Quote Originally Posted by Fuddy View Post
Gaijin is NOT offensive :-P I don't know about its historical origins but even so in modern day Japan this is not an offensive term and is often (I wanna say 80-90% of the time) coupled with -san as in "gaijin-san" so how can you interpret that has having any intention of being disrespectful?. When people talk about "gaijin" being offensive it's just over sensitive P.C. bull crap. I've been living here for 6 years and speak fluent Japanese. Gaijin is not as derogatory as most foreigners who know two words of Japanese seem to think.
You're the first person I've met who lived in Japan and doesn't acknowledge that Gaijin is often perjorative.

It's disrespectful in the same way that "Wetbacks" "Chinks" or "Beaners" is offensive. Just because you don't acknowledge the fact doesn't make it any less true.