Police Racial Profiling Allegations Spark Japan Lawsuit
- One plaintiff says he’s been stopped about 100 times
- Police deny they question people on the basis of race
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Three men are suing the Japanese government, citing a pattern of racially motivated police harassment and asking for improved practices and about ¥3 million ($20,330) each in compensation.
The suit is unusual in Japan, a historically homogeneous place with little precedent for punishing racial discrimination. The plaintiffs — two permanent residents and one a foreign-born Japanese citizen — are seeking to show that disparate treatment based on race violates the constitution and international human rights agreements.