Lawsuit filed in Tokyo over alleged racial profiling by police

A foreign-born naturalized citizen and two foreign residents on Monday filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court over alleged racial profiling by police, seeking around ¥3 million ($20,300) in damages each from central and local governments in the first case of its kind.

Police questioning of foreign residents and visitors due to alleged racial profiling has become a higher-profile issue in Japan, with the U.S. Embassy having warned its citizens about the suspected practice in December 2021.

However, it’s the first time a lawsuit over racial profiling has been filed, the group’s lawyer Motoki Taniguchi said in a news conference on Monday.