kaz@ivebeenframed.com (Kaz) wrote in message news:<365fcc52.0306131800.5223623d@posting.google.com>...
> mtfester@netscape.net wrote in message news:<bccp8n$i8a$2@news.Stanford.EDU>...
> 
> > think, but you will be discriminated against in terms of housing, 
> 
> Things about housing may not be racism. Japanese landlords are afraid
> of if their housings for rent would be messed up by those non-Japanese
> who don't know the Japanese life style. Japanese are extremely nervous
> about people entering a house with shoes on, onto Tatami rooms or wood
> floors. and unfortunately, Westerners are considered as typical people
> who don't take off their shoes conventionally by the Japanese.
>  
> Nevertheless, I think those who refuse to rent out their housings to
> non-Japanese would be rarely seen in the outside of Tokyo region. The
> Japanese outside of Tokyo, especially rural area, or provincial cities
> are rather tend to welcome foreigners, especially Westerners for their
> international cultural exchange or something.

I don't know - the housing situation here is pretty open (lots of
places for sale and rent).  And we hit it both in one house we were
interested in and the one we eventually rented.

In case #1 when they found out that a foriegner was inquiring about
the house they said they didn't want me because they were looking for
a 'long term lease' - when asked if 3 years wasn't 'long term' the
landlord said 'no I'm looking for someone for 5+ years'.  The realtors
told us this had only become a problem when he found out I wasn't
Japanese.

In case #2 the house we eventually leased the landlord wanted copies
of our passport picture pages.  We faxed them over and the landlord
wanted copies that were lighter since he couldn't see our faces.  When
we asked the realtor they just sort of apologized that he was afraid I
might be black.  I wasn't really thrilled (and after getting here and
finding out the AC's they told us were working DON'T I'm less
thrilled) but I needed someplace to stay - and the house is
inexpensive and will let us keep the insane feline.