Poll of the Day > Biggest problem with Japan is everyone thinks you're a weeb.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I been watching youtube videos of people showing their trips on the trains, events, and the awesome places to eat. And when I tell people I wanna visit or live in Japan they all like "Whatever weeb"

Its like I am sorry Japan has more interesting places to eat and fast god damn trains compared to the US.

Jesus Christ dude

Japan really doesn't seem like a pleasant place to live... the racism the absurd work culture. Visiting is cool but if you tell people you wanna live there people are going to suspect your motivations.

Whatever, weeb.

I hear that's where the best Body Pillows come from

Why the hell would anyone want to live in one of the few countries with an even worse work/life balance than the US? The most realistic thing about the Persona games is that you have enough free time after work to do literally two things.

because weebs act like it's their Mecca.

japan also really hates foreigners.... even someone who is half, and born there but looks foreign will face bigotry.

Faster trains? Yes. More interesting places to eat though? Im from California, so thats a no. Theres certainly a lot of *good* food, as its important to most people here that things taste good, but its almost all Japanese food (or other Asian cuisines). Its not like California where I had excellent food from all around the world. There is non-Japanese food here, but nowhere near the variety and quality Im used to back home.

I think the bigotry in this thread is a bit overblown. Not denying its existence, but to say they really hate foreigners or its openly accepted is a one-dimensional viewpoint informed by racist Internet forums and not actual experience. Like any country, its going to vary from area to area and person to person. The prefecture I live in is pretty welcoming to foreigners, probably in part thanks to a heavy Brazilian population due to a factory that hires them; increased exposure to leads to decreased bigotry. I also think its much more common to find that bigotry in older generations and its less common among the youth, almost all of whom have regular exposure to a native English-speaking teacher throughout their entire school career thanks to their ALT. I think the racism youll find in parts of the United States, such as, say, the Deep South is a lot more overt and aggressive than what youll find in Japan. Its much more of a passive thing here. And theres less of a deep rooted history of systemic violence towards other races or nationalities here (but that still exists, particularly their treatment of Korean immigrants pre- and post-WWII; recommend the book and series Pachinko for a good fictional adaptation exploring this). Bigotry exists here, like it does all places, but this is a safer country for people of all races than almost any other country.

Lastly, who care if people think youre a weeb? Why does their opinion matter to you? Id say about half the foreigners I meet here arent even into anime, manga, JRPGs, or whatever else constitutes weeb culture.

I would be happy to live in a place with more civic pride and more functional government, although Japan certainly isn't perfect there.

JigsawTDCII posted...

I think the bigotry in this thread is a bit overblown.

i've got friends that live over there and while none of the guys have had major problems, the foreigner women really have been the target of sexual harassment, particularly by older guys

agesboy posted...

i've got friends that live over there and while none of the guys have had major problems, the foreigner women really have been the target of sexual harassment, particularly by older guys

What country are your female friends from and is the sexual harassment worse in Japan?

Cacciato posted...

Jesus Christ dude

Remember when TC whined about Jen making so many topics? This bloke be shitting out a topic a minute lately lmao

you must be giving off weeb vibes in that case, or have negative non-supportive people in your life - when I planned a trip to Japan, I was very supported and encouraged by a lot of people. I had a really fun going away party with lots of people.

ReturnOfFa posted...

you must be giving off weeb vibes in that case, or have negative non-supportive people in your life - when I planned a trip to Japan, I was very supported and encouraged by a lot of people. I had a really fun going away party with lots of people.

Ever think they were happy you were leaving?

If you carry your IRL self the way you carry your online self Im not surprised that people would roll their eyes at every single thing you say

No one cares about Japan anymore. South Korea is the new cool Asian country.

agesboy posted...

i've got friends that live over there and while none of the guys have had major problems, the foreigner women really have been the target of sexual harassment, particularly by older guys

Thats more of an issue of sexism than racism or xenophobia, because women born and raised in Japan are also regularly the target of sexual harassment. Armed robbery isnt common here, but women getting their underwear thats left out to dry stolen is. But sadly, women have it worse in every country, some more so than others.

If my post didnt make it clear, I also live in Japan, and I have several non-Japanese women Im friends with. I think each of them have at least one experience of sexual harassment here, but its not as common out in the inaka, at least not where we live. I think a common form of sexual assault here is women getting covertly groped on sardine-packed trains, and that level of crowding is much more prevalent in the bigger cities, so thats a risk women should be aware of when traveling or moving to any of big cities here. It sucks women have a lot more to consider, particularly in regards to their safety, when traveling and moving abroad.

But I still stand by the statement that Japan is one of the safer countries for people to live in. For example, I lived in Sierra Leone for a year before moving to Japan, and the level of sexual harassment faced by non-Salonian women there was far, far greater than the level of sexual harassment non-Japanese women deal with in Japan. Sierra Leone is still an overall very friendly country and very welcoming to foreigners in general though (and I know several women from the States who have ended marrying Salonian men and making Sierra Leone their home) because, again, this is more a case of sexism than racism or xenophobia. But I will say Asian folk may face some unintended forms of bigotry in how they are addressed in Sierra Leone, but its usually more from a place of ignorance than malice.

