Question about Japan

[Plucky]

Maybe they think that foreigners comes to Japan with only the knowedge of what exported Anime gave out, perhaps there might be some sort of stigma in terms of social queues and and differences in politeness?

Or maybe if it's Media convention for things such as Anime and Manga, doujinshi artists might be a bit superstitious about Americans pondering about their wares, maybe they think that all americans are wasteful perverts who doesn't consider common courtesy and copies their books onto the internet?


But my general thoughts about Japan is that it's an industrious country who has more behind it, trying to think of the damage they might do to the environment, trying to make their productions economically sound and generally tries to work busyly without devaluing their own country's heritage.

America? Loads of fast food restaurants, could possibly be seen as a War-like people with heavy emphasis on personal progress without a large afterthought about the country itself, also generally seen as a lawhored place where the slightest of thing could cause court cases, though im British, so im not entirely sure about both countries.

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

What "conventions" are we talking about here?

Well, I mostly had Comiket in mind. Also Reitaisai.

 

[Dr. Crawver]

the japanese are pretty intensely xenophobic, so she may well have been socially excluded

 

[SckizoBoy]

See, that's the politically correct stuff they taught you in school, but unfortunately, it doesn't always apply.
As unpleasant as it is, certain stereotypes hold truth to them.

Am I going to say that every single Japanese person is xenophobic and racist?
Of course not.

However, they have a distinct culture, and that culture, generally speaking, rejects foreigners and foreign influence.
That's why they maintain such a strong and distinct national identity.
Truth is, many Japanese people are racists.
I'm not just being bigoted either. The nation that I come from also has many racists.
A lot of nations are populated by racist. Just because people are accepting where you live do not assume that it is like that everywhere else.

You see very few non japanese in japan, and even fewer white people.
There's plenty of opportunity for racism to exist on a nation wide scale.

Much as that may be true, I don't think Japan is even that bad. Most of the younger generation regard gaijin with curiosity more than anything else, and they dislike the Chinese and Koreans more than they do white people. Japan has historically been much more accepting of foreigners than say, the Chinese, who I contend as being more racist (hell, our word for 'foreigner' is basically an insult). However, the perception of xenophobia only comes about because of their marked aggressive reactions towards provocation.

Case in point: Chinese wedding in Australia where both bride and groom speak perfect English (albeit with Australian accents, but hey, it happens! =P )... the wedding reception was a loud and rambunctious affair, except for one table: 9 white people; two black; and one Indian. That's twelve people... while the remaining two hundred odd, were very HK Chinese and making little to no effort to encourage them to mix.

"Oi, tung di bak gwai yau meh gong'h ah!?"

 

[Hitokiri_Gensai]

Part of it is a dislike of Americans.

This dislike came from the threat of bombing by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1854, which was known as "the coming of the Black Ships". Then later with the outbreak of WWII and the bombing of Tokyo as a reprisal on Pearl Harbor and the dropping of nukes on Japan didnt help America's standing with Japan. That said, as things progress that hatred is slowling beginning to disappear.

But no matter what, all foreigners are known as "Gaijin". Even foreign born Japanese are gaijin.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

After two years of studying in Japan wouldn't he know enough Japanese to not have a language barrier?


I haven't experienced anything like this is either comiket or otakon or any other such convention...though I've studied the language for over 7 years now and I did go with other Japanese folk. (cosplaying Alucard from Hellsing also helped I guess )

 

[Ragnarok185]

The Japanese have been known to be incredibly racist and basically putting down groups that aren't "normal". Homosexuals, anime fans, video game fans, women, Asians of other countries, etc.

THIS is COMPLETELY UNTRUE. first of all it's the other way round. Japanese love anime and they have no problem with homo's. Japan is also the home of all video games so why would they hate it. I suggest people actually GO to Japan before they start judging.

 

[Robert Ewing]

Well, Last time I went to Japan with my girlfriend, we were stared at a lot. But don't get me wrong, it wasn't in an intimidating way. The Japanese natives seemed extremely interested in us. They asked us where we were from, what it was like in our country, what we do there etc. The Japanese people I met were certainly very humble and nice chaps.

Now, I remember I was stopped in the street by a woman, we spoke to her, we told her where we were from etc, and she asked "Ah England! At least you're not American! *laughter*" I dunno, it just seems like they have a light tone dislike for Americans for the obvious radioactive reason maybe. But overall they seem to distrust America, certainly in Yamanashi where I went. It's doesn't seem like genuine hatred however. It's that boyish humorous stereotype each country has, but has no real significance. They stereotyped about England to, they constantly asked if I wanted some tea, and a few of them asked me to say ol' chap.

