Xenophobia and Gender Differences?

There's something I've been wondering for some time, something that's been worrying me. In a year or so, I'll be going to a language school for roughly 2 years by myself; however, there's one thing that worries me.

I'm a typical female, pale skin and brown eyes and hair. I've heard all sorts of accounts from people such as bullying by males and bad treatment towards people like myself. While I have been a tourist in Japan quite a lot, that was through travelling with groups of people and generally looking tourist-like; however, I'm more concerned about the fact that I'll be by myself, learning and living among them.

I'm more worried that I'll be treated to a point where I may end up at breaking point. Is there still a problem with Xenophobia, but among younger people?

I don't know whether being Scottish with an undeniable Scottish accent might assist me with finding friends? I'm hardly tall either (I've heard accounts of bad bullying towards tall girls).

Maybe I'm over-worrying, but I am still undeniably a bit nervous about treatment towards me.

Also, I'm a bit curious about the gender differences, hearing of an account where some people experienced problems with gender. What they experienced was their school situating the boys dormitories right beside the school, but the females were right across the other side of city and had to travel to get there. Does this still exist, this problem? This was about 6 years ago that I heard of this account, but I'm not familiar with the street names when I checked around websites for dormitories.

If this isn't an issue in certain schools, then I'd be glad to hear about them. I've signed up for information from a few with one saying they'd be glad to take me aboard if I accepted, but this was only because I was asking if I'd be accepted with my current situation. I've heard of Naganuma being good, but I still don't know about the housing they have (or rather, I can't understand the information given to me).

So to round up; will I have problems regarding my race and gender in these issues? Is it still an issue? Thanks for any information.

As a man I cannot comment on the gender issue very well, but as a visible foreigner I have not personally experienced any negative xenophobia in Japan yet in almost 10 years. To the opposite, the people in my neighborhood and professional and personal circles have all always been extremely supportive and friendly. Often there is some nervousness involved. Sometimes curiosity. In some situations I get treated differently than a Japanese person would - but usually in a positive sense.

However, I think it depends on the person and surroundings. Maybe geography can have a small influence, too. I am sure there are foreigners that are not as lucky as myself. Still, I am convinced that generally Europeans encounter much less open hostility in Japan than the other way around.

Especially if you have a positive attitude, behave modestly and respect the local customs, your chances are that you will have way more positive than negative experiences in Japan.

But I know from my own experience that once you start reading into negative experiences and certain websites, you can easily get worried. Some people in Japan have made it their task to look for negative aspects. No wonder that their negative attitude attracts negative experiences.

While knowing some basics about potential problems as a foreigner is a good idea (certainly better than over-idealizing Japan), I think it is better not to read too much into these negative information sources, keep an open mind and jump into the adventure with an unbiased, positive attitude.

Mogtaki,

When I was a female Japanese university student in Japan in the 80s, our school had a girl's dorm with tradition right inside the school premises while there was no boy's dorm at all. And the school was originally an all-boy's school when it was founded many decades ago. So I don't think you can generalize about the dorm thing you heard about, or I should say that at least the location wasn't due to some sort of sexism.

As for your English, I doubt that anyone who is ignorant towards foreign residents can tell the difference between a Scottish accent and say an American accent.

Thank you for the answers, much appreciated!

It's good that you two have some experience on this, mainly because the sources I was reading from were experiences by individuals with their various sources which can also be found in university studies. It got to the point where I was beginning to have doubts, which lead me to ask here.

I've been studying the hell out of customs and their teachings (even silly stuff like their traditional toilets!), but then I found this weariness over foreigners coming up a lot. I know it's something like 1% of the population are foreigners, but that is a very low minority.

The good thing about where I live is there's a LOT of Japanese tourists that come here, and I do mean that with the total being 9% of Japanese tourists coming here. There's a lot of them familiar with the area I live in, particularly because they're interested in the Loch Ness Monster (10 miles down from the city I live in).

I guess I could be courteous and teach them some stuff about my country and even about Scot or English if they're ever interested, at least to try and see if that can encourage some to be my friend.

Why would they look for the negatives, these people you mentioned, Uji?

