No looting of businesses. No crowds of homeless bums taking over parks and sidewalks. Things work.

 

And there IS immigration, but on Japan's terms. At present, there are about 3 million foreigners in the country. Demographic problem? Of course. But the solution isn't simply throwing the doors open. Or removing the doors entirely, as Biden has done on the southern border of the US.

[thaibeachlovers]

It's amazing that that man is even considered as a potential POTUS for 4 more years.

Just because he has failed on the US southern border, it's no reason to demand that Japan invites the unskilled and alien in.

[thaibeachlovers]

  On 5/2/2024 at 10:23 PM, Social Media said:

During the off-camera event, President Biden suggested that these countries, including Japan, would see economic improvements if they embraced immigration more fervently.

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Is that code for "without a teleprompter"?

[Chomper Higgot]

He’s right.

[JonnyF]

  On 5/2/2024 at 10:23 PM, Social Media said:

During the off-camera event, President Biden suggested that these countries, including Japan, would see economic improvements if they embraced immigration more fervently.

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As usual he is talking absolute nonsense. 

 

Homogenous societies like Japan see far fewer issues from the "cultural enrichers" that Liberals in the west love to celebrate while quoffing champagne at their Islington dinner parties. Immigrants provide cheap labour for large multinationals at the expense of the local communities. It's clear to see which side Biden is supporting and it is not the "common man". 

 

Japan must be laughing at this silly old fool, and rightly so. 

 

We can add this ridiculous criticism of Japan to a long list of ridiculous comments made by Biden, alongside the likes of "poor kids are just as smart as white kids" and "if you vote Trump, you ain't black".

[Chomper Higgot]

  On 5/3/2024 at 1:21 AM, JonnyF said:

 

As usual he is talking absolute nonsense. 

 

Homogenous societies like Japan see far fewer issues from the "cultural enrichers" that Liberals in the west love to celebrate while quoffing champagne at their Islington dinner parties. Immigrants provide cheap labour for large multinationals at the expense of the local communities. It's clear to see which side Biden is supporting and it is not the "common man". 

 

Japan must be laughing at this silly old fool, and rightly so. 

 

We can add this ridiculous criticism of Japan to a long list of ridiculous comments made by Biden, alongside the likes of "poor kids are just as smart as white kids" and "if you vote Trump, you ain't black".

Expand  

Japan is struggling with a collapsing population unable to care for the millions of old.

 

It’s not the idyl you imagine.

 

How you got from Biden, through Japan to Islington is a mystery. 

[Hanaguma]

  On 5/3/2024 at 1:29 AM, Chomper Higgot said:

Japan is struggling with a collapsing population unable to care for the millions of old.

 

It’s not the idyl you imagine.

 

How you got from Biden, through Japan to Islington is a mystery. 

Expand  

The answer to a demographic problem is not to import millions of people from the third world.  

 

Care to share your thoughts and experience on how Japan is not "the idyl you imagine"?

[Chomper Higgot]

  On 5/3/2024 at 1:48 AM, Hanaguma said:

The answer to a demographic problem is not to import millions of people from the third world.  

 

Care to share your thoughts and experience on how Japan is not "the idyl you imagine"?

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I just gave an example.

[Berkshire]

  On 5/3/2024 at 1:21 AM, JonnyF said:

 

As usual he is talking absolute nonsense. 

 

Homogenous societies like Japan see far fewer issues from the "cultural enrichers" that Liberals in the west love to celebrate while quoffing champagne at their Islington dinner parties. Immigrants provide cheap labour for large multinationals at the expense of the local communities. It's clear to see which side Biden is supporting and it is not the "common man". 

 

Japan must be laughing at this silly old fool, and rightly so. 

 

We can add this ridiculous criticism of Japan to a long list of ridiculous comments made by Biden, alongside the likes of "poor kids are just as smart as white kids" and "if you vote Trump, you ain't black".

Expand  

Have you ever been to Japan?  I lived in Japan a few years.  Even they know they have problems, with declining birth rates and an aging population.  But there was still a resistance to "gaijins," or foreigners.  Yes, Japan is among the safest and cleanest places I've been.  But their economy will not survive unless they're more open to foreign workers. 

