Occasionally I encounter notices posted by florists that read something like, “THIS SPOT ONLY ACCEPT ASIAN HOBBYISTS 此家仅接受亚裔” (sic). Sick it is, indeed.
Perhaps those florists post these prohibitions to avoid having to deal with 'barbarian' non-Asians? Avoidance of foreigners (AKA non-Asians) is not a new concept to florists in Japan, either. Long-time Gaijins (foreigners) like me seeking to “see the lights of Heaven” at the local so-purando (soapland/brothel) in Japan are universally barred from entry, regardless of fluency of the language and local knowledge. I speak with authority on that.
So what would one have to do to qualify as “ASIAN”? Would living in Asia do it? Nah; see above. Speaking an Asian language? Intimate knowledge of an Asian culture, its politics, lifestyle, customs etc? Membership in an Asian family? Even citizenship with an Asian country? No to all the above.
The key is if you don’t look Asian, you’re not Asian. ということで、おれも除外されたようんだ (I guess that counts me out too).
