I'm an American that is based in Singapore and I travel around Asia a lot for my job, including Japan (mostly just Osaka and Tokyo). I read this forum occasionally but rarely comment. However, this time...
Isn't this called "My Japan Syndrome"? I've heard that term before and really noticed it with foreigners in Japan when I'm there, whereas in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, mainland China, Korea, etc I've not.
It really does seem to be the case that a lot of white people, for lack or a more precise term, want to have some kind of personal and exclusive relationship with the country and its people and anyone else intruding on that illusion is a problem.
It's cool if you've learned the language and live here and all that but jeez, you're whitey #5,212,745 to have done that, congrats. I'm just here for a two day business trip and I'm trying to meet someone at that damn little dog statue which I know is right around here somewhere, can you just kindly point which direction? Thanks.
