Putting aside trivialities such as Afghanistan and Iraq, high levels of street crime in our home countries, and an enviable history of war, pain, and suffering, us Protestants are actually a pretty peaceful bunch.

And our right-wingers are faaar more impressive than their Japanese equivalents who seem to have crawled out of a hole somewhere between Shin-Sekai and Tobita.

As a former resident of Abeno-ku, I totally get this seemingly obscure reference.

Should I assume you are white? We are sadly going to see a lot of half white and half asian mutts running around in the future, already a lot of them now.

Man, you racists in Japan are pathetic. Being racist on the internet. These peaceful demonstrations against foreigners. It’s all so passive-aggressive. At least in London, when we had our race riots, there was a bit of blood and violence. You guys, you’re such cowards, you just complain at the sidelines with your poorly spelt signs. If you’re going to be stupid, you should at least be stupid with conviction.

Be careful what you wish for. Are you calling for these racists to attack you physically instead of sitting on the sidelines with poorly spelt signs? If directly engaging (blood and violence) the foreigners is seen (in your definition of cowardice and bravery) as bravery then maybe you can go talk to them about them being total wimps. I am sure they will be happy to oblige.

Japan Observer,
In every country but Japan I maintain the position of a pacifist. Japan, immasculated as it is, is in desperate need of physical demonstration. I believe that if these racists were to raise their fists, the public would be able to effectively beat them down. Whereas as things stand they linger like a bad smell.

Helical:
“rioting is very bad, but just because horseplay on public transportation is tame in comparison doesn’t make it any less annoying, destructive, or dangerous.”

Actually it does. It makes it less annoying, destructive, and dangerous precisely as it is “tame in comparison”….

I think what you meant is “rioting is very bad, but just because horseplay on public transportation is tame in comparison doesn’t make it not annoying, destructive, or dangerous.”

I think what I meant to say was that it does not diminish the “badness” or the reponse deserved of horseplay when considered by itself, even if juxtaposed with a hypothetical/anecdotal situation that’s much worse, like rioting or looting.
I don’t think the degree of how much it’d be diminished (partially or completely) is a big issue in this case.

To use an analogy, if someone is to be fined X-amount of yen for speeding 30 km/h over the speed limit, the price of that penalty should not be affected nor should it be thrown out just because someone else was speeding 60 km/h over the speed limit on the same road at a different time.

Though Rob A doesn’t specifically say so, I interpreted the mentioning of riots in his hometown and the Yamanote being tame, was representing his opinion that the Yamanote should be disregarded as a non-issue because there are much worse things happneing in the world, to which I disagreed with.

I think we are in agreement here then. To rephrase the sentence under debate in terms of your analogy, “doing 60 over the limit is very bad, but just because doing 30 over the limit is tame in comparison doesn’t make it not worthy of a fine.”

“THAT is your home, where it is OK for riots to happen on a holiday celebration like Halloween.”

So are you saying the definition of where my home is is “where it is OK for riots to happen on a holiday celebration like Halloween”?

Have you no decency, sir, at long last, Overthinker? Are you going for the World Record in Trolling, sir?

Don’t call any post you don’t understand “trolling.” My point is quite clear. Raza and Asa appear to be under the apprehension that non-Japanese are all short-term visitors and “home” is the country they were born and/or still hold citizenship in. My remarks are to show up the weakness of that assumption.

“the apprehension that non-Japanese are all short-term visitors and “home” is the country they were born and/or still hold citizenship in”

well that’s obvious and correct. If you weren’t BORN there, then you are a visitor.

And yeah you are a Troll, and if you’re not, then why don’t you have a real email or link to your proper self like some of these other self-respecting people, Overthinker? Why you hiding?

If you weren’t BORN there, then you are a visitor.

Uh, no.
What about the whole thing with immigration? Those people choose to make a different country their new home?

Or is this some odd new-fangled jus soli fundamentalism, being the polar opposite of a more widespread opinion of people who decided who is one of their own or not by blood and/or race?

“well that’s obvious and correct. If you weren’t BORN there, then you are a visitor.”

My daughter was born here. She was raised here. She is Japanese in everyway. Holds a Japanese passport. But she looks gaijin.

And people like you are going to treat her with derision and contempt just because of her appearance. You had better pray that I don’t see it happen to her.

“well that’s obvious and correct. If you weren’t BORN there, then you are a visitor.”

You have simply not the slightest idea what you are talking about. Oh, and good debating point calling me out on not linking to my proper self from someone who doesn’t either. I guess by your own words then that makes you a troll.

Study some history of social activism in that area. I don’t want to pass false judgement by mere speculation, but those protesters are not amateurs. ehehehe

beautifull reply!! wwwwwwwww

yes, evil cleanliness nazi

Man, why are the Japanese so quick to point out violence in other countries and then conclude that foreigners are violent?

Man, why are…

Americans so stupid?
Australians such racists?
the French such pussies?
New Zealanders such sheep fuckers?

etc…

I, Japanese; you, foreign. A deep-rooted problem. But we are all human by the end of the day.

It’s only a problem when the Japanese do it, right? Westerners can just say “the Japanese are this and that” because they’re just so awesome and enlightened unlike those stupid racist, xenophobic Japanese people.

Weirdo, I’m not sure if it’s because you’re stupid, or because I’m stupid, but I’m not sure if you’re with me or against me. In any case, you’re living in a dream World.

I don’t think either of us are stupid, but you seem to have missed the point.

Weirdo, you are confused. Japan’s position on other countries really does often boil down to this or that country being dangerous, and it is published in newspapers as much as it is taught in schools. Of course, if you consider crime figures, they may actually have a case in point… In any case, I can’t see what that has to do with the appalling statements you’ve written about those lovely countries’ peoples above.
In the second analysis, what I was talking about is Japan’s perceived ‘difference’ from other countries and cultures. Japanese people (rightly, perhaps) assume that foreigners cannot speak their language, and (I think absurdly) extend this assumption to the use of chopsticks. Japanese culture is extremely and notorious difficult to breach, not in small part because of mind-sets like these.

George, you are confused. I was talking about how you made sweeping generalizations about Japanese people, and in the same paragraph you criticize the way Japanese people make generalizations about other people. I was pointing out your hypocrisy, but you obviously missed that.

I see your point, but I think my hypocrisy is more fully realised simply in the first quote you made of me, “Man, why are the Japanese so quick to point out violence in other countries and then conclude that foreigners are violent?” As it makes a generalisation based on a generalisation.
On the other hand, I don’t see any apparent contradiction in anything I have said. The Japanese do have a pronounced wariness of other countries, and they do consider their culture beyond the ken of foreigners, chopsticks included.

Also, I don’t think my “sweeping generalisation” (what a lovely cliche) was in the same league as New Zealanders are sheep fuckers etc. As I was making a statement based upon published news articles and educational standards in Japan, rather than hear-say and general bad-mouthing. Worlds apart my friend. That is one reason I think you are confused. (the monika ‘Weirdo’ is another…)

Xenophobia exists in any society, based on published news articles.
Japan is not particularly different in this respect.
In view of violent hate crime, it is much milder than other western countries.
Back to the topic. the Japanese reaction to the party on the train was not xenophobic in nature, people frown upon this kind of party, whether the participants are Japanese or non Japanese.

Despite the warning, another party was planed by foreign kids, which provoked the nationalists.

Will this tendency continue? We don’t know.

But note there are Halloween parties going on elsewhere, Japanese and non-Japanese enjoying together.

I don’t understand why some people want hold a party in such a way to raise the racial tension.

yes, why would the japanese want to hold a halloween party? i wonder if the nationalists will go to Tokyo Disneyland to protest. they have the biggest halloween party in japan. come on ponta. you are not making any sense.

