Confusion

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I really really like Japan alot. As you can tell from my board name. And I've been learning the language for some time now. However, most of my friends and family don't care for the country at all. And I am constantly being told that the people there are rude, that they hate Americans, and that they are dangerous. I don't let what they say get to me though because they can't even tell the difference between a Japanese person and a chinese person. Whenever that conversation comes up I'm always the one to defend Japan. But I've been fascinated with the country for about a couple of years now. And I've promised myself to visit the country when I get older. Anyway, now that I am getting a little more serious about it I've been studying the culture and customs that they have today and I'm a little... creeped out. I really hope that the information I read is the wrong info and that it's all wrong. I've been reading on websites and hearing from many people that in the country of Japan... I guess in certain parts, that the people are prejudice against non-Americans. And that they are really nasty. For example, I've heard that they sell used panties in vendem machines. Also condoms too but I guess that can be useful? And you know the little crane game that are usually in stores where you pick up the toy or something like that. They have one for live sea creatures. I wouldn't find that too weird but the creatures are still ALIVE. That's kind of mean... in my opinion. The girls are really quick to lose their virginity and sell themselves, and the guys... I can't say. When with my mother at her job in New Jersey one of her co-workers had told me that the guys there are perverts or something. I am really hoping that this is false because I really like the country alot and plan to go there and maybe marry a Japanese guy when I am older. I've gotten a couple of "what the heck? Japan of all places!" and I'm really getting sick and tired of it... all the time. Trying to ignore all that I've heard I've talked to a couple of my friends who are Japanese. And to my surprise they actually agreed with all that I told them. They said it's not really as serious but most of it is true. This sort of brings in my doubts of going there, not knowing what to expect. Or rather fearing to expect all the wrong things. Being only 14 I can only imagine right now and try to think positive. I've gone outside with a shirt that I made which said Japan with the flag and gotten so many weird looks from people and a group of teenaged (definately older than me) girls called me a traitor or some nonsense like that. It was also a big mistake for me to actually wear the shirt when I was with my friends and they went to order some Chinese food. The lady looked at me like I had a gun pointed to her head and the cook looked like he was ready to toss the knife my way. My friends were convinced that they put something in the food. I don't know what's so wrong with wearing a shirt that says Japan. People wear shirts that say England, India, Jamiaca, Africa, and all other countries don't get not one dirty stare but I get a death sentence for wearing the shirt I wore. My main problem is and what I am asking you for is... do you think that I should give up on it? I know it may sound stupid to give up something I love because of what others think, but there are just so many things... too many things that keep putting doubts in my mind. Especially when you have family members and friends clawing at my back about it. I just don't know what to think anymore.

defend japan, i will tell you ALL ABOUT IT. ask me any question, i know a lot about the culture and language, in fact i read this and hope to practice the language with you.

Yo, being half Japanese myself, most of what you said, is kinda true. Didn't you know? Japan = the country of sex? 70% of pornographies in Asia comes from Japan.

As for defending the country? well, it's upto you, but I have a question, what is it that makes you like Japan so much?

I'm not an expert in the culture area, but what seems strange to Japan is quite normal in USA. Well, in Japan, most people don't kiss in public, but there are few exceptions. The people in Japan are a bit pre-judice but it's better than being racist like some Americans are [Even though the era of racial discrimination is over]. The Japanese are extremely strict, almost like as if they were perfectionists, whereas in the US, it's more relaxed, and because of this, the Japanese view the Americans as sloppy and lazy.

And many more differences can be found like, uh, the way people dress. The Japanese likes to color their hair, wear bright yet strange outfit, and for me it's normal, but for americans, it's really strange. Oh! Japanese rock groups are cool in the eyes of the Japanese, but in the eyes of Americans, it's gay.

Lets take the example of the teenage groups who call themselves "junkies". They usually have 50's hairstyle, blonded or red, wears Japanese 2nd World War uniforms, carries the "Bokken"[wooden sword] and rides bikes. To the japanese it's "cool", to Americans it's stupid.

Oh, the Japanese are hard to accept foreigners into their society. In my second hometown, "Yokohama", there used to be an American Navy base. Well, loads of people there are half Americans. The ones that looks Japanese are quite accepted, the ones who don't, like half-black, are thrown out of society due to their strange appearance. I was treated quite well in my childhood, but there were children who treated quite badly, e.g. the Japanese children would throw rocks at the half-black children. Plus, the American Navy base denied any connection with the half-japanese children, so many were left with their "Japanese" families, and were treated quite badly, much like the family dog or servant.

Due to the Atomic-bomb dropped in Japan, many Japanese hates the Americans, especially the ones who had families in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many children thus were taught to hate the Americans, but it's not so common now, but the hatred is still there.

The Japanese culture is hard to understand and it's even harder to accept some quer perspective of the Japanese, but if you want to love Japan, it's your choice. I don't expect you to be "welcomed" into the Japanese society that easily especially if you're of white ancestry but there's hope now that the Japanese has become more open.

Good Luck
-Taison! out :grin:

you may BE japanese but did you LIVE in japan? where do you get your sources. and about that 70% thing, chinese can't draw XD (kidding) while i doubt that racist thing.

You know... I really don't know why. Nothing inspired me to like Japan at all. It sort of just came to me. I don't know why I picked that country out of all countries. And it was around my younger ages. I guess that's what turned people off :/.But if what you say is true that doesn't really help me at all. I mean if people still have that attitude do they have a bad look on tourists?