[JonnyF]

  On 5/3/2024 at 1:29 AM, Chomper Higgot said:

Japan is struggling with a collapsing population unable to care for the millions of old.

 

It’s not the idyl you imagine.

 

How you got from Biden, through Japan to Islington is a mystery. 

Expand  

 

There are other options for increasing birth rates, you don't have to import a load of cheap foreign workers along with all the associated problems they bring.

 

I am sure they are watching the events unfolding in the West and making sure they do not repeat the same mistakes. 

 

Fortunately, the scourge of Liberalism has not yet reached Japan and hopefully won't. The have the good sense to protect their borders and their culture. Well done Japan. 

 

The last thing they need is a racist son of immigrants standing up in Parliament and complaining about too many Japanese in Japan, ala the recently departed Yousaf. 

[Chomper Higgot]

Xenophobia as an argument in favor of Japanese xenophobia.

 

That’s probably not new.

[Hanaguma]

  On 5/3/2024 at 2:19 AM, Berkshire said:

Have you ever been to Japan?  I lived in Japan a few years.  Even they know they have problems, with declining birth rates and an aging population.  But there was still a resistance to "gaijins," or foreigners.  Yes, Japan is among the safest and cleanest places I've been.  But their economy will not survive unless they're more open to foreign workers. 

Expand  

Uh, I've been to Japan.

 

I'm here now actually. Been here more than 25 years.  So perhaps I can address your concerns.  The economy will survive by automation, as it is now. Robots replacing workers and so on, increasing productivity.  And they do let in foreign workers, depending on the needs of a particular industry. But what does NOT happen is the random immigration of anyone who wants to come.  

[zhounan]

If prefer my own people to immigrants is xenophobic I'm declare myself guilty.

[Jingthing]

  On 5/3/2024 at 1:08 AM, Chomper Higgot said:

He’s right.

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Of course he's right.

Obviously though it's a diplomatic error for such truthful comments to be made public even accidentally.

Oh well!

Of course Thailand is similarly xenophobic.

Historically its been a massive win for the USA to have a much more open and diverse immigration policy.

Without immigration the USA would be demographically aging like Japan and other advanced countries.

[Chomper Higgot]

  On 5/3/2024 at 3:37 AM, Hanaguma said:

Uh, I've been to Japan.

 

I'm here now actually. Been here more than 25 years.  So perhaps I can address your concerns.  The economy will survive by automation, as it is now. Robots replacing workers and so on, increasing productivity.  And they do let in foreign workers, depending on the needs of a particular industry. But what does NOT happen is the random immigration of anyone who wants to come.  

Expand  

How does that address the allegation of xenophobia?

 

 

[RichardColeman]

  On 5/3/2024 at 4:26 AM, Jingthing said:

Without immigration the USA would be demographically aging like Japan and other advanced countries.

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If you can kindly explain how immigration fixes this I would be obliged. Short term yes, long term you are agreeing with an almost doubling of the population through immigration every generation to cover the immigrants reaching retirement ! Ludicrous idea. Migrants on temporary work visa, 100% agree, make them pay taxes and pay for your countries elderly, that way a reducing population would not be effected by immigration but benefit from work visas.

[spidermike007]

  On 5/3/2024 at 2:19 AM, Berkshire said:

Have you ever been to Japan?  I lived in Japan a few years.  Even they know they have problems, with declining birth rates and an aging population.  But there was still a resistance to "gaijins," or foreigners.  Yes, Japan is among the safest and cleanest places I've been.  But their economy will not survive unless they're more open to foreign workers. 

Expand  

I disagree, their economy will survive, and is very dynamic right now. Their economy may diminish in size, they may have negative GDP which is to be expected when populations decline, but negative GDP is not as bad as people portray it to be. So what if the economy shrinks? So what if jobs are lost?

 

A nation can continue to thrive under those circumstances and a growing population is not necessarily a good thing. 

[spidermike007]

Well I would have to agree that Japan and Russia in particular are somewhat xenophobic, from everything that I've seen and heard. But maybe that's not such a bad thing. 

[Jingthing]

  On 5/3/2024 at 6:20 AM, RichardColeman said:

If you can kindly explain how immigration fixes this I would be obliged. Short term yes, long term you are agreeing with an almost doubling of the population through immigration every generation to cover the immigrants reaching retirement ! Ludicrous idea. Migrants on temporary work visa, 100% agree, make them pay taxes and pay for your countries elderly, that way a reducing population would not be effected by immigration but benefit from work visas.

