Stereotypes

Asians can't drive
Slant eyes
Japs
Asians are smart
Ching chong
OoooOoooOooo AMERICANS
Sushi lovers
Eat, Love, RICE
Chopstick
KFC
Fish are friends and food
American wannabes
JPOP AMERICAN FUN TIME NOW!!!

Some true, some false, most offensive. Asian stereotypes and especially Japanese stereotypes have shaped our culture and beliefs. Without these stereotypes perhaps the Japanese would not have been persecuted throughout American history.

The Japanese are actually very skilled drivers. The roads are narrower and much more busy than they are in the United States and there are rarely any crashes in Japan. Really aren't Americans the bad drivers? From my travels in Japan I can tell you that Japan's traffic is insanely ridiculous, but there aren't a lot of crashes. I didn't see any in my two weeks of being there.

Yes they have squinty eyes, but does that make them a target for persecution. Well, judging by today's crude Asian humor, you'd say yes.

Following Japanese military disputes in the twentieth century a derogatory term for the Japanese was created. Jap was the lowest of the low a person could call a human of Japanese dissent.

Ching chong isn't even Japanese... so.. it's Chinese. In the Japanese language it is impossible to have an "ng" together to make that ting, ring, sling, sound.

It's true. Many Japanese people LOVE Americans and American culture. Some even try to change their appearance to look more like an American (skin color and hair color).

Again, most of the meals that the Japanese consume consist mostly of rice and fish and are almost always eaten with chopsticks (with the exception of Western meals). In Japan, I never touched a fork and the Japanese were always surprised at how I could use my chopsticks with my left hand!

On Saturday Night Live, a reoccurring skit has surfaced called J-Pop American Fun Time Now. It has all of the cheesy elements of a Japanese television show like musical numbers, insane costumes, and weird guests. A lot of Japanese shows are this strange and different to Americans and some words and phrases (however inappropriate and wrong their uses) are correct. Please consider watching this clip, http://vimeo.com/30767628 to view the stereotypes played out in this skit.