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This is simply not true. As a white man when I would walk down a street anywhere in Japan I wouldn't really get much reaction. Suspicion and slight disgust were common. People did always seem generally happy to see me though. But that's it. People don't really care that much. "Whiteboo" implies an obsession. There are other places I've been where being white means constant positive attention. In some places, seeing a white person is like seeing a fucking angel and all they want to do is please you. India and the Philippines come to mind.
It really is bizarre. It feels like being a celebrity, and just like being a celebrity there are positives and negatives but overwhelmingly it's positive. People in Chennai and Kolkata would literally walk up to me and just start talking as if they had just encountered Brad Pitt or Tom Hanks. Even in China I experienced this, especially outside of the cities. In Japan? Basically never. The poorer the area, the more of a celebrity you become.