Xenophobia exists in any society, based on published news articles.
Japan is not particularly different in this respect.

Do you claim that based only on published news reports? Or have you spent significant time in other countries besides Japan?

Japan is much worse than other countries (though I suppose I am thinking especially of England here) for xenophobic news-reporting. I mean, which other country’s prime ministers would get away with statements blaming gaijin for the majority of Japan’s crimes? He not only didn’t have any basis for his assertion, he refused to retract the statement. Aso. And of course, the media didn’t castrate him the way he should have been.

george,

“Man, why are the Japanese so quick to point out violence in other countries and then conclude that foreigners are violent?” (2009-11-06 14:09:09)

I wonder who you were talking to. Did you assume that LAL was Japanese? Few Japanese know the “LA Lakers’ fans’ winning celebration”. I don’t think he is Japanese.

“I simply detest the idea inherent in Japan that Japanese people are significantly different from foeigners… as if they’re so much better they cease to be mere mortals. Even when they praise a gaijin for using chopsticks, ah, hashi jouzu da ne, they are simply highlighting this divide: I, Japanese; you, foreign. A deep-rooted problem.” (2009-11-06 14:09:09)

and

“Japanese people (rightly, perhaps) assume that foreigners cannot speak their language, and (I think absurdly) extend this assumption to the use of chopsticks. Japanese culture is extremely and notorious difficult to breach, not in small part because of mind-sets like these.” (2009-11-10 16:02:03)

The reason the Japanese tend to assume that foreigners do not speak Japanese is that foreigners who speak Japanese were quite rare in this country until about 15 years ago, since majority of foreigners seen in this country were just tourists, and foreigners who lived in this country were rare. Likewise, there were few white foreigners who used chopsticks until 15 years or so ago. If you have a perfect command of Japanese, and if you handle chopsticks as perfectly as Asians, no Japanese would tell you that your command of Japanese and handling of chopsticks are good.

Japanese tend to praise foreigners who try to speak Japanese even when it is broken Japanese. However, after reading comments like yours on various English-language blogs and BBSs, I am inclined to think that, if someone’s Japanese is poor, the Japanese should disparage him for that, in order to avoid misunderstanding of foreigners like you.

”which other country’s prime ministers would get away with statements blaming gaijin for the majority of Japan’s crimes? ”

Could you quote the PM’s statement?

“I am thinking especially of England here”

Which country has a racist party such as BNP?

And people “were, however, more shocked to hear that one in five Brits – quite a significant proportion – say they would “seriously consider” voting BNP. ”

(Britons need to start talking about race
Lola Adesioye
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 29 October 2009)”

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?fl20031007zg.htm

read this article for Taro Aso’s take on foreign crime in Japan.

The BNP is not represented in The Houses of Parliament, and in the 2005 general election received 0.7% of the vote. They have gained in poplarity recently; however, this mostly stems from dissillusionment in the other parties, and is a reaction to the travesty that is the immigration system in England. (Whereas in Japan it is notoriously difficult to enter the country, in England all you have to do is turn up, apparently…)

To be honest, though, I really do worry about the BNP.

As for fascism, Japan beats most countries hands down if you just read your history books…
On the subject of history books in Japan, you may find this article illuminating:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_history_textbook_controversies

sorry, Koizumi, not Aso…

Aki, I agree on the language thing. Japanese is a difficult language to master, and it is genuinely surprising when you encounter a fluent foreigner. However, chopsticks are not in any way difficult to handle, and yet it seems to be almost aisatsu for Japanese people to praise my use of them. I hesitate to criticise, because when they say it their intentions are good; but over the years I have in my heart come to loath the compliment. Whether intended or not, I seriously believe it only emphasises the perceived distance between the Japan and the rest of the World. The chopsticks, too, are only the tip of the iceburg.

@ George

I know what you are talking about re chopsticks. I have even had Japanese people be surprised to hear that I am familiar with sushi and that it is widely available in the US.

george says

“read this article for Taro Aso’s take on foreign crime in Japan.”
“sorry, Koizumi, not Aso…”

It says

“Nozawa talked about how Koizumi has charged him with making Japan the “world’s safest country” again. Ono was the most specific — saying that foreign crime and youth crime were among her policy priorities.”

So? Does it make Japan much worse than other countries?

george says

“The BNP is not represented in The Houses of Parliament,”

Correct, but notice that
”
In addition to already holding several metropolitan borough council seats, the BNP won their first county council seats[16] and European Parliament seats on 4 June 2009, winning one council seat in both Lancashire and Leicestershire, and one European Parliament seat each in Yorkshire and the Humber and North West England.[17]From Wikipedia, ”

And let’s take a look at the recent articles I base my claim.

As for the extreme right wingers,

Far right launch campaign of violence and intimidation against opponents
Aryan Martyrs’ Brigade issues death threat against anti-fascism activist Weyman Bennett, while student attacked after BNP protest
Matthew Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 2 August 2009

Campaigner called me a ‘nigger’ claim
6:00pm Wednesday 15th April 2009
asianimage.co.uk

I can go on and on if you want

As for the hate crime,

2 November 2009
Driver racially abused by cyclist(BBC)

11 October 2009 15:12 UK
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Family targeted in racial attack

A mother and her three children were targeted in what police believe is a racially-motivated attack in Stockbridge Village.(BBC)

I can go on and on if you want.

As for the everyday racism

BBC reporters highlight racism on Bristol estate

Peter Walker
The Guardian, Monday 19 October 2009

Hideously diverse Britain: when everyday abuse turns racial
Traffic warden Rommelle is used to being unpopular. But she is always shocked when the slurs turn racial

Hugh Muir
guardian.co.uk, Friday 6 November 2009

I can go on and on if you want.

Is UK much better?

george says

“As for fascism, Japan beats most countries hands down if you just read your history books…”

In a fascist country I guess there is no controversy on history textbook.

And I wonder
if you actually read any Japanese history textbook and
if you know the nature of the controversy and
how this controversy lead you into believing that “Japan beats most countries hands down” “as for fascism”.

george,
I can probably understand how much you are irritated, but I must say that the chopstick thing doesn’t show the Japanese’s perceived distance between Japan and the rest of the world. It simply shows the perceived distance between the nations that has been using chopsticks and other nations that had not used them. Japanese never praise Asians for their good handling of chopsticks since they know that chopsticks have been used in many Asian countries. However, many Japanese do not have the knowledge that chopsticks are used in many occasions in Western countries nowadays.

In my limited interactions with foreigners, I know that most Americans handle chopsticks nowadays. Many Brits, Germans and Frenches do either. But Italians, Spaniards, Austrians, a Dane and a Swiss whom I met before did not handle chopsticks (perhaps it is simply related to the number of Asian restaurants in their hometowns). It would take quite some time until the chopstick prejudice is eliminated from the Japanese. It is unfortunate that, as long as there are Westerners who do not handle chopsticks, ignorant Japanese can confirm that their prejudicial knowledge is correct.

leitmotiv,
I have had American people be surprised to hear that there are many McDonald’s in Japan, but I perceived it quite natural because they had never been to Japan.

I have had American people be surprised to hear that there are many McDonald’s in Japan, but I perceived it quite natural because they had never been to Japan.

Overseas travel is hardly a requirement to know that McDonalds is enormously global, or that sushi and chopsticks can be found outside of asia. My guess is the americans you mention were somehow uncurious, uninformed, or possibly morons. Such people exist in every country. In my case I was surprised as the Japanese people I referred to generally fit profile of university educated, residents of Japans most international city (Tokyo), reasonably fluent in foreign language etc.

Aki
I met some American people too who were surprised to hear there were many McDonald’s in Japan.

