Peaceful Japan – My Ass!

One of the stereotypes about Japan that bothers me the most is that people in Japan somehow value and practice “peace” more than other people around the world. In reality, I feel that the opposite could very well be true and here are a number of examples to prove my point:

•  Come to Japan and be prepared to be: pushed, bumped, and stepped on – and that is just from the old ladies or “babas” in train stations or on trains! Then there are the smokers who will blow smoke in your face or dump cigarette ashes on you. And don’t get me started on the motorcycles without mufflers!

• In terms of educating: pain is the best teacher. This is “common sense” for many people in Japan. I have seen teachers, parents, and others in teaching roles literally beat their lesson into their pupils – and it is commonly accepted! One would think that those “shy” little women in Japan would never be violent, but you would be wrong! If they have the upper hand, i.e. are senpai – or senior, anyone will commonly revert to physical and psychological violence towards their ward. The worst I have ever seen was on a TV program on the police. The cadets are basically beat silly (physically and psychologically) and this is considered professional.

• Probably one of the biggest jokes in Japan is the just the term “peace.” I see rallies, textbook entries, movies, TV documentaries, and newspaper articles praising Japan’s contribution to peace in the world, but what is really meant is peace for Japan that wants nothing to do with the rest of the world. In short, these peace activists in Japan want to act like ostriches and bury their heads in the sand and ignore the reality of the  world around them. When North Korea fired missles over the country, the Japanese government did nothing. Heck, if I recall correctly, the American government told CNN and the Japanese had learn about the “tests” from America. Shocking! One letter in the Japan Times hit the nail on the head with this:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/rc20080228a2.html

Thanks for reading,

GBUJ

What Did I Do?

In my 17 years in Japan I have noticed something that always makes me wonder: Why do some women in Japan start crying in front of me?

Here is an example and my theory. Often I will sit down on the train and find myself sitting across from some 30-something beautiful woman. I don’t mind the eye-candy, but being happily married I sigh and go back to reading my newspaper or watching Californication (great show!) on my iPod. However, I soon feel eyes on me, I look up and make eye contact with the woman across from me. I ignore her. The train keeps on going and every once I will look up and find tears in the woman’s eyes. You may think I am imagining things, but I swear this has happened to me countless times in the past. Also the woman is always of a certain type: again mid to late 30s, obviously a working professional (well-educated and well-off), single (possibly divorced – it has become very common in Japan), and very stylish.  So what is going on with the tears? Simple, I believe these are cases of unrequited love or in layman’s terms, “the one-that-got-away.” For many years in Japan, marrying a non-Japanese  person was tantamount to blasphemy. In fact, it still is for many. But, strangely enough, it has become “cool” for many in recent years. In fact, by some accounts  over 20% of marriages (in some parts of Japan) are between a non-Japanese and a Japanese. Why the sudden “cachet” to international marriage? Some women, in particular, have shared their “happiness” with being married to non-Japanese men in the Japanese media, books, blogs, and so on. Then there is the seemingly endless number of “halves” showing up on Japanese TV. They are seen as cool or “kakko ii” by many in Japan, regardless of talent or lack thereof. Heck, I can remember a time when not being “pure” Japanese meant a lifetime of hell and discrimination in Japan, now it is seemingly acceptable. The same goes for kids catalogs. Now that I have kids of my own, I am shocked to see how many non-Japanese or mixed kids are used as models in clothing magazines. So, all these young women in Japan want that non-Japanese man – preferably a Western blond hair blue-eyed “darling” so they can have a cute or “kawaii” baby.

What these women fail to realize is the immense pressure on those relationships from the systematic racism that exists in Japan more times than not leads to their early demise. In fact, from what I have observed among friends  and acquaintances over the years in Japan, the number of international marriages between Japanese and non-Japanese probably has a divorce rate hovering around 60-70%. Possibly the highest in the world! So, going back to the women with the tears in their eyes. I think I may be reminding them of the one that got away. Life in Japan for non-Japanese is pretty stressful and if the Japanese partner is not willing to accept that fact and help out as much as possible, then I am pretty certain the relationship is doomed. Also, keep in mind my entry about “Who you are?” Relationships also end up being a numbers game. The Japanese spouse has their family and you are all alone. In their eyes, you have no choice but to bend to their will/demands. Being a singular “you” is not a position of power or respect in Japan.

Well, to the women crying across from me, what did you expect? Marriage isn’t easy. Hell any relationship is difficult! If you were too lazy to put in the effort and keep your man happy or help him deal with the racism, then that is your loss. Or maybe you met him while you were working or studying abroad? And he refused to come to Japan with you. Well, then he probably he was already aware of what was waiting for him and decided you were not worth it. In which case, suck it up and  move on with your life.  

Thanks for reading,

GBUJ 

The Police in Japan, Racism, and a Rationale?

This post is probably a little early in the game, but I can’t help but share it as it will explain much of the racism non-Japanese experience while living in Japan.

