(History of the Pacific Rim - Japan) - Xenophobia?
Japan ups checks for foreigners
I found this particular article rather interesting. Due to the "War on Terror", Japan has been in an uneasy position. Japan is an active supporter of the United States and it's involvement in the War on Terror is significant. This leads the Japanese to believe that they might be targets for terrorist attacks. In a move to lock down on potential terrorists, the Japanese port authorities now require fingerprinting and photos taken of every foreigner who passes through the country, including foreigners made citizens of Japan. Human rights organizations claim the move could incite xenophobia, which has been arguably a problem for the Japanese for many centuries. While the government claims that it is a way of protecting Japan, and possibly cutting down crime, it still has some elements of the old Japanese trend of xenophobia that has been demonstrated thoughout history. If Japan continues on this course, does that mean a new era of isolationism? I highly doubt that it would work, however, seeing as technology - particularly the internet - has made communication between Japan and the outside world a commonplace staple of life. I'm curious to see where this goes.