For example

England - Damn French
Irish - Damn English
America - Damn Mexicans
Canada - Damn Eskimos
Russia - Damn Germans

Y'know, sort of a cultural dislike through the ages. But to be honest, I shouldn't worry about it. The Japanese were very friendly to me indeed, and were more interested because I guess they don't get many foreigners that stray off the tourist track in Japan or something.

Also, learn some Japanese, they really don't like having to speak English, or having to understand the English you're speaking. You need to greet them and carry the initial conversation in Japanese, then if they start speaking English, that's your cue to follow. If you just start speaking English, it pisses them off. And angry Japanese ladies aren't fun.

 

[Vrex360]

I've been to Japan and I can honestly say that with my limited experience that they really aren't as Xenophobic as people say they are. Hell, we got lost on our way to our hotel and asked for directions and these two teenage girls happily went completely out of their way to lead us to it.
Plus in my time in Japan I found them to be very accomodating to english speakers, whole buildings and restaurants had information written entirely in English. Even the actual name of the restaurant was in English. I can't really imagine a city in say, Australia, having whole buildings in the middle of the CBD being written in Japanese.
In general I didn't ever have much trouble finding people who spoke English, I rarely had to rely on the lessons I had learned prior to going and even rarer did I need my phrasebook. Plus they were all just so polite the whole time.
People who worked at the hotels, restaurants, stores and even just random people in the street. Everyone was friendly and I never once felt like I was being stared at like I was some kind of oddity.
And I went everywhere on my trip to Japan, Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Nikko, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima, Takayama and Chiba and a lot of points in between. Seriously apart from one mildly grumpy taxi driver, everyone was just so polite.

Then again, I wasn't living there so maybe I got treated differently. All I know is that during my trip I never caught sight of this 'incredible xenophobia' that everyone keeps talking about.

 

[ckam]

The Japanese have been known to be incredibly racist and basically putting down groups that aren't "normal". Homosexuals, anime fans, video game fans, women, Asians of other countries, etc.

THIS is COMPLETELY UNTRUE. first of all it's the other way round. Japanese love anime and they have no problem with homo's. Japan is also the home of all video games so why would they hate it. I suggest people actually GO to Japan before they start judging.

I'm not very sure how to counter that except saying that Japanese anime fans are very accepting, but the rest of the culture isn't. It's pretty clear that some people don't understand that animanga/video games have a slightly worse reputation than Osama bin Laden. Just because those two are the only real successful markets of Japan, it doesn't mean that they want to conform and adapt to the bitching and whining that other nations do. Illogical, yes; reality, yes.

It's a really odd place in which they hate many other cultures, but also want to be accepted by them, too. On the last note, you should, too.

 

[Philol]

I spent a week in Japan and the locals could not have been more pleasant and friendly, I'm not sure were these ideas of national pride being centred around racism are coming from. As for your friend I don't know what to say, it may have been something personal aimed directly at him, or perhaps he was approaching the wrong conventions.

 

[Khanht Cope]

I have no personal experience with nation of Japan. I've met their people and they are as good as anyone else, but my impressions of Japan is that there are indeed a nation of Nationalistic and, at times, overtly raciest people. I have not gotten these impression from the people I have met, but from the internet. They only drive Japanese cars, only purchase Japanese products, strongly support JDM industry and strongly disapprove of interracial marriage. It's as if they are 1950s Americans but in Japan in 2011. Doesn't Toyota in this day and age forbid anyone non Japanese from being on the board executives?

That's not simply about a zealous racist nationalism; it's economic protectionism. They've still never recovered from the economic crisis that came after they had to support their banks from catastrophe. The Japanese economy has been in a perpetual state of gains wiped away by subsequent loses and they're protecting their own industry, employment and economy from foreign influences, competition, ownership and subversion.

 

[Al-Bundy-da-G]

England - Damn French
Irish - Damn English
America - Damn Mexicans
Canada - Damn Eskimos
Russia - Damn Germans

First off we Americans love Mexico and it's people as well as Canada.

It's you damn english we have to keep an eye on, seeing how you're our oldest enemy. There's always the threat of you lot sailing over here to attempt to retake the colonies. Not to mention your deep seated hatred of our oldest ally the French. We love those snail eating, stinky pits, bastard. Viva La Frànce Y Ameríca!