I think people have this image of Japan hating foreigners in part due to how nationalistic the country tends to be, and I wont deny that nationalism tends to run strong here, but Ive had multiple experiences here where people want to engage with me specifically because Im a foreigner. Just two weeks ago I was at a train station and this old man randomly approaches me and says America??! and I said Yeah and he just sat down and started asking me questions and showing me these watercolor and pen pieces he had made of the seaside town he leaves in. Ive had an older woman want to adopt me and be my host mother. Ive had a middle aged man buy me multiple drinks in a bar after talking (and agreeing) about the war in Ukraine.

I dont agree with nationalism in general, but I feel like its a lot more understandable here when pensions are still common across most professions allowing people to have comfortable retirements, paid paternity/maternity leave is like a year long, jobs tend to subsidize 40-50% of your rent, and theres a general culture of respect and order that creates a country that tends to be clean and peaceful. Not defending it, but I can understand how seeing a foreigner who doesnt understand your societys rules and customs not following certain unsaid rules and getting annoyed by it. That annoyance evolves into bigotry when empathy and critical thinking arent being practiced (and I think both of those are becoming a lot more common here). I dont want to come across here like Im a gaijin Japanese nationalist myself or anything, theres honestly plenty about this country I find unappealing and unsettling after living here for over a year, but I dont think Japan really hates foreigners or that Krazy_Kirby, notable PotD conservative pundit, is the guy to be listening to or backing here.

ReturnOfFa posted...

you must be giving off weeb vibes in that case, or have negative non-supportive people in your life - when I planned a trip to Japan, I was very supported and encouraged by a lot of people. I had a really fun going away party with lots of people.

and Im going to have to agree with this. Most of my friends and family found it exciting and interesting, and almost none of them care (or in some cases even know) about anime, nor did they assume that was the reason I wanted to go (and it wasnt)

ArchaeaOttoia posted...

tc wanting to move to a place where racism is more openly accepted

shocked pikachu

Xenophobia*

JigsawTDCII posted...

Thats more of an issue of sexism than racism or xenophobia, because women born and raised in Japan are also regularly the target of sexual harassment. Armed robbery isnt common here, but women getting their underwear thats left out to dry stolen is. But sadly, women have it worse in every country, some more so than others.

If my post didnt make it clear, I also live in Japan, and I have several non-Japanese women Im friends with. I think each of them have at least one experience of sexual harassment here, but its not as common out in the inaka, at least not where we live. I think a common form of sexual assault here is women getting covertly groped on sardine-packed trains, and that level of crowding is much more prevalent in the bigger cities, so thats a risk women should be aware of when traveling or moving to any of big cities here. It sucks women have a lot more to consider, particularly in regards to their safety, when traveling and moving abroad.

But I still stand by the statement that Japan is one of the safer countries for people to live in. For example, I lived in Sierra Leone for a year before moving to Japan, and the level of sexual harassment faced by non-Salonian women there was far, far greater than the level of sexual harassment non-Japanese women deal with in Japan. Sierra Leone is still an overall very friendly country and very welcoming to foreigners in general though (and I know several women from the States who have ended marrying Salonian men and making Sierra Leone their home) because, again, this is more a case of sexism than racism or xenophobia. But I will say Asian folk may face some unintended forms of bigotry in how they are addressed in Sierra Leone, but its usually more from a place of ignorance than malice.

I think people have this image of Japan hating foreigners in part due to how nationalistic the country tends to be, and I wont deny that nationalism tends to run strong here, but Ive had multiple experiences here where people want to engage with me specifically because Im a foreigner. Just two weeks ago I was at a train station and this old man randomly approaches me and says America??! and I said Yeah and he just sat down and started asking me questions and showing me these watercolor and pen pieces he had made of the seaside town he leaves in. Ive had an older woman want to adopt me and be my host mother. Ive had a middle aged man buy me multiple drinks in a bar after talking (and agreeing) about the war in Ukraine.

I dont agree with nationalism in general, but I feel like its a lot more understandable here when pensions are still common across most professions allowing people to have comfortable retirements, paid paternity/maternity leave is like a year long, jobs tend to subsidize 40-50% of your rent, and theres a general culture of respect and order that creates a country that tends to be clean and peaceful. Not defending it, but I can understand how seeing a foreigner who doesnt understand your societys rules and customs not following certain unsaid rules and getting annoyed by it. That annoyance evolves into bigotry when empathy and critical thinking arent being practiced (and I think both of those are becoming a lot more common here). I dont want to come across here like Im a gaijin Japanese nationalist myself or anything, theres honestly plenty about this country I find unappealing and unsettling after living here for over a year, but I dont think Japan really hates foreigners or that Krazy_Kirby, notable PotD conservative pundit, is the guy to be listening to or backing here.

lol.
just because people in the left are trying to make it much farther left as the new normal, doesn't change me being in the actual middle.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pfKwUX4NeT8
(3min mark).

