In Kitakyushu, Japan, an Afghan Muslim woman filed a complaint with the city council. She said her daughter and three nephews cannot eat the school lunch because it contains pork or pork extract, which is considered haram in Islam.
Her complaint was that they pay the full school lunch fee, yet the children skip the meal and go hungry because of the pork. If separate meals can be made for kids with allergies, she asked, why can’t the same be done for Muslims?
The good news is that the city council rejected the demand.
The point is clear: allergies and religion are not the same. An allergy is a medical condition. If a child eats something they’re allergic to, it can harm their body, which is why the school prepares a separate meal. Religion is a different matter.
If every newcomer starts demanding that schools, hospitals, and offices follow their religious rules, Japan’s own identity will gradually disappear.