The stuff you mentioned sounds pretty crazy to me. Many if not most cultures are not super-friendly to foreigners. The U.S. and Canada are a bit unusual in that respect, but it's not easy to be an Arab here now.You shouldn't worry about all of the crazy stuff that people say, and go and see for yourself. You will be in a pretty good position if you can speak the language. See what you think. But don't expect to make a lot of close friends right away. If you want to quickly make a lot of superficial friendships, go to California.

you have the right to love Japan, but personally if that's true i don't blame them. look at the way we treat anyone from another country (just look at mexico's wetbacks. that's a word a lot like the N word, only MEXICANS AND BLACKS CAN USE IT) people are complaining about them taking our jobs but if people would actually get an education, they wouldn't have to worry about cheap labor taking over their employment. it's really your own fault.

A lot of older Chinese people still hold grudges against Japan because of the occupation in the 1930s and in the UK, many older British people carry a violent hatred towards the Japanese because of the actions of the Japanese soldiers during the 2nd world war.While I am firmly of the opinion that these attitudes have no place in modern society and that you can't penalise somebody for something that their grandfather may have done, it's a fact of life that many people can never get over the terrible things that happened to them or their family/friends.

Sixty years later, the Japanese still have trouble coming to terms with the things their country did in World War II, and that really pisses off China, Korea, and other countries that suffered under their occupation.Read about what happened at the Yasukuni war shrine this week, where WW II verteran were venerated, including half a dozen convicted war criminals. One guy in attendance said, "They're only war criminals because Japan lost the war."Koizumi apologizes for war wounds (cnn.com)

um...well the emporer of Japan was controlled by his military, his military had agreed for that deal with Germany. everyone just needs to GROW THE * UP and DROP THE SUBJECT. its a NEW GENERATION NOT LIABLE FOR THE PAST ERRORS.

A lot of Japanese gather every year at the Yasukuni war shrine to commemorate their fallen soldiers and war criminals. A lot of people who don't attend are sympathetic. Their school textbooks have been (and presumably still are) sanitized of the Japanese role in World War II. Some elements of the population still have not come to terms with what happened. It's very different from post-war Germany.

Um... somtimes it's hard to get over something like world war 2. Especially for Japan having the first atomic bombs dropped on their two important cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was pretty devestating to lose so many innocent people :/

We had a taste of that in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and on 9/11.

But it wasn't the atomic bomb and the city wasn't wiped out right?

But it wasn't the atomic bomb and the city wasn't wiped out right?Where do you draw the line for trauma? 1000 deaths? 3000 deaths? 50,000 deaths?

look, the japanese dont hold a massive grude. we dont hold a grude and we lost tons of people too, in fact we trade with germany and japan the MOST out of all other countries (well them and China)

Basically, I agree. But the Japanese are coming out with yet more textbooks that whitewash their involvement in WW II. Not acceptable.

I haven't been much in Japan lately, but it is evident. Just go out on the street in, uh, Kanagawa or Aishi and ask any teenager, "what you think of Americans?" oh, don't bother asking the Japanese who immigrated to the US 50 years ago, they may be ethnically Japanese but they, well, are Americans.Unlike Americans, Japanese once angered, they don't drop their grudge very easily. A week ago, Koizumi apologized the Asian countries for Japan's invasion during the WW2. The Chinese, Koreans and the Brits might accept it, but for the normal Japanese it was intolerable. I assume that Koizumi won't be voted for a second period.Sadly, Japanese associate black with bad, thus the Japanese aren't really fond of Afro-americans, though they're not racist, they're just not fond.Pearl Harbour was a tragedy, Hiroshima and Nagasaki was pure slaughter of civilians. The US dropped the bombs AFTER the Japanese had declared defeat but the US wanted to show Russia their new toy so they dropped the bombs. If you want to blame the Japanese for Pearl Harbour, blame the army, but killing innocent people? Hiroshima and Nagasaki wasn't a military base whatsoever, so of all cities, why a civilian one?Oh, I might have relayed my message wrong. The Japanese aren't racist nowadays, only pre-judice. They find themselves hard to trust foreigners due to history that we have forgotten. They don't really abide to the buddhist rule of "forgive and forget".-Taison! outps. . When you buy porn in Asia, on the back it says "Made in Japan" and most of the actors are japanese cuz they have this high pitch voice and keep saying "I-te"[It hurts]

hah, you dont know japanese. ITAI is a sound of pain, not ite. you may as well be from romania and be saying this

Er you can't really say all Japanese people are like that can you? I have alot of friends who live in Japan and don't feel that way. Not even in the parents. I also have family who had moved to live in Japan and had gotten nothing but good treatment. My aunt said that it was hard for her and some of her friends to find a Japanese guy that didn't just like her because she was black. But I guess that's just not all what people are like. But thanks for the info anyway. I think Japan has the worst porn. I just think it's weird to find enjoyment out of watching a girl exploit herself in such a way shrugs but that's just me. I go to an all girl school tears and it's practically 80% Japanese 20% American. Don't ask. And we have to wear those exact uniforms... I feel like a clone. Most of my friends there have that giggly school girl personality and I think it's starting to rub off on me . I'm beginning to receive weird looks from my brothers and some of my friends lol.