| Raw Deal! Why Are Americans Treated | | | | Holiday Makers |
| Differently by Japanese Immigration and the | | | | |
| Media? | | | | Maybe the Japanese authorities simply want |
| | | | more diversification in who comes to Japan. |
| "U.S. citizens planning to work in Japan | | | | They want to encourage people from other |
| should never enter Japan using a tourist visa | | | | countries to come. This could simply be the |
| or the visa waiver, even if they have been | | | | case: restrictions on Americans for |
| advised to do so. Such actions are illegal | | | | diversification of the foreign population |
| and can lead to arrest, incarceration and/or | | | | here. It would give Japanese a broader |
| deportation." | | | | exposure to many different nationalities here |
| | | | in Japan, and therefore, a broader view of |
| --from a pamphlet at the Japanese consulate | | | | the world (perhaps it is hoped). |
| in Seattle | | | | |
| | | | A Japanese business manager suggested that |
| "The Catch 22 is: if Americans don't enter | | | | "...because of the high crime rate in |
| Japan on a tourist visa, however, they often | | | | America, as compared to other countries like |
| cannot work in Japan, as it takes just too | | | | New Zealand for example, the Japanese |
| long to secure a working visa. Companies | | | | authorities feel that Americans are more |
| would rather hire someone who already has the | | | | likely to try to bring guns or drugs into |
| appropriate visa, someone who can get the | | | | Japan. Or they don't want any more American |
| visa quickly, or someone who is willing to | | | | influence in Japan and want to limit it as |
| break the law, by entering Japan on a tourist | | | | much as possible." |
| visa with the plan to work in Japan by | | | | |
| changing it to a working visa. Illegal? Yes. | | | | The view in Japan by some Japanese, seems to |
| Necessary though? Definitely! Sometimes laws | | | | be that America is dangerous: and by |
| don't coincide well with reality, and | | | | association, Americans are more dangerous |
| sometimes laws downright discriminate against | | | | than people of other nationalities. "Bowling |
| certain peoples." | | | | for Columbine," was well attended on this |
| | | | side of the Pacific and its' influence has |
| -- an English school chain owner in Japan | | | | been felt. If this is true, it is prejudice, |
| | | | pure and simple! |
| The citizens of the following countries can | | | | |
| secure a working holiday visa to come to | | | | It is interesting that some Japanese feel |
| Japan: | | | | that Americans are undesirable. They give |
| | | | their opinion that Americans are more likely |
| Australia | | | | to break importation laws or be a negative |
| | | | influence in Japan, because of a society, |
| New Zealand | | | | that is seen by Japanese to be violent, and |
| | | | law breaking--ie) drug taking. the gun |
| Canada | | | | related deaths in America and the unfortunate |
| | | | incidents in Okinawa of the rapes of Japanese |
| Republic of Korea | | | | women by American military personnel. The |
| | | | latter, one that foments large scale |
| France | | | | Anti=American protests in Japan's sunniest |
| | | | prefecture. |
| Germanythe United Kingdom | | | | |
| | | | The Japanese media too seems to be a member |
| You will notice that America, supposedly | | | | of this anti-American illuminati. If an |
| Japan's friend and ally is not on the list. | | | | American serviceman rapes a Japanese woman, |
| According to the Japanese consulate in | | | | it is national news for days or weeks. So |
| Vancouver, you can secure a working holiday | | | | again, American men at least, are portrayed |
| visa in as little as three days! A treaty was | | | | as a dangerous element in Japan. |
| negotiated between these countries and Japan | | | | |
| that allowed for the creation of this visa. | | | | Yet if a female American JET teacher is |
| Americans upset that they cannot get such a | | | | raped, sexually harassed, or sexually |
| visa should complain to their government. | | | | assaulted, (a few incidents of which happen |
| Americans are hamstrung by this. It really is | | | | every, year according to a JET official who |
| an impediment to working in Japan. | | | | wishes to remain anonymous), there is not a |
| | | | newspaper in the land of Fuji that will touch |
| This visa allows Australians, Kiwis and | | | | such an unpalatable story. |
| Canadians, to name but three, to work in | | | | |
| Japan for 12 months and it can be renewed in | | | | JET is an official Japanese program, and its' |
| some cases or switched to another visa after | | | | image cannot be tarnished. To publish such a |
| it expires in many cases. Often this kind of | | | | story would cause a Japanese loss of face, an |
| visa is secured for work as an English | | | | international embarrassment. It is okay to |
| teacher, or for other work such as working in | | | | embarrass the Americans with stories of their |
| a hotel or a restaurant to name but a few. | | | | rapes of Japanese women, (no matter how rare |
| | | | they are.) But a journalist who dares to try |
| Americans who have the yen to come to Japan | | | | to get an embarrassing incident about the JET |
| to work, can only come with a tourist visa or | | | | program by the editor would probably be |
| a working visa. Switching from a tourist visa | | | | fired. |
| to a working visa happens all the time. | | | | |
| Though you won't catch a Japanese Immigration | | | | To read those unpalatable stores about the |
| authority talking about it much. It is one of | | | | JET program you must go to some of the |
| those open secrets so common to Japan. | | | | unofficial JET websites, that talk about the |
