Japan and Diversity – What I Learned from Being a Little Different

I grew up being ambidextrous, meaning I can use both hands for almost everything. As a kid, I copied my mom and brother, who are left-handed, and later, when I hurt my right arm, I learned to write with my left hand. Now, I can do about 95% of things with either hand. (Want to guess the 5% I can only do with one hand? That’s a fun mystery for later.)

Being different, even in a small way, made me notice things. When I was little in Korea, my kindergarten teacher scolded me for brushing my teeth with my left hand. Back then, using your left hand was seen as “wrong.” But years later, when I went to the University of Michigan, I was shocked to see that about 10-15% of classroom desks were made for left-handed students. That was my first real lesson in how some societies take extra steps to make life easier for everyone.

Seeing Inclusion and Exclusion at the Same Time

That experience in the U.S. taught me something big. The country had ramps for wheelchairs, special signals for people with vision and hearing difficulties, and real efforts to make things more accessible. But at the same time, it was also where I first faced racism. It was a strange feeling—realizing a society can be both welcoming and unwelcoming at the same time.

Japan’s History of Being Closed Off

Seeing both inclusion and exclusion in the U.S. made me reflect on Japan’s own history of dealing with diversity. Japan is an island nation that has long been relatively closed to outsiders. For centuries, the samurai class ruled, and men were seen as superior to women. After World War II, Japan became an economic superpower and the most advanced country in Asia. It was also the only Asian country in the G7. Because of this, many Japanese believed Japan was “the best” in Asia. But there was a downside: Japan didn’t open its doors much to minorities—whether that meant women, other Asians living in Japan, or people with disabilities.

Even today, Japan still struggles with gender equality. In 2024, Japan ranked 118th out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index. This means women have fewer opportunities in business and politics compared to men.

Winds of Change

For a long time, Japanese women were expected to quit working after marriage. But today, things are changing, and here’s why:

• Labor Shortage: With fewer young workers and an aging population, Japan needs more women in the workforce.

• Global Influence: Companies from overseas promote diversity, and Japan is under pressure to follow.

• Young People’s Mindset: More young men support shared parenting and housework, and many women don’t want to follow traditional roles.

• Korea’s Influence: Thanks to K-POP, K-dramas, and food, Japanese people have become more open to Korean culture. This has also made them rethink social structures, as Korea is actively pushing for gender equality.

• Travel & Work Abroad: More young Japanese are exploring the world, seeing how other societies treat women, and bringing new ideas home.

An Eye-Opening Moment on the Tokyo Metro

One day on the Tokyo subway, I saw an older Japanese man yell at a group of young women who were speaking loudly in their native language. The women were clearly not tourists—they probably worked in convenience stores, nursing homes, or even as engineers in Japan. They were here to work, earn money, and support their families, just like the rest of us. More importantly, they were helping Japan deal with its aging population and worker shortages.

The old man, though, only saw them as noisy foreigners, not recognizing that they were part of Japan’s future workforce, contributing to the economy, and helping sustain an aging society. His reaction wasn’t just about noise—it reflected a deeper issue of how Japan still struggles to accept those who don’t fit the traditional mold. I don’t blame him. He grew up in a Japan where everyone looked, spoke, and acted the same. He never had to be the “minority” in any situation. To him, Japan was still the country it used to be during the economic boom. But times have changed, and Japan has to change too.

A Story from My Son’s School

While thinking about how people are treated differently based on appearances, I remembered a story from my son, who went to an international school in Japan. He had a friend whose mother was a blonde, white woman and whose father was from South Asia. When this friend went out shopping with his mother, he was greeted with warm smiles and friendly interactions. But when he went out with his father, the reactions were very different—people were distant, sometimes even openly racist.

It was an eye-opening example of how appearance still dictates treatment in Japan. This child was the same person, no matter which parent he was with. Yet, the way society treated him changed depending on who he was standing next to. This kind of unconscious bias is something Japan needs to work on.

Final Thoughts

Living in different countries has taught me one thing—societies that embrace diversity do better. Japan is at a turning point. If it wants to keep growing, it has to open its doors, not just to immigrants, but also to new ideas and different ways of thinking.

For those who have never felt like a minority, it can be hard to understand what it’s like. But imagine this—one day, you travel abroad and realize you’re the only Japanese person in the room. Wouldn’t it feel nice if people welcomed you instead of treating you like an outsider?

That’s what inclusion feels like. And that’s what Japan needs to work toward.

A Small but Meaningful Gesture

I was sitting in a restaurant in downtown Tokyo when I accidentally dropped my chopsticks. The waiter quickly brought me a new pair and, without saying a word, placed them on the left side of the table. He had noticed I was left-handed. It was a small thing, but it showed an open mind and an awareness of individual differences. These little moments, when repeated across society, create the foundation for bigger cultural change.

That simple moment reminded me that change doesn’t always have to be big and loud. Sometimes, it’s in the small gestures—seeing, acknowledging, and accommodating others. If Japan can take more steps like this, embracing differences rather than resisting them, it will become a more open and welcoming place for everyone.