What was once a dream life in Japan turned sour for a Malaysian English teacher after he found hateful flyers on his door and car telling him to “go back to your country.”
The teacher, known online as @banden_tong, shared the shocking incident on Threads after returning to his home from work.
The flyers, written in Japanese, carried anti-immigrant messages. One, titled “To foreigners,” read: “Please get out of Japan! You are not welcome. Japan does not need immigrants!! Please return to your home country!”
It was signed by a group calling itself the Yokohama City Conservative Faction. Other posters warned that “multicultural coexistence is national suicide.”
The Malaysian, who had always admired Japan’s culture, said the attack left him deeply hurt.
"It gave me a deep scar. I’ve always longed for Japan," he wrote.
He described growing up loving Japanese cars, anime and games and working hard to achieve his dream of moving there.
“Last year, my dream came true. I bought a house, a car and started teaching English in Yokohama," he shared.
The teacher clarified that he means no harm and just wants to live peacefully.
"I’m not the Muslim you all hate. I’m a proud Buddhist. I just want to live and contribute to the country I love," he said.
Despite the hateful act, he ended his post with empathy:
"I know there are bad foreigners and I dislike them too. But not all foreigners are bad people. Please."
He confirmed he has since reported the incident to the police.
The post quickly went viral, triggering sympathy and outrage among netizens and a stark reminder that even in the most admired societies, discrimination still exists.