And I know some Japanese who are surprised to see foreigners use chopsticks.
As you said, perhaps because many Japanese do not have the knowledge that chopsticks are used in many occasions in Western countries nowadays and perhaps because sometimes foreigner use chopsticks much better than the Japanese.

There might be other reasons to be surprised.

For instance, a friend of mine told me that he was surprised to see a illiterate foreigner who looked goofy boasting of knowing shushi bar and talking as if he were an expert on Japan without actually knowing much. He said he had no choice but to compliment in English.

Ponta, you are right in thinking there is race crime in England, and it is reported in the news, something you have obviously picked up on. Also the fraction of racists that live in Britain are also represented by the BNP, as they have a right to be represented. However, they do not represent mainstream thought or politics, and are overwhelmingly derided in the press.

In any case, Ponta, you are moving away from the thread. What I said before was “Japan is much worse than other countries (though I suppose I am thinking especially of England here) for xenophobic news-reporting.”

I made no mention of the small BNP party, nor the racism that exists in England. Well done you for bringing these things to my attention, even if they are beside the point.

Now, Ponta, if we actually try and read the news article link I sent you, we might come across this passage:

“For those who read and watch the Japanese press, these are scary times. Foreign crime is allegedly on the rise, members of the new Koizumi Cabinet are making clear policy statements against it, and the National Police Agency is ready for a new push.

“This is despite incontrovertible evidence that foreign crime rates are actually lower than those of Japanese.

“Of course, Japan’s overt stoking of public fear of foreigners is not in itself news — it has been going on for years.

‘However, the problem this time around is that the fearmongering is not merely another fad. It may be about to gel into public policy.”

Which, Ponta, I think fairly supports what I said.

Now, what I said before “As for fascism, Japan beats most countries hands down if you just read your history books…” This is a reference to the early Showa period and to 国家主義, which ended only with the disaster that was World War II. So, you see, without wanting to spell it out for you, I was hinting at Japan’s fascist past.

The other statement I said “On the subject of history books in Japan, you may find this article illuminating: …” was an aside, I thought interesting in and of itself, not connected, as you were so right to point out, with Japan being fascist.

You might find it also interesting to note (and this is another aside, Ponta) Aso’s not so long ago praising Japan for having “one culture, one civilization, one language, and one ethnic group.” A statement so far wrong he was derided. Perhaps he was voicing his own fascist dreams? They aren’t so far away from the BNPs goals, after all.

And also, Ponta, in searching for news articles on race crime in Japan, I could not find that many. However, I did discover here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_issues_in_Japan#Government_policy

that while discrimination is against the law in Japan, racial slurs and the like are just fine. So all the instances of race crime you mention above are not considered crimes in Japan, yet they are in England. Thus, you hear about them in the news.

Do you follow me, Ponta?

For instance, a friend of mine told me that he was surprised to see a illiterate foreigner who looked goofy boasting of knowing shushi bar and talking as if he were an expert on Japan without actually knowing much. He said he had no choice but to compliment in English.

Ponta….that is some decent sarcasm. Good show! Previously you had usually not understood such, now you are using it. Great improvement! Whoever is coaching your english, I hope you will thank them.

Is it possible that its your surprised friend has some easily-triggered insecurities or latent nativist sensibilities? Anyway, you note the foreigner compliments in English — sounds like a decent person to me.

leitmotiv, most Japanese are indifferent to trends in American food culture, and it surprised you. Good, if you learned something about the rest of the world.

“My guess is the americans you mention were somehow uncurious, uninformed, or possibly morons. Such people exist in every country.”

The people that I mentioned were postdocs in a university in the Midwest. I have also met an interesting foreign postdoc there. She, who was Spanish studying archaeology, was possessed with the idea that Japan is a country on the Asian continent somewhere around southern part of China (probably somewhere around Macau). She was surprised when I told her that Japan is an island country that lies to the northeast of China. I learned from her that the world is larger than I thought.

lovely says
“yes, why would the japanese want to hold a halloween party?”

why not?

” i wonder if the nationalists will go to Tokyo Disneyland to protest. they have the biggest halloween party in japan.”

I wonder if they will go too. I hope not. They looks crazy.

” come on ponta. you are not making any sense.”

Did I make myself clear?

george says

“In any case, Ponta, you are moving away from the thread.”

I tried to get back to the topic if you notice my comment at
2009-11-10 19:02:16
The topic is about Halloween party, george

“Which, Ponta, I think fairly supports what I said.”

No george, which does not support what you said,
You said, Japan is much worse than other countries (though I suppose I am thinking especially of England here) for xenophobic news-reporting.

You might want to argue that the crimes by foreigners in Japan are overrepresented. Though Japan times article is far from substantive about it, I’ll say that that might be true.
But it is well known that there are problems of over- representing crimes involving the minority in U.K. isn’t it?
And note also there is also Missing white woman syndrome in U.K. (Hawker may be the case in point, as David McNeill points out. See “Death of Lindsay Hawker” From Wikipedia,)

So what you should show is England is much better in this respect.

george says
“I was hinting at Japan’s fascist past. ”

That’s okay but what does that have to do with the topic?

Should I refer to brutal England empire and its cruel past when talking about English newsreport,crazy Englsih nationalists etc.?

“The other statement I said “On the subject of history books in Japan, you may find this article illuminating: …” was an aside, ”
Okay, it is an aside.

“And also, Ponta, in searching for news articles on race crime in Japan, I could not find that many. ”

I can find plenty of race crimes in England. that is an aside though.

“So all the instances of race crime you mention above are not considered crimes in Japan, yet they are in England. ”

Racial slur itself is not a crime in Japan, in the U.S. and probably in U.K. either..
All the crimes except racial slur I mentioned above are crimes in Japan.

Besides I never heard a Japanese person telling a black lady ” to run to her because ‘niggers should be used to running.’ ”
(from the article I quoted.)

And is smashing the windows at minority’s home not a crime in your counrty? Well it is a crime in Japan.

Anyway, if you want more instances of hate crimes in U.K. I’d be glad to present them. (Do you want me to put North Ireland aside?)

Ponta, I am now satisfied that you are incable of argument, and don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I will not continue this debate.

george

I quoted what you said, “Japan is much worse than other countries・・・・ for xenophobic news-reporting.”

And you quoted JT articles, citing ““This is despite incontrovertible evidence that foreign crime rates are actually lower than those of Japanese.”

I argued that the problem of over representing crimes by minority is well known in U.K. and I also pointed out the problem of white women missing syndrome in U.K.

Granted the alleged problem exists, I asked to substantiate your claim that “Japan is much worse than other countries ” in this respect.

Now you are quitting, saying ponta is incapable of argument.

Which are incapable of argument?

I’m sorry, Ponta, but I am finding this debate very tiresome. Perhaps we will have to agree to disagree?

The statement you made,
“Xenophobia exists in any society, based on published news articles.
Japan is not particularly different in this respect.”
I am not comfortable with.
I can’t vouch for any countries but my own, but I believe that England is different in this respect.

“I argued that the problem of over representing crimes by minority is well known in U.K. and I also pointed out the problem of white women missing syndrome in U.K.”

I agree with you on that last point, but not on the first. In the past, yes, England would have been guilty of misrepresentation of crime by race, and even now, I conceed, there are people who are still stuck in that mind-frame; but the news medias are so highly regulated, and politicians so scrutinised these days that any insinuation of racial discrimination leaves you open to large-scale derision.

The main reason I tire of this discussion is your insistence on bringing up non-relevant topics. You have brought to my attention many race crimes in England, but the topic is not race crime. You also saw fit to talk about the BNP (and hence fascism, so it was you who started that, not I), and what they have to do with xenophobic newsreporting, I cannot see. If anything, the media’s overwhelming ridicule of the BNP would serve to support my side of the argument, not yours.

