From left, Syed Zain, Maurice and Matthew, foreign-born residents of Japan who have filed a lawsuit against the national and local governments over alleged illegal questioning by police based on racial profiling, pose for a photo outside the Tokyo District Court on Monday. Racial profiling by police is an "everyday occurrence" in Japan, one of three foreign-born residents who sued the government over the issue on Monday said. Despite rising immigration, foreign-born residents account for only 2.3 percent of Japan's population, one of the lowest shares in the OECD. Maurice, who lives with family members who are Japanese citizens, said he has been questioned 16 or 17 times by police during his decade in Japan. Although lawsuits have been filed in the past about excessive questioning by police, this is the first one regarding racial profiling during questioning, lawyers for the three men said.

Source: New York Times January 30, 2024 01:03 UTC