[Pachipro]

I have read this thread throughly and enjoyed the contrast between Nyororin, jasonbvr, and Gloobey and would like to add my two yen. Having a 33 year relationship with Japan, with 16 of those years living there consecutively, I have worked for Japanese companies and owned my own business there, paid taxes and I think I am well qualified to offer my opinion.

I have seen the likes of Gloobey before, many times, both in Japan and on forums dealing with Japan. His type are a dime a dozen in Japan. They live in a country they have come to despise, refuse to learn the language and culture, and are only living there because they are stuck in a contract or own a business and cannot leave even though they want to. Some cannot afford to leave or are afraid of starting over again in their own country so they stay in a place they hate and bitch about it to anyone who will listen. They usually find much company. Any language they do know is severely limited and this further adds insult to injury as they cannot make themselves understood in a country where most foreigners like this demand that the Japanese see things THEIR way rather than trying to see things the Japanese way and understand where they are coming from and why they do things the way they do.

Therefore, to vent their frustrations, they bash Japan and the Japanese and their culture and way of life any chance they get because it makes them feel better and superior about themselves and their own culture as he has proved in his own words thinking that his own cultures' way is superior to the Japanese way. His type never trys to look at the good in Japan, only the bad. Even in his own words, when asked why he is there, he replies, "Beats me..." Therefore, everywhere they look they are suspicious of the Japanese "racist" nature and feel persecuted for anything they, or the Japanese do. I have not ever met one foreigner who speaks, reads, and writes Japanese fluently who feels as he does, but I have met many who don't that do. In a way it's kind of sad.

They also despise and call anyone else who even remotely enjoys Japan and the culture or disagrees with their negative views as Japaholics, Japanophiles, or "Jfan boys". Now Gloobey may well understand Japanese and speak and write it fluently, but my guess is he doesn't because if he did, he would understand the Japanese mentality concerning the way they do business and the reason why they do the things they do in their own culture. Jeeze man they are Japanese NOT Europeans! And why would anyone want them to act any differently? If they acted like Europeans or Americans they wouldn't be Japanese now would they? I, for one, hope they never change.

In my business dealings with Japan and the Japanese, I never had any problem. Maybe it was because I took the time to learn about them, their culture, and their language and not to force my own thinking and way of doing things on them? If I did force it, I doubt I would have as much business as I did or be as successful as I was. It was not always easy, but it was a success nonetheless. Whereas I succeeded, many a foreigner failed miserably.

I could've easily seen things the "Gloobey way" and I probably would be thinking as he is in thinking that the Japanese are all racist, stone-headed, and refuse to see things other than their own way. Or, I could have studied them to understand them better and find out that such was not the case although it is easy to view them that way when you don't understand the culture.

I could've easily thought the "Gloobey way" in that the Japanese do not want to sit next to me on the train because they are racists. Or, I could have studied their culture and learned that they are shy by nature, have difficulty learning foreign languages and, therefore, do want to sit next to foreigners on the train out of fear that I might speak English to them and they cannot answer. On the other hand, 98% of Japanese had no fear of sitting next to me on the train.

I could've easily thought the "Gloobey way" in thinking that the Japanese are all racist towards foreigners because I was turned down for an apartment a few times or refused entry to certain establishments in Tokyo (but not in the suburbs where I lived mind you. Never) even though that is prohibited in my own country. Or, I could've done a little studying and understood that the reason for this is based on past experience in that many a foreigner trash their apartments, are loud in palces with paper thin walls, Do not take off their shoes, and disturb the "Wa" (harmony) of their neighbors; they start fights in bars, do not pay their tabs, etc. Why should a Japanese rent me their apartment or house, or let me in their establishment based on bad experience? It is their land and their property and it should be their right whom they lease to or let in or not. Who am I to demand this because it is prohibited in my country? Hell, even the Japanese refuse to lease to other Japanese or let them in establishments based on looks, tatoos, etc. It all comes down to their own personal experience and I agree with it.

Believe me, there is both good and bad in Japan, just as there is in any country and I have seen both sides and Japan is not all "peaches and cream". In my own case, the good in Japan far, far outweighs the bad and I will list the bad in another post.

Suffice it to say, for those who have never been to Japan and desire to go and maybe live there someday, do not take Goobley's word as gospel and do not be afraid to go. You may well have a whole different experience or you may well have the same experience. It's all up to you. His views are are not rare among those foreigners who do not take the time to understand the Japanese language, culture, and way of thinking and who prefer to impose their own views on a country and culture not their own.

Just because England, Europe, and America are slowly succumbing to the views of foreigners and immigrants and relenting to the globalists (gloobalists"?) and "One World Culture" doesn't mean Japan has to. I hope Japan never succumbs, but I am a little worried.

I only left Japan, a place I truly loved, because of the rampant land speculation of the late 80's when housing prices tripled in a few short years; sold my business and moved to the US. I didn't stay and bitch about it later on although I easily could have and may well sound like Gloobly today. I moved on and he should too. Just do it and quite whining about it! However, I will return and retire there with my Japanese wife in a few short years. After all it is my "home".