I think the negativity might be because there is undeniably a bullying problem in Japan...espcially in schools.
All schools are different however and some have better ways of dealing with it and preventing it than
others. Some teacher friends have told me that there is a wonderful friendly inclusive atmosphere among the students at
their schools and they hardly ever have problems with bullying. So it is certainly not a problem everywhere.
You can always contact the school to find out their policy of dealing with bullying if you are seriously concerned.
However, I think there is no point being worried about it as you may have a wonderful time and never
get bullied at all. I agree that a positive attitude is necessary and never expect to be treated unkindly or
bullied, If you are open and friendly then I think people will respond to that, many Japanese people can be extremely
kind and generous to foreigners.
Also know that in any country bullies bully for a reason, they are bored or they feel inadequate or envious of you so know
that something is wrong with them not you. If you are unlucky enough to encounter some unkind behaviour just ignore it and rise above it, a strong reaction will just make you more interesting and fun for the bullies to target.
To do with the gender issue I am not sure about bullying, but girls and boys tend to be spearated a lot. It is very evident on trains when the school kids get on the train and they are in different friend groups usually by gender. This may take some getting used to...even in my company it still amazes me that all the female workers eat lunch together seperately from the men, it isnt like they are not welcome but people appear comforatable with that separation. There are always exceptions however, so just be yourself and be friendly to anyone you want to be friendly with.
Above all just have fun, dont make yourself an easy target, be optimistic and expect the best of people not the worst...you may be pleasantly surprised.

will I have problems regarding my race and gender in these issues? Is it still an issue?

I think you are unlikely to experience discrimination due to your race or gender. Of course, if you are looking for it it is easy to see discrimination in any situation. What will help you the most is a change on your outlook. Go be accepting of other people and you'll likely experience the same in return.

Maybe I'm over-worrying, but I am still undeniably a bit nervous about treatment towards me.

I think you are over worrying. From your other threads you sound like you may be a worrier, plus some of your posts lead me to believe you have some misrepresentations (possibly supported by internet rumor) of living in Japan, so I'm inclined to believe you might be getting worked over what is probably nothing. Obviously its easy to feed your fears with horror stories from the internet but a few experiences or instances do not make a trend.

Also, your profile and previous posts indicate that you plan to go to language school. That's a far different situation than high school, where there are undoubtedly bullying problems. But I don't expect you will encounter a similar situation at a language school, where everyone is a foreigner and in the same situation as yourself.

Anyway, you've said that people were accepting and welcoming of you when you travelled around Japan. Why do you expect them to react any different to you once you are a resident?

That is true, I missed that... a language school! So it will presumably be full of people from all different backgrounds. You have no reason to worry.

I'd just like to point out that "a place with no bullying" doesn't necessarily mean "the happiest place in terms of the issue."

In my experience, the best school I'd seen was a school which said from the very beginning that they have bullying problems but will confront those problems.

Also, the physically worst bullying I ever experienced was of those at the school I was attending in the U.S. (I wouldn't even mention the details, because it seems to shock a lot of people) and they were the best experiences, too, as I became friends with those bullies later on.

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it." a quote by Lena Horne

Yeah any school that says they do not have a problem with bullying and therefore do not have a policy to deal with it are probably just turning a blind eye. Better one that admits that inevitably it can be a problem but are clued up on how to handle it. Some of these bullied kids sadly have nowhere to turn...adults around them are turning a blind eye, staff perhaps for fear of damaging reputation of school, parents perhaps in denial or embarassment...and then it can be too late. Very sad, I hope there is a way to tackle the problem.

I have attended language schools here and didn't notice any bullying- most people attending are adults, and school bullying is really a thing that only happens from high school down. There really is nothing to worry about if you are going to a language school, Mogtaki. As someone said above, you've been here already so you already know how you'll be treated.

I've never been bullied or even treated particularly badly in 13 years here- some people can be annoying or rude, sure, but you get that in any country.

Try to enjoy your preparations to come here! I'm quite glad that I first came to Japan before the internet really existed (1995)- I knew almost nothing about Japan other than what I could read in an encyclopedia and I think that was for the best!

Yllwsmrf; yeah, I worry over most things, especially when I've only experienced a country as a tourist. I worry most of the time because I'm afraid of insulting someone if I do something wrong.

The bullying thing isn't always inside the language school that I'm worried about, but outside too, like on trains and buses etc.

