Are Africans Ruining Japan?
When I first saw the phrase “Are Africans ruining Japan?” pop up online, my first reaction was pure disbelief. I had to read it twice to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. It felt surreal that in 2025, people are still typing those exact words into Google or tossing them casually into TikTok comment sections as if they’re asking about the weather.
The absurdity struck me hard. Japan, one of the most orderly, disciplined, and culturally rich countries in the world, being “ruined” by Africans? By Indians? It did not make sense. But the more I sat with it, the more I realized that this question has very little to do with Japan itself, or with Africans, or with Indians. What it really exposes is the mindset of the people asking it.
I don’t believe it is a genuine curiosity. It is not someone trying to understand cultural exchange or migration patterns. This is a loaded question born out of ignorance, fear, and bitterness. Ignorance, because many of these commenters have never been to Japan and probably do not even have passports. Fear, because they assume diversity automatically threatens purity or stability. And bitterness, because deep down they resent the idea of Africans or Indians enjoying a life and opportunities that they themselves may never experience.
Where These Comments Come From
If you spend enough time on social media, especially TikTok, you will notice a pattern. Videos featuring a Black man strolling through Shibuya or an Indian traveler talking about their dream of visiting Kyoto almost always attract a wave of negative comments. The comments are not subtle either. They are often blunt, cruel, and filled with racist undertones.
What stands out most is that these comments rarely come from Japanese people themselves. Instead, they are written by outsiders who see Japan as some kind of fantasy land that must be preserved from “foreign influence”. Strangely enough, many of these commenters are not even based in Asia. They are often Western users who may have never set foot in Japan.
Why do they speak with such authority then? In most cases, it is not about Japan at all. The reality is that all this boils down to their own lives and frustrations. They imagine Japan as the perfect society that has avoided the problems of their own countries. When they see Africans or Indians in Japan, it challenges this fantasy. They lash out because it forces them to confront an uncomfortable truth, which is that Japan, like every other nation, is not a museum piece and that it is a living, evolving society that interacts with the wider world.
At the core, their hostility comes from insecurity. Many of the loudest voices belong to people who cannot even afford a ticket to Tokyo. They may never taste sushi in Osaka, never ride the Shinkansen, and never see the cherry blossoms bloom in Kyoto. Watching Africans and Indians travel freely to Japan feels like an insult to them. It stirs jealousy, and jealousy quickly turns into resentment.
This is why the phrase “Are Africans ruining Japan?” pops up online. It is less about protecting Japanese culture and more about projecting personal bitterness.
The Reality on the Ground in Japan
Now let us put aside the online noise and look at what is actually happening in Japan. The truth is far less dramatic than the racist comments would have you believe. Africans, Indians, and other foreigners are not “taking over” or “ruining” anything. In fact, they remain a very small minority in a country of more than 120 million people.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, roughly 21,000 Africans currently reside in Japan. Africans make up less than one percent of Japan’s foreign population. Indians, while slightly more represented due to the growth of the IT and tech sectors, are also a small community compared to the overall demographic landscape. The majority of people you will encounter in Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto are still Japanese. The idea that foreigners are somehow overwhelming Japan simply does not hold up when you look at the numbers.
What you actually see on the ground is a mix of students, business professionals, and tourists. African students enroll in Japanese universities to study engineering, medicine, and international relations. Indian professionals are often recruited for their expertise in technology and finance. Tourists from across Africa and South Asia come to Japan to experience the culture, visit historic temples, and enjoy everything from sushi to anime. These are people contributing to society, not undermining it.
Japan itself has a long history of carefully managing immigration and foreign influence. While Japan, guards its traditions with pride, it also opens its doors selectively when it benefits the nation’s growth. That balance is not being tipped by the presence of Africans or Indians. Instead, their presence adds to the richness of cultural exchange. You might find an African jazz musician performing in a Tokyo bar or an Indian restaurant tucked away in an Osaka alley. These are small but meaningful layers that enhance Japan’s global character without erasing its identity.
Japan is still Japanese
From my own travels, I can say that Japan remains unmistakably Japanese. Walking through a Shinto shrine, attending a tea ceremony, or simply navigating the spotless streets of Tokyo, you feel the deep sense of order and respect that defines the culture. Seeing a handful of Africans or Indians in the crowd does not change that reality. If anything, it shows how Japan, while proud of its traditions, is not sealed off from the wider world.
Why the Racist Narrative Exists
If Africans and Indians are not ruining Japan, then why does the idea keep spreading online? The answer lies not in Japan itself, but in the mindset of those who push this narrative. The belief that foreigners are somehow destroying Japan is rooted in three major forces: ignorance, fear, and bitterness.
Ignorance
Many of the people making these comments have never stepped foot in Japan. They do not speak the language, they do not understand the culture, and they have never interacted with Africans or Indians in a Japanese setting. Instead of relying on firsthand experience, they recycle old stereotypes and assumptions. In their minds, all Africans are loud, all Indians are dirty, and foreigners automatically bring crime. None of this is based on fact, but ignorance rarely needs facts to spread.
Fear
For some, Japan represents one of the last “untouched” societies. They view it as a safe, orderly, and homogeneous country that has resisted the multiculturalism they see in their own nations. When they notice Africans or Indians in Japanese cities, it shakes this fantasy. The fear is not about what Africans or Indians are actually doing in Japan, but about the possibility that Japan might one day resemble the diversity of other countries. They assume that diversity equals decline, which is a false and dangerous belief.
Bitterness
This might be the strongest ingredient of all. Many of the loudest critics are individuals who cannot afford to travel to Japan themselves. They sit behind screens, watching others explore places they can only dream about. Seeing Africans and Indians enjoying life in Japan feels unfair to them, and that envy quickly turns into resentment. Rather than confront their own limitations, they direct their anger at the travelers who are living experiences they will never have.
This single comment says it all. The person who wrote it admits they have never even been to Japan, yet they are already convinced the country will be “ruined.” Notice how the frustration is not really about Japan. It is about their own inability to travel there. The bitterness is projected outward, and Africans or Indians become the easy scapegoats.
My Experience as an African Traveler
As an African who has visited many parts of Asia, I’ve noticed something and that is that ordinary Japanese people are usually curious, polite, and welcoming. Sure, there can be cultural differences or moments of awkwardness, but I’ve never experienced the kind of hostility online trolls predict.
Walking through Shinjuku or Kyoto as a Black traveler doesn’t feel like “ruining” Japan. Honestly, it feels to me like what travel is supposed to be. Travel is supposed to be an exchange of cultures, smiles, and stories.