Can we somehow wrap this up? Find some common ground, or at least make our separate conclusions?

Sure we can agree to disagee.

All I want you and anybody to ask is to be sensitive when you compare the countries and not to be misleading and hyperbolic on this kind of issue like nationalists in any country.

When somebody says one country is much worse in a specific aspect, without solid evidences, based on prejudice, that even smacks of racist. I am reacting to that part.

As a side, I don’t think I’m insistently bringing up non-relevant topics. Rather, as I said, I tried to get the topic back to the original one, Halloween party. My comment is in respond to your comment and it is off the topic to the extent you are off the topic.

The main reason I tire of this discussion is your insistence on bringing up non-relevant topics.

Get used to it when debating with ponta. This has been noted previously by others.

I agree with you completely in this last point.

I am used to leitmotiv’s Ad hominem attack, and not arguing when he is cornered.

(btw, I was responding to Ponta, not Leitmotif in that last post)

No, it’s not true. You’re wrong on all accounts, including your view of history. I even dare you to come up with proof that overall Japanese are highly xenophobic, or even better, not the welcoming type.

Have you ever been to Japan, Kevin? Obviously not. I wouldn’t say that the Japanese as a whole are racist, but they are very….wary of foreigners. For various reasons: Some cannot speak English and do not want foreigners talking to them as a result, some simply haven’t seen many foreigners and are unsure how to react, some just don’t like foreigners.

I never faced any problems in Japan until I intended on moving there. My vacations in Japan were always fantastic and everyone was very friendly and helpful. But as soon as I started looking for a house, things turned sour. Landlords told me they didn’t want foreigners living in their apartments, would-be neighbours said the same about living near a foreigner, and many bosses flat-out told me they wouldn’t employ me because I was a foreigner! Fair enough if they kept these reasons to themselves, but to tell me to my face was certainly a shock!

I finally got a job and house in Japan, after months of searching and staying over at friends’ houses. It was quite a painful experience and one I never want to relive. So here’s hoping I can hold onto this house and job for as long as possible! Things have settled down a little but every now and then I’ll come across xenophobic behaviour. It’s quite hurtful.

An ineresting thing to note is that my Japanese friends once asked me why I didn’t want to move to South Korea instead. I’d never even thought about the country, so when I asked why they would say that, they responded “South Koreans are friendlier than us!”
I laughed at the time, but it certainly makes me wonder what South Korea is like by comparison!

You can see it everyday, if you want to live in Lala land, that is fine with me, but the evidence is there. As I said, NOT all Japanese are racists, but Japan is a racist country by far-period!
BTW, you know nothing about me or what I know about history, so let’s not get in over our heads here. You can push your hippy-liberal babbling on someone else. You have your opinion and I have my experiences, all 30+ living in Japan.

Yes, as you said, NOT all Japanese are racists, they just are – period. Thank you for that wonderfully enlightening statement based on 30+ years of experience.

As I said, feel free to back up your statements with proof – i.e. ‘hippy liberal babbling’.

And Tina, I’m definitely not saying discrimination problems don’t exist in Japan – far from it – but there is a huge difference between ‘almost everyone in Japan is racist’ and some people are wary of foreigners.

It’s terrible that you had so many bad experiences, but here are some quick points of advice:

1) For renting a room, stick with commercial/chain realtors and make sure you have a guarantor ready to sign for you. If you do these two things, I guarantee you will almost never have problems getting a place to live again. Also, if you have a permanent resident visa, try to secure yourself a loan and buy a house. I’ve yet to hear of anyone having problems buying.

2) Job hunting is a much more difficult issue. There will obviously be issues with discrimination, but there are also a huge number of opportunities if you know where to look. Work your network of connections and see if your friends know of any open positions.

Again, as I said, I don’t need to prove anything to you! Do you think that you’re the Gestappo or something. Once again, you go by your opinions and I will go by my experiences! Keep babbling.

I keep reading JP due in no small part to the many intelligent and experienced commentators here. Threads seldom devolve into asine name-calling, and Godwin’s Law is seldom invoked – refreshingly few comments likening people to Nazis.

But not none….

Well, that’s a first – being called a nazi for asking someone to prove their argument with facts in response to horribly overreaching generalizations and prejudices. Can you even be a liberal hippie and a member of the Gestapo?

Obviously you don’t have to prove your point, Carlos, but I find it hard to believe that you can casually call everyone in the country a racist and yet still expect everyone to throw down the welcome mat for you. Do your friends here know you consider most of them racists?

Please find a dictionary, look up the word racist, and reflect on your so-called experiences.

Hey, there’s a first time for everything. Your smart-ass remarks are seriously boring me to death.

You are 100% correct on that point! I really don’t have to show you squat…and who said, “Casually?” If you don’t get it, it means, you don’t want to get it and that’s not my problem and you will not convince me otherwise. As far as my friends are concerned, they mostly agree with me. Read my post again. I said “most” generally speaking. Please, don’t put words in my mouth, this site is for Adults, is it not? If you can’t act your age, don’t be on this site. Don’t act like a Spoiled brat fresh out of Vermount!

And while you’re at it, get yourself a dictionary and look up the word “Sucking up”

You love Japan and want to wallow in its garbage, by all means, please do so. More power to you. But you have no clue as to who I am what I have experienced, so please why don’t you go to Segaworld arcade and bother some young Japanese High school girl.

Heh, I am shallow minded? SO YOU with your godlike thirty years experience have a right to call the shots and say that it is perfectly justified for this idiot to dismiss Japan as racist over one fat jap girl getting pissed at this loser? Can he voice his displeasure that he had a bad experience? Most certainly yes. Can he use that one incident to judge an entire nation? Well, technically no, but hell people like you back him up which is perfectly fine too I guess. But in a nut shell, if you hate the country, gtfo, and jump ship like Kevin. I have my experiences, mostly positive, but I guess they ain’t no match for yours huh?

You bore me. I do as I feel, say what I want. Obviously, as most people that don’t read carefully look past at the whole proper context of the point that I was referring to. You don’t know me or my experiences or what my background is, so my son, please just mosey on down and bother someone else that might be interested in you trying to stick up for a country where most people are highly xenophobic and racists.

Just wondering, could you explain your opinion/experiences more? You keep mentioning it and throwing it in other people’s faces that disagree/misread your posts, but I am very curious about your experiences now.

In general, every country has their racists and practices that can borderline racism anyway. You’re free to believe whatever you want, but I think taking in other people’s opinions and seeing other views makes you whole in the end.

as you wish master.. hrrrr..

http://www.tipiloschi.net/nino/ninoland/MartyFeldmanIgor.jpg

Christians, that is, er Protestants included (LOL) all thought Jesus might make a second visit. Boy were THEY wrong, or what? LOL

It’s a physical disorder of society.

But it means it’s correct.

I’m so sorry that the local Japanese totally ruined your Halloween which was EXCLUSIVELY meant for the foreign community, few cosmopolitan Japanese, and haafu kids. It sounds SOOOOO Fun.

And I’m weeping that the Japanese just had to go about trashing culture that’s been around for 20 years and don’t seem to care.

And the local Japanese housewives and kids are so ignorant, uncivilized, and just don’t get what Halloween is all about. Poo….

It must be, because we are so EVIL!

WE Japanese must repent!! Whip me, beat me! I know we don’t deserve it, but teach us your godly ways! Teach us real Halloween please!! I beg you!!

Don’t bother, you will just turn it into something it was never intended to be anyway. I’ll keep you in mind next time I’m in Hawaii or California crashing the O-Bon celebrations there.

I didn’t say it was meant for anyone exclusively, but it should only be for people that LIVE IN THE AREA. That’s the whole point of it. A community takes care of their own, when people from outside the area come the end up trashing the place. You should see the streets the following day!

