Chill out, Maciamo. That post was intended to be a "fantasy" reality; a joke. It was not intended to be dissertation on how foreigners should be treated in Japan or how I would want it to be. I had to laugh to myself at your answers as you seem to have taken me seriously. That was not my intention.

I was taking the opposite side of your arguments with a little intended humour. Sorry if I offended anybody.

At first I thought your feelings were intended to be a "devil's advocate" position to get some serious discussion started. But, I have spent many hours going through the numerous archives of posts on this website and now realize that you are dead serious on your views of how the Japanese treat foreigners with their "stupid questions", getting asked for your "gaijin card", etc. Although I may disagree with your feelings regarding these things and your wanting to change Japanese thinking, you, and others, are CORRECT in everything you say.

As I've mentioned before, my relationship with Japan and the Japanese spans 32 consecutive years with the first 16 actually living there starting when I was 18. I have lived in a dinky 2DK apartment (after being turned down 2 or 3 times prior), have worked for two Japanese companies in Japan (not teaching English), taught for various schools while in university in Japan, before finally owning my own English School for the last 4 of those years in Japan with no problem finding a 3LDK mansion to rent. I have also been VP of Sales & Marketing for a Japanese company for my first 8 years here in the states. And I visit yearly.

Therefore, I have experienced everything, and maybe some, that you are experiencing now. I know exactly what you are going through because I have "been there, done that, experienced that, thought that, and felt that." Living in Japan is, and for the most part will always be, a "love-hate" relationship for foreigners. Myself included.

If I remember correctly, I think you mentioned that you are living in Japan for 3.5 years now. Everything you are saying and feeling has been said and felt by foreigners for the past 30 years and probably back to the end of the war and probably even further than that. Nothing has changed. Nothing. Not one single thing, and I don't think it ever will. I used to think, "Maybe if this guy (you) lives there long enough he'll see that nothing will change and just learn to go with the flow without getting so irritated and upset over it. Maybe he'll just learn to like Japan for what it is rather than what it should or could be." I have come to the conclusion that, regardless of how long you live there, your views will not change. In a way I feel for you because I have seen it really drive people from Japan with a venom rarely seen. I know a few foreigners who still live in Japan more that 10 years, but still despise it while enjoying other aspects of the culture. Are they wrong? No. Some just need to vent once in a while lest it drive them nuts. However, if I felt as one of my friends do, I would be out of there in a heartbeat as all he does is ***** and moan anymore. He says he'd like to leave, but feels he is just too old to find decent employment in the states. (He's over 50.) I really feel for him.

As LEXICO said:
"the Japanese general public do not seem to be aware of the "irritation" their "naiive" hospitality is causing the gaijins. They are not aware that their lack of individual attention is vastly dehumanising for people from the Americas, and even more so for people from European nations who value their invidivualtiy with utmost value."
They either don't care or don't want to listen to what the foreigner is saying. Maybe they block it out as they, subconciously don't want to believe it. Maybe, deep inside the Japanese mind is the universal feeling that they still feel they are superior. I don't know and frankly, I don't care anymore. Japan is Japan and will always be Japan then, now, and long after I am gone.

Example: I've seen extremely popular, fluent "tarento" being interviewed on serious "roundtable" discussion programs on TV in the 80's concerning the plight of foreigners living and working in Japan. And you know what? They all mentioned the same exact things you, me, and practically every foreigner, fluent or not, in Japan is saying. They expressed their irritation at the complexities of being a foreigner in Japan from being stared and pointed at, to being asked for their gaijin card for no reason other than they were foreigners, to the 20 question routine from all Japanese even when their face and name were known all over Japan! And any Japanese who watched TV knew they were fluent, have lived in Japan for more than 5 years, could eat sushi & use chopsticks, etc.!! All the interviewer and panel said was "Ah soo desuka. Naruhodo." Still nothing changed. And again, personally, I don't think it ever will. If theses nationally popular foreigners couldn't change it who could?

You, Maciamo, however, have spoke with more passion and research on the subject than anyone I have ever encountered. I commend you for that. And if anyone can change it, maybe it's you! Seriously. Have you ever given it any serious thought?

Have you written your feelings to the English language dailies or Japanese language dailies in Japan? Maybe someone can pull some strings and you can get interviewed on a serious TV show. Maybe you should seriously consider working for the UN on their Human Rights program or something. (I am not being sarcastic either.) With your passion on the subject maybe you can make a change for all foreigners living in Japan. That is if you really want to.

As for me, I am visiting Japan again on Feb 24th for a week or so. I know I may be asked for my passport, asked again if I can eat sushi & use chopsticks, not be heard when I speak Japanese, be stared at etc., but I don't care as I know I will have a wonderful experience as I always do.

I will play pachinko, visit an onsen, enjoy singing enka, enjoy the visits to out of the way izakayas and akachochins with my Japanese friends, shopping in a supermarket, bentos on the train, watching TV and laughing at the gaijins in commercials etc, etc. and begin seriously looking for an area we want to settle in permanently in the not too distant future. Yes, for all it's "flaws", I do intend on retiring there and living out the remainder of my days in Japan. Maybe my epithat will read in Japanese:

"In Case Your Wondering, Yes, I could eat sushi, use chopsticks, enjoyed an ofuro, slept in futons, played pachinko, ate gyuudon...... Thank you for allowing me to experince and enjoy your culture."