I'd visit Japan but wouldn't want to live there. My country is far from perfect but I like it here.

Krazy_Kirby posted...

lol.
just because people in the left are trying to make it much farther left as the new normal, doesn't change me being in the actual middle.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pfKwUX4NeT8
(3min mark).

idk who youre trying to convince, but its not us. Conservatives love to complain their centrist to keep pushing things further to the right.

As for the video: as I said, Im not saying bigotry doesnt exist here, as it exists everywhere. Im saying your claims of Japan really hating foreigners are overblown, and this video backs me more than it does you. The video is literally a Japanese dude interviewing foreigners to better understand the challenges they face. I find it hard to believe his motivation in making the video is bigotry. Most of the issues faced by those people are worse in the States and other countries. Black folk being followed in shops or ignored by taxis (also should note that the one dude even says hes never faced any problems after living here for 2.5 years)? Theyll get shot or beaten by cops in the States just for their skin color. Getting glares for speaking Chinese after COVID? Asians of all nationalities got straight up harassed and attacked in the States and many European countries regardless of what language they were speaking. Old people rubber necking when they hear English? Literally could be because theyre just legitimately interested, and even if it is because theyre xenophobic (which is indeed more likely), old people in other countries will hurl straight up slurs and insults. The one issue more unique to f84 at least worse in) Japan is the apartment thing of not renting to foreigners, which is not uncommon and indeed bigoted (and often justified by saying that foreigners are more likely to break lease to move back to their home country, which not entirely untrue, but still a discriminatory practice). I will say though, many (but not all) jobs that hire foreigners will do the heavy lifting and help them find an apartment.

I dont want to undermine the challenges these people have faced. Saying a statement is overblown doesnt mean it doesnt contain some truth within it. Dealing with discrimination anywhere you are is discouraging and belittling, and Japan can easily still make plenty of progressive improvements in its society. But not every foreigner (as you claimed in your first post) faces bigotry (as backed by the dude who straight up says he hasnt in the video, as well as my personal experience). Every situation is different, and I hope those who have faced discrimination here find a healthy way to process that situation, and that those committing it see the error of their ways.

Krazy_Kirby posted...

lol.
just because people in the left are trying to make it much farther left as the new normal, doesn't change me being in the actual middle.

What exactly do you get out of lying about this?

JigsawTDCII posted...

idk who youre trying to convince, but its not us. Conservatives love to complain their centrist to keep pushing things further to the right.

not sure what autocorrect was doing there, but that should be claim theyre and its too late for me to edit it

JigsawTDCII posted...

not sure what autocorrect was doing there, but that should be claim theyre and its too late for me to edit it

Autocorrect was a mistake.

I also get a kick out of people acting like the majority of the left in the USA is radical left when in many countries what is considered left wing there is way beyond most of the left here. So in Canada if Biden ran for a political office they wouldn't let him identify as a leftist with his policies and views.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/3/5/AAfUcIAAD5M_.jpg

also since were basing on the foreigner hate in Japan on individual anecdotes, heres one from twenty minutes ago from one of my acquaintances (who is a woman)

Monopoman posted...

I also get a kick out of people acting like the majority of the left in the USA is radical left when in many countries what is considered left wing there is way beyond most of the left here. So in Canada if Biden ran for a political office they wouldn't let him identify as a leftist with his policies and views.

different countries have different levels of political extremes...
just because other countries are even farther, doesn't mean shit.
far left/right here is far left/right

JigsawTDCII posted...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/3/5/AAfUcIAAD5M_.jpg

also since were basing on the foreigner hate in Japan on individual anecdotes, heres one from twenty minutes ago from one of my acquaintances (who is a woman)

is actually concentrated Rohypnol.

Hey gauis, the well known issue is countered by my personal anecdote!

Whats a gauis?

SoreChasm posted...

Whats a gauis?

Gaius was a roman name. Best I can tell gauis is nothing.

Fuck, now I really want to know.

SoreChasm posted...

Fuck, now I really want to know.

I googled it and unless Gauis was also a roman name it was just links where people misspelled Gaius.

I think most don't seem to understand that even if you talk to Japanese people in Japan if they are nice and polite in person it doesn't mean they like you.

In Japan putting out a good face and showing honor when dealing with other people especially strangers is a huge part of society, therefore unless you are acting a total fool, causing chaos, or flying in the face of rules that they really love. they will be polite in person but they will be backstabbing assholes to their friends when referencing you.

ZangsBeard posted...

Hey gauis, the well known issue is countered by my personal anecdote!

i guess the point going over your head is kinda your forte but thanks for the bump