And I never said you were evil. Ignorant perhaps, but not evil.

I’ll keep you in mind next time I’m in Hawaii or California crashing the O-Bon celebrations there.

I’ve never heard of an obon in California taking place without permission or on public transportation, but if you do I’m sure it’d be completely justified.

I never said anything about public transportation. What I was referring to was something that happens within my own neighborhood.

Does O-Bon in Hawaii and California have trick-or-treating?

Not to my knowledge, but it can be a noisy affair. It’s not something that is a traditional holiday of mine, so I wouldn’t try to force my self upon the observers.

That’s the whole point of my first post, whether you don’t get it or are choosing to ignore it I’m not sure.

The trick-or-treating, costumes, and decorations attracted the local Japanese who are not from your immediate neighborhood, or community in Yokohama, right?

So you’re saying that local Japanese moms and kids are not welcome if they are not familiar with American Halloween culture because they will ruin the authenticity for those who are serious about it.

But you also said “I didn’t say it was meant for anyone exclusively, but it should only be for people that LIVE IN THE AREA.”

Then how do you define the limits to an area? Do you hand out ID to those who are part of the foreign community, cosmopolitan Japanese, and haaf kids, and check there residency registration?

You discriminate against local Japanese mom and kids who are new to this but want to join the fun, and at the same time describe the Japanese as some wackos who can’t even trick-or-treat the correct way.

Another quote from you,
“A community takes care of their own, when people from outside the area come the end up trashing the place.”
I think you should rethink this more in depth.

I think Gibby made a valid point. Regardless of what country you are in, it’s a shame to see a certain group mess up what is supposed to be a fun holiday.

A similar thing happened to my community and I live in America. Most of my town weren’t very big on Halloween and it died down over the years to the point where there were barely any trick or treaters and decorations to be seen. So my community decided to bring back the Halloween spirit by decorating our houses and getting the kids back into trick or treating. On the first year it was fantastic to see children dressed up again and parents having fun and taking photos of their kids and the decorted houses.

But the next year hundreds of people flocked to our little streets and basically made a mess of the place. Toilet papering houses, egging cars, smashing windows, grabbing entire bowls of candy instead of one or two, littering the streets, smashing pumpkins and throwing them around. It cost thousands to fix and the council originally wanted US to pay for it! We had no idea the holiday was going to turn into such a riot! Luckily, afte rmuch protesting and petitioning we didn’t have to pay.

“The trick-or-treating, costumes, and decorations attracted the local Japanese who are not from your immediate neighborhood, or community in Yokohama, right?”

Lord only knows what attracted them. What’s your point here anyway?

“So you’re saying that local Japanese moms and kids are not welcome if they are not familiar with American Halloween culture because they will ruin the authenticity for those who are serious about it.”

How would the local Japanese feel about hundreds of foreigners showing up to one of their festivals and commandeering it to their own liking? How would they feel about being pushed around and foreigners not wanting to wait in line and butting in and acting rudely? No need to reply on that one because I know the answer already.

“Then how do you define the limits to an area? Do you hand out ID to those who are part of the foreign community, cosmopolitan Japanese, and haaf kids, and check there residency registration?”

Our neighborhood isn’t very densely populated. Whether you know the people personally or not, most people have probably seen people from the area before and know them by site. You can also get an idea from the way they dress and act.

“You discriminate against local Japanese mom and kids who are new to this but want to join the fun, and at the same time describe the Japanese as some wackos who can’t even trick-or-treat the correct way.”

No, I don’t discriminate against them. They are NOT local otherwise they would know how to do it correctly without pissing off the people that host Halloween. If they want to institute Halloween celebrations in their own neighborhoods, then more power to them. If they want to do it in my neighborhood then they should do it the way that we’ve always done it and not the way they feel it should be done. You’re failing to accept that Halloween is a private and voluntary thing which the people handing out the candy should decide on whether they want to participate or not. From the actions of the grubbers that come from afar to glom onto our holiday, most the hosts (including Japanese folks in the neighborhood) don’t want to celebrate Halloween anymore because the Japanese kids and their mothers are taking all the fun out of it.

“Another quote from you,
“A community takes care of their own, when people from outside the area come the end up trashing the place.”
I think you should rethink this more in depth.”

If you’re trying to compare my statements to the actions on the Yamanote line, don’t bother. I’ve already said that I don’t support the revelers.

Can you tell me why we should hand out candy to people who aren’t from the neighborhood or why we should have them clogging and trashing our streets?

Why don’t you just do trick or treating similar to the way it’s done back in the US?

Every year that I handed out candy, it was a simple matter of dropping a couple pieces of candy into someone’s bag and then moving on to the next person. If the kids ask to take pictures with the host, just politely decline and say that there are lots of other people waiting.

It’s probably not going to be as fun and ‘local’ as it was before, but then again, back home I never knew who was coming over to my place as well. I would assume they are neighborhood kids, but who knows. Perhaps you could then hold some kind of locals only party to get more enjoyment from the day.

“Can you tell me why we should hand out candy to people who aren’t from the neighborhood or why we should have them clogging and trashing our streets?”

Do you not realize that 99% of Japanese only know Halloween from what the media reports, and do not go trick-or-treating in the neighborhood?

Ahahahaa!, I’m sorry, but you are like pandas in a zoo. Your neighborhood must be a really nice place but in a bubble. You should build a gate with guards and a wall surrounding your neighborhood, just like they do in Israel.

“It’s probably not going to be as fun and ‘local’ as it was before, but then again, back home I never knew who was coming over to my place as well. I would assume they are neighborhood kids, but who knows. Perhaps you could then hold some kind of locals only party to get more enjoyment from the day.”

No one is expecting it to be exactly like home. What we don’t want is 200-300 kids and their mothers descending on our houses at once. This is not an exaggeration…this is truly how it is.

“Do you not realize that 99% of Japanese only know Halloween from what the media reports, and do not go trick-or-treating in the neighborhood?”

I don’t care about the other 99%. Only the ones that invite themselves over to our neighborhood and make a mess of things. About your Israel comments, I won’t even grace that with a response. Did you forget to take your medication today or something?

“I don’t care about the other 99%”

This is the root of your problem.

“What we don’t want is 200-300 kids and their mothers descending on our houses at once.”

Oh, I can totally imagine. Your house is the free version of Disneyland at a time when Halloween is just starting to get popular here. I don’t think it’s too bad having that many kids visiting your house, but I suppose if things got really out of control, you could always just say you ran out of candy. It might seem rude, but you’re not a candy dispenser. Just think back to what you would have done before, and I don’t think the event will spiral that far out of control. If you end up stepping on a few toes, that just goes with the territory – just remember, that you’re probably the first experience these kids have had with Halloween, so just keep their sights set low so they don’t expect more the following year.

And fg, you’re missing the point. Gibby isn’t saying that he/she wants to limit attendance, but there is a limit to what one person can do. Halloween has always only encompassed a local area. But when people are traveling out of their way to visit a neighborhood to experience Halloween, that’s when things are getting a bit out of hand.

Just as an example, when I was a kid, the most people you could expect on one night was maybe 50-100 kids. If Gibby is saying that 200-300 people are showing up, that’s a LOT of children. It’s extremely burdensome to have to supply that many children with candy, and can be only seen as a hassle if the parents/children are being rude. If everyone in the neighborhood stopped giving out candy because of over-attendance, that’s definitely not a positive result for the local children.

In the end, we probably had about 700-800 kids visit our house and we were prepared for only about 200. A friend that lives up the road had bought roughly 1,000 pieces (hoping to keep some for his own kids) said he completely ran out by 8 pm. I think this is high by any standards and it keeps growing every year.

““I don’t care about the other 99%”
This is the root of your problem.”

