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Why Are Americans Treated Differently in Japan?

Raw Deal! Why Are Americans TreatedHoliday  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 JapanThey want to encourage people from other
should never enter Japan using a tourist visacountries to come. This could simply be the
or the visa waiver, even if they have beencase: restrictions on Americans for
advised to do so. Such actions are illegaldiversification of the foreign population
and can lead to arrest, incarceration and/orhere. 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 consulatethe  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 oftenAmerica, as compared to other countries like
cannot work in Japan, as it takes just tooNew Zealand for example, the Japanese
long to secure a working visa. Companiesauthorities feel that Americans are more
would rather hire someone who already has thelikely to try to bring guns or drugs into
appropriate visa, someone who can get theJapan. Or they don't want any more American
visa quickly, or someone who is willing toinfluence in Japan and want to limit it as
break the law, by entering Japan on a touristmuch  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 lawsbe that America is dangerous: and by
don't coincide well with reality, andassociation, Americans are more dangerous
sometimes laws downright discriminate againstthan 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 Japanbeen 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 toIt is interesting that some Japanese feel
Japan:that Americans are undesirable. They give
their opinion that Americans are more likely
Australiato break importation laws or be a negative
influence in Japan, because of a society,
New  Zealandthat is seen by Japanese to be violent, and
law breaking--ie) drug taking. the gun
Canadarelated deaths in America and the unfortunate
incidents in Okinawa of the rapes of Japanese
Republic  of  Koreawomen by American military personnel. The
latter, one that foments large scale
FranceAnti=American protests in Japan's sunniest
prefecture.
Germanythe  United  Kingdom
The Japanese media too seems to be a member
You will notice that America, supposedlyof 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 init is national news for days or weeks. So
Vancouver, you can secure a working holidayagain, American men at least, are portrayed
visa in as little as three days! A treaty wasas  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 araped, sexually harassed, or sexually
visa should complain to their government.assaulted, (a few incidents of which happen
Americans are hamstrung by this. It really isevery, 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 andsuch  an  unpalatable  story.
Canadians, to name but three, to work in
Japan for 12 months and it can be renewed inJET is an official Japanese program, and its'
some cases or switched to another visa afterimage cannot be tarnished. To publish such a
it expires in many cases. Often this kind ofstory would cause a Japanese loss of face, an
visa is secured for work as an Englishinternational embarrassment. It is okay to
teacher, or for other work such as working inembarrass 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 Japanto get an embarrassing incident about the JET
to work, can only come with a tourist visa orprogram by the editor would probably be
a working visa. Switching from a tourist visafired.
to a working visa happens all the time.
Though you won't catch a Japanese ImmigrationTo read those unpalatable stores about the
authority talking about it much. It is one ofJET 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 tellproblems associated with the JET program.
immigration that their goal is to come toThese 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 canFor whatever reason, the Japanese authorities
get her visa in a matter of days, but anare doing an excellent job of discouraging
American has to wait months. Why thebusinesses from hiring Americans, and opting
difference? Why are Americans given such ainstead 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 simplyup  to  four  months.
doesn't want such an agreement. To this
author's knowledge they don't have a workingHead 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 firstseems to be across the board and for all
chose Australia for the working holidaynationalities. If you can get a working
program, then New Zealand, followed byholiday visa in three days, you greatly
Canada. The impression it creates wasincrease  your  marketability.
Australia was most desirable to Japanese
eyes. Is there a desire to make it moreSometimes Japanese laws are unrealistic. The
difficult for businesses in Japan to hirelaw may state one thing, but the reality of
Americans? Verily, that is the result. Whatthe  matter  is  another.
this  leads  to  is fewer Americans in Japan.
English schools need teachers. Often they
Why would Japan want to create impedimentsneed 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 toschool  must  hire  someone  quickly.
Japanese?
If the working visa for an American takes so
Perhaps it is simply more difficult forlong, schools will naturally try to hire
Japanese to get a visa to work in Americasomeone they can sponsor for the proper visa
than it is in New Zealand for example. So tomore quickly. Indeed, English schools are
retaliate Americans don't get as good a aencouraged 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 militaryPlus Americans themselves, being law abiding
bases throughout Japan and their personnelcitizens on the whole, don't want to break
number well over 40,000 people. Japan has toJapanese laws either. If an English school
deal with all the problems foreign soldierssays, "Come on a tourist visa, we need you
cause when they mix with the civilians ofnow, then we will switch the visa over to a
Japan. There are also many American businessworking visa, don't tell Japanese
people, and of course American Englishimmigration." 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, manybreak the law. The school realizes though
Americans still manage to come to Japan andthat the law is forcing them into an
work. However, without this bureaucraticuntenable situation: They need teachers now!
obstruction, there would be more Americans inNot  in  four  months!
Japan.
One good thing about Japan is that the law
I assert that (having more Americans inoften bends. The fact is many Americans if
Japan) has traditionally been an ideanot most, come to Japan on tourist visas then
incongruous with the feelings of manyswitch to working visas. This is simply a
Japanese politicians. Keep the Americans outfact 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 agive 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 tothey either have to hire a citizen of the
promote a greater mutual understandingCommonwealth, or tell a US citizen to come on
between our respective countries, and toa  tourist  visa  and  switch  it  over.
broaden the international outlook of our
young people. The Working Holiday SchemeIf I were American, I would complain. Why are
makes it possible for citizens of one countryyou  given  such  a  raw  deal  in  Japan?
to enter the other country for an extended
holiday while encouraging in temporaryI would come on a tourist visa, and tell the
employment in order to supplement theirJapanese authorities, how I am so looking
travel funds."--Japan Association of Workingforward to sightseeing in Kyoto!



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