[jasonbvr]

It is not about doing a task. It is about fitting into the entire work environment. They expect you to know things and act a certain way. Meetings, negotiations, interviews, decision making and just about every aspect of business has a certain way it should be performed.

Take for example the exchange of business cards. When exchanging cards with a prospective client or seller, you extend the card out in front of you holding it with both hands. Exchange the cards simultaneously while you both bow to each other. Do not place the card in your pocket or billfold. Also immediately after you are given the card inspect it thouroughly front and back. Be sure to pay special attention to the rank of the person you have just met and adjust your speech to the proper level of formalness or lack thereof. If you are not the highest ranking employee representing your company and somehow you just greeted the top gun from the other company prior to your superior doing so, congratulations you've just lost your job! When you entered the room you should've known automatically by the arrangement in which they were sitting who was the lead representative. You being lower level should greet the representatives of similar rank and file before moving to the head honcho.

I couldn't make this sort of stuff up if I tried. Japanese are just that meticulous (or is the word ridiculous).

Let me give you an idea of top professions for foreigners in Japan: #1 Language instruction #2 Executive recruiters #3 Entertainers (musicians, hostesses) #4 Egineering (computers or other technologies) #5 Those employed by international firms who have been placed in Japan #6 Those who are employed by Japanese firms having been recruited from overseas #7 Entrepreneurs

As far as racism, I've never met a Japanese person who fears foreigners. If anything at all, Japanese are much more interested, engaged and friendly with the foreigners that share this country with them than anywhere in Europe or the States. If I said that there were no racists in Japan, I didn't mean to. There certainly are some, but being Japanese they are relatively polite about it.

The idea I am simply putting forward is that most people are decent human beings. On an person to person basis, I don't really see all this deeply ingrained hate for one group or another. For those who do have these types of feelings, why should I even bother trying to change or worry about the perspective of someone as ignorant as that.

When I first came to Japan, I use to rant and rave about things like this all the time. After a while though, you just have to accept that this is Japan and it will be whatever Japanese want it to be.

The women's issue is whole different thing that I can't really speak to. Yeah it's there. The thing is a lot of Japanese women kind of like the way things are. They also understand that the way to make social changes in Japan has to be slow and relatively quiet. Putting on a show and burning bras will only hurt the cause. Once again, its just the way it is because its Japan.