Well my friend, the root of your problem is you take everything out of context and try to put words in peoples mouths.

“In the end, we probably had about 700-800 kids”

I’m just a passive observer, but like I said before, just do what you normally would have done for Halloween – buy 2 to 3 packs of “Big Family Size” candy packages (costco is your friend) and stop handing out candy when you run out.

It’s definitely hard to see kids not get some candy, but hopefully after a year or so, parents will stop coming. If you keep the supply coming, the demand will continue to rise year after year as Halloween becomes more popular.

As an alternative, if you don’t want to see the hurt faces of children who can’t get candy, just do what those strange houses always did – put the bowl of candy on the front porch and let the kids scavenge what they want until it’s gone.

Thanks for the comments Kevin. We did get our candy at Costco, but had to improvise when we ran out and then finally had to shut the lights off once we ran out of other things to give.

Another complaint that we and others have is that some decorations went missing and that mothers were letting their younger kids urinate in the storm sewers (no public bathrooms nearby) so our normally quiet neighborhood reaked of urine the next day.

When I say 200-300 kids mobbing a house at once it’s not an exaggeration. I should have taken some pics to show people what I’m talking about. Oh well, always next year.

Kevin and Gibby,

I know that you mean well and want to enjoy American Halloween in Japan and get the kids out trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. I think that’s great, but realistically you won’t solve the problem of over attendance unless,

1) You isolate your neighborhood or,
2) Put out a strong message out that it is only for your neighbors or,
2) Japanese become indifferent towards Halloween, or
3) All Japanese learn how to trick-or-treat correctly the American way.

If it’s your neighborhood, make sure to be vocal about everyone following rules that you feel best fit your neighborhood. I certainly wouldn’t want little kids urinating all over the place. Trick-or-treating isn’t the kind of event that should require port-a-potties, so when things are getting that bad, it’s probably a good idea to find alternatives until things die down. Are you guys advertising or something? How do parents know when you’re passing out candy?

Sounds like things were pretty crazy, though! You should definitely take pictures and document things on a blog.

fg, I understand what you are saying, but from Gibby’s posts, you can tell that their neighborhood has done a lot to try to accommodate large numbers of participants. Really, the only way to keep attendance low is to pass out less candy, but if those parents are really going to all that trouble to make everyone happy, the least they can do is expect parents to keep things polite.

There’s no traditional American way to pass out candy. Halloween has always been just about developing community ties and allowing kids to have a fun time at least once in a year.

Kevin,

I know how Halloween is in America, in the suburbs and the city, because I spent most of my childhood there.

As you know Halloween is fairly new here, and spread mostly through TV media to hype up consumers, just like Christmas and Valentines day. Most Japanese don’t know it has anything to do with “developing community ties and allowing kids to have fun once a year.” And trick-or-treating is an exotic experience that kids and moms want to try out if they have a chance.

I’m absolutely with you that parents should keep things polite, follow rules and manners, and be reasonable. But i believe it is also the responsibility of the people who started this Halloween trick-or-treating event in the “public sphere” to manage it and come up with solutions for themselves, rather than putting the blame on the curious ones. Read Gibby’s first post, it sounds like a cry from victimhood.

They should have expected that this, if they introduce a foreign culture to any country that is curious of anything foreign and conscious of “new” things.

fg,

You still haven’t answered my question:

“How would the local Japanese feel about hundreds of foreigners showing up to one of their festivals and commandeering it to their own liking? How would they feel about being pushed around and foreigners not wanting to wait in line and butting in and acting rudely?”

They are coming to our neighborhood and to our houses. Not by invitation, mind you. If they are curious they could certainly do a little research before investing the time to descend on our neighborhood. I think they get the idea that it is for neighborhood kids because every explanation I’ve heard on Japanese tv about American Halloween has been something to the effect of ご近所の子供達 に。。。

Call me thick if you will, but I think that pretty much sums it up and I fail to see where the confusion lies?

You are saying on one hand that parents should keep things polite (which they don’t – they’re not from here and may not come again, so I doubt they feel compelled to act civil) and then blaming us for their bad behavior. Curious or not, the behavior is unjustified. If you think that this is alright and I am playing victim here, then please give me your address and I will very gladly direct the 1-2,000 non-area kids to your house on Halloween.

Yeah, the original post is pretty negative in tone, but I’m not sure anyone could expect growth to this extent – especially if the event isn’t being advertised (I’m not sure).

This is kind of hard one to figure out because the heart of trick or treating involves only individuals doing something for the neighborhood children. Once something of this nature turns into an event, or enters the ‘public sphere’, there’s not much more to do other than turn it into a full-blown event, limit its extent, or stop it entirely. If someone was really looking forward to passing out candy on a limited scale, this is a pretty unfortunate result, but you’re right, it’s hard to blame the Japanese parents for being curious.

Either way, 1000 kids is way more than trick or treating…that’s a sugar-induced riot.

Gibby, how exactly are parents outside of your neighborhood learning of the event? Maybe you could switch trick or treating to the 30th or something to deflect the number of attendees?

Hi Kevin,

I have absolutely no idea as we certainly aren’t publicizing it. The one thing that my wife and I noticed is that overwhelming majority of the non-local kids coming are with young “yanki” type mothers, so I assume that it must be a grapevine sort of thing.

A few people did put up signs that said “one piece per child” and “please line up orderly” but all to no avail.

“How would the local Japanese feel about hundreds of foreigners showing up to one of their festivals and commandeering it to their own liking? How would they feel about being pushed around and foreigners not wanting to wait in line and butting in and acting rudely?”

Gibby, okay I wouldn’t like it if some people from another town, or another country showed up being commandeering at the local town festival and pushed me around.

But I don’t think this is the correct comparison you’re making either.

First, it depends on what kind of festival you’re talking about. Again I repeat that Halloween trick-or-treating is a new and special thing in Japan. It attracts attention and It has no other comparisons that I know of.

Most festivals in japan are well organized with a running committee and people in the community take up roles to clean-up, put up facilities, and take safety measures.

Secondly, the Japanese that go to your neighborhood are not foreigners, they’re in their own country, of course you can argue it’s your neighborhood.

Foreigners showing up and commandeering to their own liking?
Are these Japanese moms and kids really commandeering to the level you speak of? Or is this Halloween event in your neighborhood just unprepared?

“If you think that this is alright and I am playing victim here, then please give me your address and I will very gladly direct the 1-2,000 non-area kids to your house on Halloween”

This is not nice Gibby. I apologize for any offensive comments I previously wrote, but I changed my stance to see if I can help you.

Wow.

Gibby should be shot.

People are showing up to your house without invitation DURING HALLOWEEN? Whoa what a concept!

So as a foreign person who is helping to “import” a foreign thing such as a Halloween into Japan and “doing it right the old traditional American way in Japan” complain when some of the locals want to all of a sudden participate? Amazing.

Go home, dude. You’re embarrassing.

Feel free to stick your head underwater and take a nice deep breath Stirstir. Like I said earlier, I’ll happily direct them all to your house and see how you like it.

Tell ya what, why don’t you and your neighbors throw a block party and take in another 2,000 people who live nowhere near you?

Let’s get it straight here. LOCAL Japanese (meaning ones that live in the neighborhood) are more than welcome to join in the fun. They are especially welcome if they also hand out candy so that the burden doesn’t fall on a small number of houses. Ones that ride the train from far away to trick or treat in our neighborhood are not welcome. They should get together with THEIR neighbors and setup their own celebrations.

Gibby,

If you want to continue your neighborhood trick-or-treating your way, consider putting out a strong message like the one you just posted, but in Japanese where all the locals in this country can read it and take it to heart.

Don’t know if it will work, you might have to use TV, newspapers and flyers to get the message across and may take a long time.

