I never said that Japan is perfect, and I said several times that I would be doing a disfavor by painting the situation as such.
All I'm saying that the way they deal with problem is not as antagonistic and aggressive as they are in the US because people don't have chips on their shoulders or feel like they would shout and yell in order to get their point across.
However, I do have to disagree with you on your perspective on Japanese homosexuality scene, and your other remarks aren't necessarily inaccurate but aren't exactly looking at it from a domestic point of view. As a blood-Japanese but non-Japanese by upbringing, I may have gotten it close to the worst (but certainly not the worst ever) so don't get me wrong, I am no Japan-apologist. I got bullied like crazy in both Japan and the US so I'm not going to paint Japan as some wonderland devoid of problems.
But your stance on gay rights in Japan is almost like saying that because Japan lacks the basic right to gun ownership (lets forget hunting technicalities, there is practically a nation wide firearm ban), that people inherently are upset that there is that void in rights where one should exist. You are imposing your own perspectives on how your country is run, how general human society runs, and then seeing that lack of it on another country.
I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying that "imposing your own perspective as the only one valid" is what is precisely the reason why Japanese social issues mesh together very well, because they never try to do that to each other.
Race issues is a complicated one in Japan that I can't even begin to comment on, but its not black and white either. Its easy to say Japan is backwards with race. Its not necessarily a false statement. On the other hand, every nation should have its right to controlling its demographics. There is really no convention that mandates that all borders should be porous and free-flowing.
Secondly, the richest man in Japan by a long shot, is a Korean. NOBODY CARES. In fact, when Mr. Son donated money for the Tsunami and reported it via twitter, you know what the trolls came and said? He's a bald asshole. He's advertising his company through his donation. He's a baka, blah blah. Nobody brought up that he's Korean. And its not that its too PC to do that.
Wada Akiko is a household name in Japan. She's probably one of the richest women, independently wealthy. She's Korean too. Nobody gave a shit when she came out. It was in the news headlines for maybe 3, 4 days. Poof. Whatever. Some said "Ah, I knew it". Well guess what, she still shows up in commercials. Still rich, if not richer. Maybe she now does Kimchi commercial. Whatever. I still use nagatainien which is a brand she promotes. The fact she's an ethnic korean makes no difference to me.
Theres about 2 million foreigners in Japan and I can't even begin to speak on behalf of most of them, but I can tell you one thing: The ones that stay, stay because they want to or feel like theres something worth staying for. Japan has a very rewarding experience for those who make it and a lot of hoops to jump through to stay in for the first 10 years, unless you're employed by someone sponsoring your Visa.
Japan has been pretty ho-hum about race for quite sometime. Sure, they get very sensitive about immigration, but when 1 out of 11 children are biracial in Japan, its not the Japan from the 80's and the 90's. Japan is changing. And I think for the better.
Its my dream that Japan stays generally the same, at least in terms of the positives. It would be amazing if Japanese culture can be preserved by its cultural and geographical identity without the racial attachment someday in the future through cultural preservation and more multiracial children slowly blending in. I wish that to be the case. Hopefully that day will come. But I digress again.