To Japanese people: Do you find ‘Jap’ offensive?

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  • #7933

    Andres
    Participant
    I have always thought the term "Jap" offensive due to the 'Slap a Jap' World War II propaganda, etc. However, I have noticed 'Jap' or 'Japs' used quite frequently on news shows when referring to Japan or its people. I'd like thoughts from Japanese and other Asians on this.

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    Name : Andres, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 25, City : Chambersburg, State : PA Country : United States, 
    #40967

    Kalani C.
    Member
    I'm not Japanese, but when I hear "Jap," I cringe. People on news shows are aware it is an offensive word but often use it because they know they can get away with it, which is very cowardly. I feel Asians make easy targets for exploitation because often we try so hard to fit into Euro-American culture. We don't want to offend anyone or make waves for fear of being socially rejected. However, by keeping silent, we are being rejected by lack of respect from ourselves and others.

    Anytime a person of a different race uses slang to identify another race, to me that is offensive. I wouldn't call a person of German ancestry a 'Germ' or a Hispanic person a 'Spic.' That's racism and unacceptable in my view.

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    Name : Kalani C., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : Other Pacific Islander, Age : 23, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : Artist, Social class : Middle class, 
    #33363

    Diamond25725
    Participant
    The word Jap is said to mean Jewish American Princess, but it can also mean someone from Japan. I have many 'Jap' friends. They don't seem find it offensive.

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    Name : Diamond25725, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 18, City : Sacramento, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #25704

    Becky23302
    Participant
    I am half Asian (Japanese) and would find it offensive if someone called me a 'Jap,' regardless of race.

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    Name : Becky23302, Gender : F, Race : Asian, White, City : Enfield, State : CT Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 
    #14973

    Kaori26747
    Participant
    It probably is offensive, but most younger Japanese (read: Japanese Americans) are not offended by it, and we use it among ourselves, despite its derogatory origins. After all, it's only a shortened form of the word itself.

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    Name : Kaori26747, Gender : F, Race : Asian, Age : 26, City : San Francisco, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : research, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 
    #32915

    tanya
    Participant
    Although I am not Japanese, I find the word Jap very offensive. World War II propaganda was used to degrade and humiliate Japanese people, and shortening Japanese to 'Jap' was part of that process. A name is a source of pride for most people. It is who you are. Racist movements have long altered or shortened the name of a race to promote their agendas. For example, going from Jewish to 'Jew' or using 'Injin' for Native Americans. It is difficult to understand for a lot of people, unless your own race has been attacked in a similiar way.

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    Name : tanya, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian/white, Religion : Christian, Age : 21, City : colorado springs, State : CO Country : United States, Occupation : sales, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #35482

    Jeanie W.
    Participant
    My friends and I (even those who are non-Asian) call each other racial slurs all the time because we know we're cool with each other. But generally the Asian community is silent, so the media makes it seem as though degrading Asian-Americans with those terms is OK, when it's not. I haven't noticed many news shows using those terms, but I'll take your word for it.

    Think of it this way: would those same news shows say nigger, beaner, or cracker to other races and get away with it?

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    Name : Jeanie W., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Religion : Christian, Age : 15, City : Claremont, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, 
    #43703

    Dan27354
    Participant
    I go to school on a traditionally Leftist and heavily ethnically mixed campus here in Los Angeles. I have heard the term 'Jap Pride' used many times. Perhaps it is beginning to become another case of demystifying a slur.

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    Name : Dan27354, Gender : M, Race : Chicano, Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 24, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 
    #25809

    Topramen
    Member
    I'm not Japanese but am Asian American. I do believe most Japanese folks I know - especially ones who were born in the United States and understand the history that the Japanese have had with the United States - would be pretty offended if a non-Asian approached them by calling them a 'Jap.' Maybe things are different in Indiana, but here in the Bay Area/San Francisco, we Asian folks don't go around calling each other 'Jap,' 'Chink', or 'Gook' -- I personally go by 'Karen.' If another Asian person did call me something derogatory, I would seriously wonder why they would want to call someone of the same race a name like that and thus perpetuate a stereotype.

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    Name : Topramen, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 23, City : San Francisco, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Office Manager, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 
    #28637

    Denh
    Participant
    Yes, I find it offensive.

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    Name : Denh, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Religion : Christian, Age : 14, City : Troy, State : NC Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 
    #14824

    toddmo
    Participant
    I can't answer your question directly, but Brits don't mind being called Brits. I can see how Wop or Frog would be offensive, but not Brit or Jap, because it's simply a shortening of the nation name, not a term based on a derogatory image. Nonetheless, always err on the side of caution in mixed company.

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    Name : toddmo, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 36, City : Dallas, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Computer Programmer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #18416

    Julia-M
    Participant
    It is a very offensive word toward Japanese people who are in Japan and/or from Japan. Please do not use that word if you're smart enough to understand this issue.

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    Name : Julia-M, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Age : 30, City : Arlington, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : IT, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 
    #31639

    Graham
    Member
    WOP is not offensive. It was a term given to folks from Italy immigrating to the US, but it really stands for 'with out papers'. Which would apply to many immigrants. I don't know where the term 'frog' came from.

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    Name : Graham, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 32, City : Waco, State : TX Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #22429

    Marie
    Participant
    Perhaps I overlooked a post, but I don't get your reference: 'Maybe things are different in Indiana, but here in the Bay Area/San Francisco, we Asian folks don't go around calling each other 'Jap,' 'Chink', or 'Gook'...' But even if there was a post from someone in Indiana, don't condemn an entire state simply because you don't like one ignorant person's opinion. I'm originally from Indiana, lived there most of my life. I'm also white and I find those terms - any racial epithet - offensive. In fact, I work as a co-editor on a website similar to this one and one of the things I do is edit posts. I have taken great pleasure, at times, in hitting the 'delete' button on offensive posts that violate our site's posting policy. Other times, I simply change terms like 'Japs' to 'Japanese soldiers' in posts referring to WWII. (Then, I sit back and wonder how the original poster will react when he sees his inflammatory remarks have been changed to something innocuous.) Please don't carelessly condemn a whole area or state just to make a point. Conversely, do you speak for the entire Bay Area/San Francisco? Should I assume that all San Franciscans or Californians are prejudiced against Midwesterners? Not cool, huh?

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    Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Jeffersonville, State : IN Country : United States, Social class : Upper middle class, 
    #30558

    Betty
    Member
    I'm Chinese, but I find the term offensive because of its roots as a derogatory term used against Japanese people. Most people nowadays, including some of my friends, are unaware of the origins of the word and so use it freely as a shortened form of 'Japan' or 'Japanese'.

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    Name : Betty, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : Asian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 17, City : Medford, State : MA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 
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