I believe you have a right to criticize bad manners and behavior done in your neighborhood, but after all, this is Japan and you have no right to criticize the Japanese for being ignorant of a foreign cultural tradition that your neighborhood started. You are the ones that should take responsibility for the outcome of this event.

Gib

You really are an embarrassment to all of us expats, you know that? Seriously, dude, go back and read what you wrote without getting all ego-loaded and flustered, and tell me that you’re making sense, cos you’re seriously embarrassing..

You, as an American, are introducing our tradition to people who have no real idea how it’s done, and then you go around expecting them to know how it’s done without any explanation, and then you have the audacity and conceit go around complaining here that the Japanese are coming around in hoards taking all your candy that you yourself decided to offer, in our traditional way! And then you go around bashing them over the heads here on this site! What sort of sicko are you, dude?

Who said anything about Halloween candy-giving needing an invitation? Kids have been coming to my house, dropping by every year, simply expecting to be handed out candy just because that is the tradition! Mind you, I did make the mistake one year of letting the kids dig in themselves, so that by the end of the first 30 minutes all the candy I had were GONE. So, from then on, I only give out my own handful to each and every kid that comes by my house, and I make sure I have enough for the NIGHT. Everybody and anybody is welcome this night, because that’s how it’s supposed to be.

And there you go complaining about these poor kids with their mothers who come around doing our tradition in Japan. You’re amazing, dude. I even open up my house to let the kids use the bathroom man, knowing the kind of thing you describe could happen. Yet here you are, all you do is complain. You’re married? You gotta be kidding, dude. Yeah and you know what? It’s OK to switch off the lights/lanterns and lock the door once you decide you’ve had enough for the night. People understand, they’ll just go to the next house that’s still going.

Get some damned common sense and decency into your thick skull, dude, you’re really embarrassing. Really. And you live in a foreign country! Amazing, dude.

Stirrer,

“You really are an embarrassment to all of us expats, you know that? Seriously, dude, go back and read what you wrote without getting all ego-loaded and flustered, and tell me that you’re making sense, cos you’re seriously embarrassing..”

Egotistical…flustered you say? I do believe the pot is pointing out the blackness of the kettle here. Embarrassing? Can you write a single sentence without including the word “dude”? Did you just get off a surfboard or something?

“You, as an American, are introducing our tradition to people who have no real idea how it’s done, and then you go around expecting them to know how it’s done without any explanation, and then you have the audacity and conceit go around complaining here that the Japanese are coming around in hoards taking all your candy that you yourself decided to offer, in our traditional way! And then you go around bashing them over the heads here on this site! What sort of sicko are you, dude?”

I have introduced nothing as an individual here. This tradition has been in the neighborhood for a long, long time and was and is meant for the benefit of the neighborhood at large. Why are you making a parallel between personally responsibility on my part with uninvited people from nowhere near the area raiding our neighborhoods for Halloween? Is it my fault that the stores decide to commercialize the holiday (costumes, candy, etc) without any background information concerning its celebration?

So by your logic, should I purchase enough candy for the whole of the country? The whole of Tokyo? I have no problems with Japanese trick-or-treating in my neighborhood, but I don’t care to have 2,000 of them show up from afar and treat the place like a rock concert venue. If you want that sort of mob at your house, by all means be my guest!

“Who said anything about Halloween candy-giving needing an invitation? Kids have been coming to my house, dropping by every year, simply expecting to be handed out candy just because that is the tradition! Mind you, I did make the mistake one year of letting the kids dig in themselves, so that by the end of the first 30 minutes all the candy I had were GONE. So, from then on, I only give out my own handful to each and every kid that comes by my house, and I make sure I have enough for the NIGHT. Everybody and anybody is welcome this night, because that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

You’re making this out to be a much more open thing than it really is. Anyone with an iota of social grace knows that you don’t show up to private (Halloween is not public like you make it out to be) events without at least having some connection to the event itself. Try to crash a local festival in the countryside (one for a neighborhood, paid for by the neighborhood…not the type with vendors) here sometime when you are not a local and see what type of reception you get. I’m sure the “I was just curious” argument will take you a long way.

I will make sure to consult you next Halloween on how much to candy to buy for the NIGHT, since you seem to have all the answers.

“And there you go complaining about these poor kids with their mothers who come around doing our tradition in Japan. You’re amazing, dude. I even open up my house to let the kids use the bathroom man, knowing the kind of thing you describe could happen. Yet here you are, all you do is complain. You’re married? You gotta be kidding, dude. Yeah and you know what? It’s OK to switch off the lights/lanterns and lock the door once you decide you’ve had enough for the night. People understand, they’ll just go to the next house that’s still going.”

Merchants down in shopping street down the hill also hand out candy on Halloween, but also give out something chintzy like a single gummy bear re-wrapped in plastic and containing a coupon or little flyer for their business (which is their right) to the trick-or-treaters. As far as I can tell, this isn’t very well appreciated by the kids or their mothers, so they head up the hill for better pickings. How they found out about the private houses, I don’t know…they seem to just follow each other around.

If you want to open up your toilet to the outside world, that’s your prerogative. Why you bring the matter up though is beyond me. If the kids stay close to home or in public areas with access to toilets, then this sort of thing doesn’t happen which is my whole point here. Perhaps you’ll let them in to watch TV or play with your playstation, but don’t expect others to follow suit just because you are a self-professed gaijin saint.

You act like these “poor” mothers and kids had just stumbled out of the jungle and had never seen the likes of the wheel or fire. They are not simply “curious” as you say, but rather just after the best pickings they can find. If they are curious, they can set up their own celebrations to their own liking. Nobody stopped them from adopting Christmas in their own way, so what’s the hangup with Halloween?

Again, you’re not in this neighborhood so you have no clue of what goes on. Turning off the lights doesn’t work. You have to completely remove all the decorations or they will keep coming. Once a single one hits your doorstep you have 30-50 more within the minute and have to explain to all of them that you are done for the night. I have yet to have a Halloween in the past 3 years in which someone didn’t try to remove decorations from our house either.

What is your idea of common decency? Even our Japanese neighbors complain about not being able to drive through the neighborhood as it gets mobbed with non-local Japanese (the neighbors that don’t celebrate) and also get just as upset at what was once a fun thing in our neighborhood has degraded into. They are just as critical as I am about the non-local people showing up and increasing every year.

Is it alright with you that Japanese people complain about their own people? Am I supposed to just keep my mouth shut when someone steps over the line because I am in a foreign country? Are you implying that Japanese people are not capable of doing any wrong in their own country?

Now that we’re on the subject, what are your feelings on Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the US?

Talk about thick and embarrassing. Write a book now while you still know everything…you might forget it all in your old age.

What does my being married or single have to do with anything?

Aku, I agreed with up until halfway through your first paragraph.

Seriously. Security and police forces? Party on train = OMG TERRORISTS? Crazy much?

By the WAY, you DON’T need so many CAPITAL letters when you POST. It looks STUPID.

Hahaha thats’ funny

“If the foreigners really want to have a massive Halloween party on the Yamanote line, or any line of train for that matter anywhere in Japan or anywhere that Halloween is not normally celebrated, then those who want to throw this party should go through the correct channels to RENT OUT a train for themselves with PROPER PERMITS and have it be organized like any Parade or Demonstration are done, with security and police forces in tow, to make sure that things do not get out of hand.”

We’re talking about “gaijins” here who can’t even fill out an application for a point card in their local supermarket. These morons don’t even know where to start. You’re giving them too much credit.

real terrorists use sarin gas, dude.

” there is nary a whisper of opposition.”

THAT is completely untrue. Why don’t you dig a little further and go around asking the cities and neighbourhoods how they deal with it during and after such marauding. Just because you didn’t hear about it, read about it, or see it on video for weeks on end doesn’t mean that something wasn’t done.