| Certainly, most Americans simply don't tell | | | | problems associated with the JET program. |
| immigration that their goal is to come to | | | | These sites are written by teachers who |
| work in Japan. They say they are sightseeing. | | | | actually work in the program and former |
| | | | teachers. |
| Getting a working visa can take up to four | | | | |
| months. So on the one hand, an Australian can | | | | For whatever reason, the Japanese authorities |
| get her visa in a matter of days, but an | | | | are doing an excellent job of discouraging |
| American has to wait months. Why the | | | | businesses from hiring Americans, and opting |
| difference? Why are Americans given such a | | | | instead for an Aussie, Kiwi or Canuck. In |
| raw deal? | | | | these days of terrorism and war,securing the |
| | | | proper working visa for an American can take |
| Perhaps the American government simply | | | | up to four months. |
| doesn't want such an agreement. To this | | | | |
| author's knowledge they don't have a working | | | | Head hunting companies in Tokyo are also |
| holiday agreement with any nation. | | | | reporting that securing working visas is |
| | | | taking much longer than before, though this |
| It is interesting to note that Japan first | | | | seems to be across the board and for all |
| chose Australia for the working holiday | | | | nationalities. If you can get a working |
| program, then New Zealand, followed by | | | | holiday visa in three days, you greatly |
| Canada. The impression it creates was | | | | increase your marketability. |
| Australia was most desirable to Japanese | | | | |
| eyes. Is there a desire to make it more | | | | Sometimes Japanese laws are unrealistic. The |
| difficult for businesses in Japan to hire | | | | law may state one thing, but the reality of |
| Americans? Verily, that is the result. What | | | | the matter is another. |
| this leads to is fewer Americans in Japan. | | | | |
| | | | English schools need teachers. Often they |
| Why would Japan want to create impediments | | | | need them quickly. Teachers sometimes don't |
| for Americans hoping to live and work here? | | | | give any notice and just quit. The English |
| Could it be that America does the same to | | | | school must hire someone quickly. |
| Japanese? | | | | |
| | | | If the working visa for an American takes so |
| Perhaps it is simply more difficult for | | | | long, schools will naturally try to hire |
| Japanese to get a visa to work in America | | | | someone they can sponsor for the proper visa |
| than it is in New Zealand for example. So to | | | | more quickly. Indeed, English schools are |
| retaliate Americans don't get as good a a | | | | encouraged by Japanese immigration to |
| Kiwi for example. | | | | discriminate against hiring Americans, by the |
| | | | bureaucratic system they have set up. |
| Perhaps it is because there are already many | | | | |
| Americans here. There are American military | | | | Plus Americans themselves, being law abiding |
| bases throughout Japan and their personnel | | | | citizens on the whole, don't want to break |
| number well over 40,000 people. Japan has to | | | | Japanese laws either. If an English school |
| deal with all the problems foreign soldiers | | | | says, "Come on a tourist visa, we need you |
| cause when they mix with the civilians of | | | | now, then we will switch the visa over to a |
| Japan. There are also many American business | | | | working visa, don't tell Japanese |
| people, and of course American English | | | | immigration." Naturally the prospective |
| teachers. | | | | American teacher is suspicious of the school. |
| | | | The school is essentially telling them to |
| In spite of the barriers against them, many | | | | break the law. The school realizes though |
| Americans still manage to come to Japan and | | | | that the law is forcing them into an |
| work. However, without this bureaucratic | | | | untenable situation: They need teachers now! |
| obstruction, there would be more Americans in | | | | Not in four months! |
| Japan. | | | | |
| | | | One good thing about Japan is that the law |
| I assert that (having more Americans in | | | | often bends. The fact is many Americans if |
| Japan) has traditionally been an idea | | | | not most, come to Japan on tourist visas then |
| incongruous with the feelings of many | | | | switch to working visas. This is simply a |
| Japanese politicians. Keep the Americans out | | | | fact of working life in Japan, as few |
| as much as possible seems to be their goal. | | | | teachers quitting their positions in Japan |
| But don't make it so obvious that there is a | | | | give more than one months notice. You do the |
| backlash from the American government. | | | | math. It doesn't give schools enough time to |
| | | | secure the working visas for Americans. So |
| "The Working Holiday Scheme is intended to | | | | they either have to hire a citizen of the |
| promote a greater mutual understanding | | | | Commonwealth, or tell a US citizen to come on |
| between our respective countries, and to | | | | a tourist visa and switch it over. |
| broaden the international outlook of our | | | | |
| young people. The Working Holiday Scheme | | | | If I were American, I would complain. Why are |
| makes it possible for citizens of one country | | | | you given such a raw deal in Japan? |
| to enter the other country for an extended | | | | |
| holiday while encouraging in temporary | | | | I would come on a tourist visa, and tell the |
| employment in order to supplement their | | | | Japanese authorities, how I am so looking |
| travel funds."--Japan Association of Working | | | | forward to sightseeing in Kyoto! |