Japanese pop star, actor, author, and all-round renaissance man, GACKT, who is known for his individual style, has recently updated his blog, detailing a recent trip to France.
While staying in the country awaiting a connecting flight, GACKT experienced racism at the breakfast buffet of a French restaurant, when he noticed that the staff appeared to be guiding Asian customers to the back of the restaurant, allowing white customers to sit at the front and enjoy the beautiful views…
From mixi News:
GACKT Astonished At Blatant Racism In France
On March 30, singer GACKT (41) updated his blog, and revealed that on a recent visit to France, he had faced racism at a hotel.
GACKT was staying over in France due to a connecting flight. He stayed in a hotel close to the airport, and as he approached the buffet in an attempt to get some breakfast, he said a member of staff was blatantly racist toward him.
There were no other customers at the buffet, and GACKT, who wanted to gaze out at the scenery, took a seat near to the entrance. However, a member of staff rushed over to him, and indicated that he should move further inside the restaurant.
GACKT did not pay too much attention, and did as he was told: “Well, the restaurant was pretty empty, so I didn’t take much notice and just moved as I was told to”, but after that he noticed that white customers who had come in to the restaurant were sitting in the seats near the entrance. This made GACKT question things: “Huh? I thought people weren’t supposed to sit there…”. When he had a good look, he apparently realized that white customers were being told to sit near the entrance, while Asians were indeed being told to sit at the back of the restaurant.
Even when the seats at the back of the restaurant were all occupied, Asians were being told that there were not allowed to sit in the other seats, which prompted GACKT to say: “Do you know what this is? It really is racism, pure and simple”. GACKT left the restaurant once and tried going in again, but once more he was shown to the back of the restaurant, so he asked the member of staff, smiling: “Why? Please explain to me simply […] In a loud voice, give me a simple explanation”. He was shocked at the blatantly racism, “I guess he gave up, and went back over to where he had been, and for some reason the other members of staff were looking and me as they talked. Ahahahahaha. Guess there’s still racism about”.
Comments from mixi.jp:
[NB: mixi comments do not use netizen names]
I saw some foreigners saying on TV that “It’s a really bad idea to make enemies of Japanese tourists. If you do, they don’t say anything, they go back to Japan and spread bad rumors about that country and its restaurants online and by word of mouth”. Now, Mr. GACKT, what might this restaurant be called?
All this in spite of the fact that they watch Japanese anime and read manga. How convenient.
Someone I know was called a “yellow monkey” by some people where he was in France during a school trip, but when he called them “white pig” back, apparently they were really frantic, and all like “Me! Me!?”.
Maybe it’s because they want to maintain a certain image…but even in Japan there are places that are pretty blatant when it comes to restaurant seating…places that tell you with a smile “sit wherever you want” — perhaps it’s just me — but they always have the best food.
It’s the other way round. It’s just that in Japan, there is so little racism when compared with the rest of the world.
A French restaurant…I see..cos I glanced once and thought, wow, GACKT has gone to a specialist Buddhist store. [NB: the Chinese character used for “France” is the character for “Buddha”].
I mean, those French look down on yellow peoples. They look down on black people too.
I haven’t seen the blog entry, but I think it’s best for GACKT do the “decent thing” and expose the name of the hotel.
They were racist to Sir GACKT! I hope all these places go bust.
But isn’t France known for being a racist country? There’s not much we can do about it (´･ω･)
Still, I’m glad I was born Japanese, and I’m proud to be Japanese (･∀･)…no matter what anyone says o(^_-)O
I had the same experience. The seat they showed me to was right in the back of the hotel and close to the toilet. When I complained they showed me to a brighter seat (not a window seat though). It was unabashed racism. I learned that when abroad, unless you insist on things you get zip.
And even among white people, those idiots who are always competing with each other in their undying belief that they are no. 1, the French are the top class of idiot.
I’ve experienced the same type of racism in Europe. I won’t go there now unless it’s for work.
They were doing stuff like that on French TV, too. Even though they were all French people, the rich ones would be taken to the good seats in the restaurant, and the ones who looked not so rich were shown to seats where they view wasn’t so good. My initial impression was that in France, they would hide the Asians in the back. Of course, that doesn’t make me feel very good.
I’ve heard that this stuff happens in France all the time. French people have always thought that they are “ze sexiest”, and a lot of people are self-important. In fact, a French guy I know treats everyone other than French people as beneath him.
The things France lacks: liberty, equality, fraternity.
With one thing and another, there really is no nation on earth more splendid than Japan.
