[Nyororin]

Sitron is barely more than a troll - particularly in this thread - so first reflex was to roll my eyes and delete the thing... But since it has gone into a lengthy discussion I`ll add my bit.

When it comes to encountering other foreigners, I don`t really care unless they are doing something that I do not want to be associated with.

If I am on the train and another non-Asian foreigner hops on, my internal response is more like "Oh, hey, another foreigner. I wonder what type... (ie. Tourist? Teacher? Student? Long-termer? Rich business expat? Married to Japanese?)"
But, let us say that an obvious teacher hops on with two or three high school girl students, starts talking big and loud in English, and then clumsily tries to "jokingly" feel one of them up... I can do little but look down and pray that no one associates me with them.
Same with the tourists who will hop on, talk loudly, look like idiots, and treat the train (and Japan in general) as a playground.

I would feel the same way about these people even if they weren`t foreigners, but there wouldn`t be any particular worry of being associated with them due to appearance. But when it`s another foreigner doing something awful, someone who hops on to the train next is likely to figure we`re all together - especially if they sit close to me.

I have had experiences at large tourist sites where there have been non-Asian foreigners acting like idiots, doing stupid crap, being a total nuisance, etc. I`ve seen a group of drunk 20-something English teachers play "splash everyone!" with the purifying water at shrines - I`ve also seen foreigners complain and ignore signs and directions to take their shoes off going into temples, saying loudly to eachother "What are they gonna do? They`re all littler than us anyway! Harharhar!"
It all makes me cringe and really hope that these people`s actions don`t make people think ALL foreigners are like this.

I kind of get a kick out of helping people, so if I spot lost tourists in stations I will go out of my way to say hello and ask if they are having trouble navigating, etc. But normally I just mind my own business. I don`t think I`ve ever randomly said hello to anyone just because they were not Japanese.