As I already mentioned, I practice a martial art. In doing so, I come in frequent contact with Japanese police. In fact, one of my best pals is in the force. While he is a great guy, he is very small peanuts in terms of the larger picture. On the other hand, I have acquaintances who are very high up in the police hierarchy. Anyway, as any martial art practitioner can tell you, drinking alcohol after practice is almost just as important as the practice itself. One time after practice I met a new guy. He was “young,” probably only about 45 (that is still “wet behind the ears” in Japan) and after introducing himself and seeing my Japanese was pretty decent, he asked me a question. Basically, he explained that he had been sent to Australia (although FBI HQ in the U.S. had been his first choice) for a chance to see what police work was like “down under.” While there he learned some, but not having the English skills to properly communicate he felt it was kind of a wasted opportunity – you hear that a lot! Anyway, his question was whether I thought non-Japanese, in this case Australians, had made fun of his English skills or lack thereof while his back was turned. Being tired from practice and having a few beers in me, I was caught off guard by the seriousness of his inquiry. Well, I thought quickly and replied honestly that I didn’t think they would do such a thing. He asked why and I said that at least in the States you could get in trouble for making fun of people’s speech, nationality, religion, gender, and so on… especially in the workplace. He thought about my reply and then said that he thought as much but wasn’t sure and just wanted confirmation. I also added that people could not only get fired from their job, but the offended individual could sue. Lastly, I said that in the workplace such behavior would be thought of as childish, a sign of ignorance and by extension a general lack of intelligence. (I didn’t mention it to him, but Michael Scott in “The Office” is a great example.)

Well, the subject changed and the rest of the evening was pretty uneventful. I was to later find out that he was a real up-and-comer in the force and I could see it with my own eyes as a number of the older police all deferred to him. It then hit me like a ton of bricks! He asked me that question because he knew that behind closed doors (and even face to face in my experience) many in Japan make fun of non-Japanese — especially when they try to speak Japanese. The rationale, and this is if I read this guy right, is kind of like a preemptive strike. And it explained so much! I have often been bemused at the “intelligentsia” of Japan and their racist rants. Take the governor of Tokyo for example. The man has nothing but hate for non-Japanese and I guess this could be the reason why. He, like this gentleman from the police, figures that non-Japanese probably hate Japanese (whether it is true or not is beside the point) and by hating, discriminating, and making fun of others is justing getting one up on the non-Japanese. I have shared this story with other “old-timers” in Japan and they all had a similar reply – naruhodo ne – or “that’s what I thought.” How sad can you get? I am going to hate/discriminate against someone I have never met simply because they probably hate/are going to discriminate against me. I’ll just beat them to the punch. Sad!!!

Thanks for reading,

GBUJ

World War II on the Brain

If you get familiar enough with the people and the language of Japan, you will soon learn that those of a certain generation (70 and older) often have been completely shaped by WW II. Their views on life, education, what’s important and what’s not, non-Japanese (see where this is going?), and even food have all been cemented in their minds. Being bilingual and a martial art practitioner, I have been privy to numerous rants about how Japan has been “infected” since losing the war. Examples include:

• America (and all it stands for) is the worst country on the planet. (Pre-Dubya or Post-Dubya makes no difference)
• Japan was a victim of the war.
• Young Japanese are nothing but lazy, pampered, and without an identity.
• Equal rights for men and women is an abomination.
• Losing the war was the greatest shameful experience ever.

On the other hand, I have been told by numerous people in Japan, people I know on a personal level and were born after the war (or were too young to remember), that the best thing that ever happened to Japan was its losing the war.  After all, if Japan had won, present-day Japanese people certainly would have very few of the freedoms they enjoy now. Travel outside Japan is now routine (something unthinkable for most even up to the 1970s!), women in Japan have the right to vote and study at university, people generally marry who they want when they want, and living in a large metropolitan area means access (if you are willing to shell out the money) to the best of anything the rest of the world has to offer!

So, what are the consequences for the non-Japanese in Japan? Well, since age is often more highly valued than ability, gender, nationality, and so on… it means most of the policy-makers, i.e. the older elite, love nothing more than discriminating between Japanese and non-Japanese. Anyone falling in the former group is automatically preferred to those in the latter. It also leads to issues of trust. Many people will refuse to have anything to do with you. You often can’t rent an apartment (heck buying a house was far easier!), you won’t be hired on an equal basis, and you will often find the seat next to you on the train is the last place anyone wants to sit. After 17 years of almost daily use of mass transit, and numerous apologist arguments that people in Japan are “too shy” to sit next to non-Japanese, I am sorry but I think the truth has much more to do with trust issues and racism. The seat next to me is empty – I gave up caring a long time ago!

Anyway, I digress. Just keep in mind that a great segment of society shares a personal history (and takes advantage of every possible opportunity) to perpetuate the above bullet points I mention above. For them America is the Great Satan, and their lifelong duty is to make non-Japanese suffer when possible. In fact, I will never forget the day after 9/11 and having my boss (at the time) gloat about how the “prestige of America was taken down a notch” by the attacks. Over 3,000 people died and all he cared about was America’s prestige taking hit. I think it would be safe to say that he had WW II on the brain.

Thanks for reading,

GBUJ