Disquietudes and reflections on anthropology in Japan: a critical, historical and autobiographic perspective

Abstract

Based on an ethnography conducted in Japan over nearly a decade, I describe some episodes, facts, and estrangements that proved helpful in thinking about the anthropology produced in that country. I begin from the perspective of a halfie anthropology, problematizing the relationship between biopower and the Japanese anthropological tradition. In this context, I examine the nationalistic bias prevalent in the early Japanese anthropology. Then, I point out how the construction of otherness occurred in the hegemonic vision of the state, resulting in the suppression of the minorities that make up the country. Finally, I would like to emphasize the importance of a historical and critical perspective when considering Japanese anthropology, which, despite having already been revealed, continues to perpetuate the exclusion of migrants today.