[StangGuy]

I can answer a few of these based on my experience in Hiroshima, which had a large number of Marines and a few USAF due to the base in nearby Iwakuni.

1) Yes, you will stick out like a sore thumb, but it doesn't really matter. Most people are friendly and nobody notices unless you are in a residential area.

2)Yes you will be treated differently if you mention you are military. Even by other Americans. Some people won't care, some people will ignore you for it and others will fawn over you. I would tend to stay away from the latter group because they generally want something.

4) There is something strange about Japanese men and their intrest in foreigners being involved with Japanese women. I was frequently asked by the Japanese guys I was working with if I had a Japanese girlfriend. Others also insisted I visit their offices in Nagoya and Tokyo and meet the many young women there. The father thing did happen to one of my coworkers, but I think that was just joking around. My coworker was planning his wedding then and the Japanese gentleman was someone that we were working fairly close with. But he did mention it repeatedly.

7)There are three types of females that you will usually find in a place that has a lot of foriegners. The ones that have a strong distaste for military and /or english teachers but like some aspect of western culture. The ones that are there because they are interested in english and the western world but don't realy search out a relationship with foreigners beyond friends. Then their are the ones that are disntctly looking for a westerner, military or otherwise. This last group also fits any number of stereotypes that are held about certain American women. However, all of these girls have one thing in common as a couple of guys told me "Japanese men aren't interested in them because they are too strong willed and western guys wont marry them because they don't fit the stereotypes." It is only a generalization but there is too much truth to it.

My suggestion for when you go out, go out alone(not sure if this is possible as last I heard the military had instituted a buddy system for those leaving base). If you go out alone you will meet more of the local people that way because you are more approachable. Stay away from the places popular with the military, and don't broadcast that you are military. This means don't dress like every other 20-something frat boy/military party animal. It may be different where you are stationed, but I could pick out every military person from the hordes of other foreigners simply by how they dressed and carried themselves. Also, don't come on strong. If you are constantly on the "prowl" people will notice it and they won't like it. I had a coworker that was pretty much abhorred by every Japanese person he met because he was always "on". The majority of the Japanese people I met while out on the town I met while I was sitting alone minding my own business. The fact that you are a foreigner will bring attention to you, you don't need to pursue it. And once you meet a couple locals you will invariably meet their friends if they like you.