<p>The Chin killing was less about race than the rising Japanese automobile economic power that was killing Detroit autoworkers–not an easily dismissed group. The hatred was more institutional/economic than directly racial. Detroit workers felt that Japanese carmakers had many economic advantages they were using to put them out of work. People don’t act wisely when their livelihood is directly threatened. And it clearly was. So a mentality grew that hated anything Japanese/Asian. You did not dare drive a Japanese car around Detroit back then either.</p>