# Where does the idea that Japanese people are nearsighted come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2009, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985 "2009-07-23T11:27:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/1 "2009-07-23T11:27:13Z")
Look at any picture of a ‘Japanese’ person made before or during WWII. Aside from all the other stereotypical features (including the buck teeth, which was common to both ‘Japanese’ and ‘Chinese’ caricatures) you’ll invariably see big round glasses. Why? Where did this stereotype come from? The omnipresent ‘Chinese pigtail’ is explainable as a historical reference, but nearsightedness just seems arbitrary. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/2 "2009-07-23T11:41:28Z")
Probably from [General Hideki Tojo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tojo2.jpg), Prime Minister of Japan from 1941 to 1944. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/3 "2009-07-23T11:51:02Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Probably from [General Hideki Tojo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tojo2.jpg), Prime Minister of Japan from 1941 to 1944. That certainly makes sense, except we didn’t draw all propaganda ‘Germans’ as looking like Hitler or all propaganda ‘Chinese’ as looking like either Chiang Kai-shek or Mao. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/4 "2009-07-23T12:09:15Z")
Well, [not all anti-Japanese propaganda](http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/images/P/Propaganda12.jpg)depicted them with glasses. I am sure there are [others](http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/images/P/propaganda11.jpg). Tojo was seen as the Japanese equivalent of Hitler, and there were certainly plenty of anti-German propaganda featuring him. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/5 "2009-07-23T12:29:51Z")
[Here’s another.](http://www.wwii-collectibles.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WOC&Product_Code=uspaa209&Category_Code=uspaa) And [another](http://www.wwii-collectibles.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WOC&Product_Code=uspaa216&Category_Code=uspaa). And [another](http://www.wwii-collectibles.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WOC&Product_Code=uspaa218&Category_Code=uspaa). And [another](http://www.wwii-collectibles.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WOC&Product_Code=uspaa221&Category_Code=uspaa). And [another](http://www.wwii-collectibles.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WOC&Product_Code=uspaa236&Category_Code=uspaa). And [another](http://www.wwii-collectibles.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WOC&Product_Code=uspaa254&Category_Code=uspaa). ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/6 "2009-07-23T13:06:47Z")
Ah. I didn’t realize there was so much variation. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/7 "2009-07-23T13:14:51Z")
OMG, I just spit my coffee all over my keyboard! Thanks **Fear Itself** I know wartime propaganda oftenly contained racist elements, but seriously “MORE TOOLIE, YOU CRACKIE, MORE HAPPY JAPPY” !? Who came up with that one? ---
**Author:** ![cromulent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b4bc9f/32.png) [@cromulent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cromulent)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/8 "2009-07-23T13:47:51Z")
Actually…there might be some truth to that particular stereotype (the myopia, not the bucktoothedness) Asians _are_ more likely to be nearsighted than whites, and the prevalence of myopia in Asian countries is higher than in European countries. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/9 "2009-07-23T14:51:59Z")
Another factor may be the perceived shape of Asians’ eyes. Some westerners may have interpreted it as squinting . . . as a result of being nearsighted. ---
**Author:** ![Bisected8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@Bisected8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bisected8)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/10 "2009-07-23T15:42:33Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Another factor may be the perceived shape of Asians’ eyes. Some westerners may have interpreted it as squinting . . . as a result of being nearsighted. This is pretty much where I assumed the stereotype came from. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/11 "2009-07-23T15:42:58Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > OMG, I just spit my coffee all over my keyboard! Thanks **Fear Itself** > > I know wartime propaganda oftenly contained racist elements, but seriously “MORE TOOLIE, YOU CRACKIE, MORE HAPPY JAPPY” !? Who came up with that one? What the heck does it even mean? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/12 "2009-07-23T16:10:36Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > What the heck does it even mean? It’s a poster urging care in the workplace. The more tools you break, the happier the Japanese will be. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/13 "2009-07-23T16:12:47Z")
never mind ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/14 "2009-07-23T16:19:28Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Well, [not all anti-Japanese propaganda](http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/images/P/Propaganda12.jpg)depicted them with glasses… All your other examples prove your point, but that guy is North Korean. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/15 "2009-07-23T16:19:42Z")
Don’t you know that every single time, without exception, continually, to the last item, when you post a thread that says that you ALWAYS encounter something you will proved to be WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. :eek:🆒:p:D:( ---
**Author:** ![Bisected8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@Bisected8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bisected8)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/16 "2009-07-23T16:34:00Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > What the heck does it even mean? I think it’s supposed to be some sort of hybrid anti-drug/anti-Japanese type thing, i.e. “Take drugs and it helps the enemy”. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/17 "2009-07-23T16:57:16Z")
> [@Bisected8](#): > > I think it’s supposed to be some sort of hybrid anti-drug/anti-Japanese type thing, i.e. “Take drugs and it helps the enemy”. Bingo! You got it!:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/18 "2009-07-23T17:08:22Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > All your other examples prove your point, but that guy is North Korean. Based on what? The poster is listed as a WWII anti-Japanese poster on several web sites ([example](http://bss.sfsu.edu/internment/posters.html)) And I’m sure **Captain Amazing** has the right explanation of the “Toolie” poster since the poster features drawings of broken machine tools. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/19 "2009-07-23T17:19:02Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Based on what?.. Based on what looked like a red star on his hat. I was mistaken. The same image on your link shows the star to be yellow, which is right for Japan during WWII. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985/20 "2009-07-23T17:38:28Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > And I’m sure **Captain Amazing** has the right explanation of the “Toolie” poster since the poster features drawings of broken machine tools. Whoosh? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-idea-that-japanese-people-are-nearsighted-come-from/503985.md?page=2)