Racism in Japan

Racism in Japan (人種主義, jinshushugi) comprises negative attitudes and views on race or ethnicity which are held by various people and groups in Japan, and have been reflected in discriminatory laws, practices and action (including violence) at various times in the history of Japan against racial or ethnic groups.

According to official statistics from the , as at October 2024, foreign population in Japan is estimated at 3.77 million, accounting for 3.04% of the total population of Japan.

The number of foreign workers has increased strongly in recent years, due to the aging population and a shrinking labor force. A news article in 2018 suggests that approximately 1 out of 10 young people residing in Tokyo are foreign nationals. According to the CIA World Factbook, Japanese make up 98.1% of the population, Chinese 0.5%, and Korean 0.4%, with the remaining 1% representing all other ethnic groups.

Although Article 14 of the Constitution of Japan guarantees equality under the law and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, belief, sex, or social status, Japan does not have a comprehensive civil law which prohibits racial, ethnic, or religious discrimination. However, legal provisions and policies addressing specific issues do exist, including legislation such as the Hate Speech Act of 2016. Non-Japanese individuals in Japan sometimes face human rights challenges that differ from those faced by Japanese citizens. Notwithstanding such situations, the country currently lacks a national human rights institution. In recent years, some non-Japanese media has reported on cases that Japanese firms confiscate the passports of guest workers in Japan, particularly unskilled laborers.

In the early 20th century, driven by an ideology of Japanese nationalism and in the name of national unity, the Japanese government identified and forcefully assimilated marginalized populations, including indigenous Ryukyuans, Ainu, and other underrepresented groups. Japan tends to consider these ethnic groups as a mere "subgroup" of the Japanese people and therefore synonymous to the Yamato people, and does not recognize them as a minority group with a distinct culture.