“If these protesters really cared about preserving their “peaceful society” they should grow a pair and confront a serious and daily problem rather than ganging up on a Halloween thingy involving a few festive foreigners.”

Amazing. That is exactly the sort of “leave us alone to do what we want to do in your foreign country” mentality that will not get any respect from anybody, anywhere. I am appalled at this immature, pedantic commentary. Really? Is that how you want to “let go” of your responsibility to any society? We can all pretty guarantee that you won’t do anything in your own neighbourhood where you grew up if you went back there now to keep the peace there, but run in the opposite direction instead.

No, noise and disruption are not tolerated by ANYBODY. Not this kind! If you feel so slighted, perhaps you should go home to your own country and see how it is there for foreign people? Here in the U.S., we do it on a daily basis on the streets – you just never hear it blasted all over the media – what does that say about our media?

@Leslie

Google 右翼 and うるさい together. See results.

Oh, add 街宣車 and 近所迷惑 for even better results.

Ahem. “Kujira” and “ikura”, please…

Ahem ahem. “Ikura” or “Iruka”?

You are a troll, Overthinker. You always end up trivializing everything by these little comic comments, you know that? You should stop it.

This from the type of idiot who writes “Gibby should be shot”??

>>actualy this train-party thing is running for decades now. its already a tradition for non-japanese comunity..

No it isn’t, and no it isn’t.

Yes, we call those people “African Americans.” They’re very upset that someone else is challenging their victim status.

Both covet hate crime legislation because it denotes victim status. Victim status confers privilege and privilege is power. For poverty pimps there is a great deal of money to be made in victim status.

Number of Mexicans legally residing in America, 18 million. Estimated numbers for illegals, between 12 & 20 million. When 1 of every 2 Mexicans you see is illegal, it’s a problem. But if you think it’s not a problem now just wait until Obama jams a public option down our throats. Coupled with his recent decision to remove immigration restrictions on people with AIDS, the flood will come.

The fastest way to ruin your country is to import 20 million Africans with AIDS and no education then ask the general population to pay for their lifetime healthcare. But if you really want to make sure you’re gonna ruin America bring in another 20 million Mexicans that refuse to learn English and give Amnesty to the 20 million already residing, and ask the White Devil to pay for it.

Thank you for that completely irrelevant comment Trufax. The point is, there are Americans complaining about legal immigrants and there are Japanese doing the same. Both parties are ignorant and discriminatory.

thier not allowed anyway if they are not citizen*

Hospitals provide services for illegals, legal citizens pick up the tab for unpaid bills. HUD provides housing without asking questions. Acorn has administered numerous programs and they were recently caught on undercover cameras in 7 major U.S. cities assisting actors pretending to be a pimp and ho smuggling underage child sex slaves into the country…….. They still got housing assistance. There’s a difference between what the law says and what is enforced.

This is true of legals as well, Trufax.

Look, if you’re truly concerned about getting rid of illegal aliens, you should be focusing more on punishing businesses that employ these people and take advantage of them. If there is no work available, there will be a lot less incentive to come into the country.

Somehow you have this strange notion that illegals come to freeload in the States, when most of them are here to avoid crime and look for work. The fact that you believe all Mexicans coming to the US are gang members and drug dealers speaks more of your prejudices than anything.

Well said, Kevin. In addition, one can argue that the increased crime rate of blacks and hispanics can be attributed to a low socio-economic status and historically segregated neighbourhoods (rather than simply one’s race), which is a result of decades, if not centuries, of racial discrimination.

I chose the word to reflect my disdain for both sides, as little more than overgrown sects. Perhaps I should have used “cults.”

i just let it here…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_(religious_practice)

You really think I don’t know what a cult is? You are being pathetic beyond belief. If you reply to this I will know that your tiny ego once again forces you to have the “last word,” you big dick.

Assuming you are being serious, the reason for the word “protestant” on the signs is far more likely to be a mistake for “protester”.

Wow… how super kind of you. >_>

That’s what happens when you learn English from a jet. I recommend a helicopter, or at the very least a JUMBO jet.

Wasn’t easy. Nothing is. No.

Oh dear Buster hun, you are SO going to Hell, honey! What are we gotta do to bring you redemption and salvation!? Don’t let yourself be dragged down by such nasty influences! You need to go out and spread some positive, good, clean energy and do good in the world and get rid of that nasty mind of yours, ok love?

ok…

I cast Lvl. 3 Eroticism. You turn into a real beautiful woman!

>>People care about what he has to say?

Crazies like that anti-gay group — what was the guy’s name? Fred Phelps? I can’t remember. Hilsborough Sth Baptist church or something — ALWAYS get an audience. Granted, said audience is comprised of people with a similar level of crazy, but…

k9, if you’re having trouble with your English then maybe you should lurk more and not post.

Wow, Simon. You’re a piece of shit. k9 is contributing more to this conversation than you have so far.

I am just doing my best to make this topic to be the gratest epic in this year with my japaglish!ahahaha

日本語嫌がるやついるし、、、我慢してね！ahaha

leitmotiv

“you are STILL here chasing ・・・・”

You are still here but you can’t answer the simple questions?

“・・・you might actually do some good.”

My sarcasm went against LM as well as arerae, Japanese or non-Japanese. But only you have kept making wrong statements in respond to that.

“Clicking it sets off WOT alarms, where it is listed as solidly “unsatisfactory” for privacy, trustworthiness, etc”

All websites I posted are；

Occidentalism
Debito suppresses the opinions of dissenting foreigners II

Japan Probe
Halloween train in Japan

LIN & MAI
English School Halloween Party

Click the links, everyone can confirm that no website above is unsafe.(And I hope the moderator will testify they are all the website I linked.)

So YOU ARE WRONG AGAIN.

Shame and pathetic, leitmotiv

Oh dear leitmotive, look who’s complaining the most! YOU!

Me? Ha! Protip: Read a blog before commenting on it.

i could feel that you have a deeeep grudge against japan/japanese . how scary.

Uh huh….sure.

If they were looking for news, they’d be asking the police, bystanders, and the protestors for comment.

….which is precisely what the journalist is seeking in above comment.

No, he’s asking anonymous internet idiots for comment. Nothing anyone he finds on this blog can say can be independently verified. He’s looking for trolls so that his pagecount goes up and he keeps his job. He is not looking for news.

As I said before, if he were looking for news, he’d be asking the police, the protesters, and actual (not internet) bystanders for information, at the area in question, shortly after or during the protest.

He’s either annoyed that he didn’t get the scoop and get out there in time, or he’s a shitty blogger masquerading as a journalist. Either way, he should find a new job.

No, he’s asking anonymous internet idiots for comment. Nothing anyone he finds on this blog can say can be blah blah blah

You have no way of reasonably confirming that.

As I said before, if he were looking for news, he’d be asking the police, the protesters, and actual (not internet) bystanders for information, at the area in question, shortly after or during the protest.

You have no way of reasonably confirming he will not do that.

He’s either annoyed that he didn’t get the scoop and get out there in time, or he’s a shitty blogger masquerading as a journalist. Either way, he should find a new job.

Suggest you keep your day job in case the career coach thing doesn’t work out. You really need to be a “people person” for that.

Suggest you keep your day job in case the career coach thing doesn’t work out. You really need to be a “people person” for that.

Is there some kind of troll fad going on that I don’t know about?
Specifically, shooting through your own feet in in attacking others?

Is there some kind of troll fad going on that I don’t know about?

Unlikely….I am sure you would be among the most informed about such.

Specifically, shooting through your own feet in in attacking others?

Is there some kind of troll fad going on where unexplained and cryptic nonsense passes for comments worth posting?