Expand  

Doubling?

You made that up.

I liked when America was great before and embraced being a nation of immigrants.

[Jingthing]

  On 5/3/2024 at 6:26 AM, spidermike007 said:

Well I would have to agree that Japan and Russia in particular are somewhat xenophobic, from everything that I've seen and heard. But maybe that's not such a bad thing. 

Expand  

Good to mention Russia.

They already had an aging demographic before fascist dictator Putin sent masses to the meat grinder and millions of their best younger people to flee abroad.

They are attracting some white far right wing morons though attracted to their extremist anti LGBT laws.

[Berkshire]

  On 5/3/2024 at 6:25 AM, spidermike007 said:

I disagree, their economy will survive, and is very dynamic right now. Their economy may diminish in size, they may have negative GDP which is to be expected when populations decline, but negative GDP is not as bad as people portray it to be. So what if the economy shrinks? So what if jobs are lost?

 

A nation can continue to thrive under those circumstances and a growing population is not necessarily a good thing. 

Expand  

It's not that simple.  Japan can automate and shrink their GDP all they want, but who's going to pay for the aging population?  What's declining is people of working age; the senior population is growing.  They need more workers to pay taxes to keep their social security system solvent. 

[Hanaguma]

  On 5/3/2024 at 3:10 AM, Chomper Higgot said:

Xenophobia as an argument in favor of Japanese xenophobia.

 

That’s probably not new.

Expand  

There is no xenophobia here.

 

A xenophobic country would not allow tens of millions of tourists.  Universities here welcome foreign scholars. Also have thriving international exchange programmes. Ditto many high schools. Foreign products are welcome. Foreign culture is welcome. Japanese export THEIR products around the world. Also live around the world.

 

The fact that people don't want unfettered immigration does not equate to xenophobia.

[Celsius]

wow what a moron

[hotchilli]

  On 5/2/2024 at 10:23 PM, Social Media said:

During the off-camera event, President Biden suggested that these countries, including Japan, would see economic improvements if they embraced immigration more fervently.

Expand  

[nauseus]

  On 5/3/2024 at 6:35 AM, Berkshire said:

It's not that simple.  Japan can automate and shrink their GDP all they want, but who's going to pay for the aging population?  What's declining is people of working age; the senior population is growing.  They need more workers to pay taxes to keep their social security system solvent. '

Expand  

 

Of course it's not simple but this problem will not be unique to Japan in another generation.

 

Ever rising GDP's and high immigration numbers are both unsustainable in this world now.  

 

The Japanese will find a way.

[Chomper Higgot]

  On 5/3/2024 at 6:56 AM, Hanaguma said:

There is no xenophobia here.

 

A xenophobic country would not allow tens of millions of tourists.  Universities here welcome foreign scholars. Also have thriving international exchange programmes. Ditto many high schools. Foreign products are welcome. Foreign culture is welcome. Japanese export THEIR products around the world. Also live around the world.

 

The fact that people don't want unfettered immigration does not equate to xenophobia.

Expand  

The fact you wish to frame the issue in terms of your own personal views on immigration is not addressing xenophobia in Japan.

 

I could do a you say I say counter argument offering up my own anecdotal accounts from having lived  and  worked in Japan, I choose rather to go to the research:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368363544_Racism_in_Japan_Critical_Analysis_on_Japan's_Xenophobia_and_Racial_Discrimination

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

  On 5/3/2024 at 1:08 AM, Chomper Higgot said:

He’s right.

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Thailand is very nationalistic and does not allow mass immigration. 

 

Are you saying Thailand is not a great place to live? It is far better to live here, than in the West imo.

[Chomper Higgot]

  On 5/3/2024 at 7:40 AM, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Thailand is very nationalistic and does not allow mass immigration. 

 

Are you saying Thailand is not a great place to live? It is far better to live here, than in the West imo.

Expand  

Did I say that?

 

Was life in Thailand even the topic of discussion?

 

 

 

[This Guy]

The "Leader" of the free world, but especially the U.S.A labeling other countries as Xenophobic... POT. KETTLE. BLACK