I'm glad all my worrying seems to be a little less needed than it should be, but I guess anybody would when they were taking such a massive step in their life, especially from a country that doesn't carry the right information for me. Sure, I could had gone and bought books, but I usually find them to be a bit bias anyway.

you don't need to worry about that:)
i am in japan since 3 years so i can understand your worries!

i don't think you will encounter bullying in a language school!when i was a language school student,i met people of all countries and all kind but nobody have been bullied:) the most of them are adult and there for learning language ,for enter in university or get a job,or just for interest so realx:)

to be honest it happened few times to get annoying staring,but that's inevitable if you are a foreigner(but don't accept it if it's too annoying or if they point at you,there is a limit ok?)

i never experienced direct discrimination because of the fact i'm a woman,but in the japanese society,like job place still there is discrimination sometimes,but it shouldn't worry you right now!

right now i'm a college student and i have many japanese classmates,and eventhough i am very shy and i was worried too about bully,i became very popular XD maybe because there are not many white girls in this college!so even people i don't know tell me 'hello' and want to communicate with me.
it happened that some 17-18 years old guy kept telling me ' your nose in huge!' (yes my nose is big and may surprise some japanese -.-) and i got angry with that,but after that i understood he didn't want to offend me ,just he was surprised !(then he is still a kid!)
you may expect to be told 'you are so tall!' for the same reason the told me my nose is big XD its not common here.

nobody will understand the difference between scottish and other english accents!(at least not the japanese!!)
when i said i was from Swissland somebody asked me 'Swissland is that country near..China??no no ...Russia?? ' Oh god XD

so relax and enjoy your studies in japan!:)

'Swissland is that country near..China??no no ...Russia??

I would be interested, too, to know where that country is located. Never heard of it! Or do you mean Swaziland or Switzerland?

I heard that having a big nose is a sign of wisdom in Japan x) I don't think I would ever be told I'm so tall, considering I'm barely 5 foot 1 tall xD My main problem is I look awfully like a boy, but I am a girl, so I'm mainly worried about bullying about that.

Maybe I really will have a chance to make friends there after all! I am quite glad about that. I was never able to make friends when I was younger because of how I looked, but it definitely seems that the difference isn't exactly noticed over there.

I'm beginning to get excited again x) Seriously, this issue was bothering me for so many months that I even put off saving up! I guess that would be my next problem; how to get £15'000 for just one year! I don't have a bachelor's degree (which I keep getting told I need to work there, even while studying), but I do have 15+ years of schooling, along with 2 years volunteer work. I just wonder where I could possibly find money incase I run low, or maybe I'd be allowed to work part time under a student visa because of my English speaking skills.

I think that would be my next biggest worry. It's impossible to get a bachelor's degree where I live (like, literally impossible), but I also worry whether I'd be allowed to work with a student visa to bring in money for living during my studies. I hear of so many people being offered jobs because of their English language skills or because they look foreign. Is that even legal?

OP wrote;

I heard that having a big nose is a sign of wisdom in Japan x)

I've never heard of that applying to Japan but I do know that (American) Disney made their animated Tarzan with a big nose to show his nobility, because Tarzan is the son of British aristocrats.

Actually, in Japan people tend to think that a "takai" nose makes you look "beautiful or handsome." This is more like a thin, straight nose that has height rather than being flat. The Japanese generally have flatter noses (which is charming in its own way) so a lot of them greatly adore those high type of nose typical for Caucasians. But since most Japanese people do not know how to express this type of nose (actually, I don't either), they just say "big nose."

I look awfully like a boy

I've been said, "Young man, can you move out of the way?" from the back when I was already a mom. I've never worried about that, although others do worry when they realise they've made a mistake!

I hear of so many people being offered jobs because of their English language skills or because they look foreign. Is that even legal?

I didn't get this part. I see nothing illegal about it. You don't get hired "just because" you speak a little English or "just because" you look a little foreign. If employers find something they can use of you, they hire you whoever you are.

If a job requires English skills then of course people who can speak English will be offered the job, whether Japanese or foreign. I got my jobs teaching English and proofreading because I speak English, and my husband got his job in a foreign company because he speaks English as well as having other skills- definitely not illegal and not even odd really, is it?

The only people really who might get a job just by "looking foreign" are models and bar hostesses.

As for "bullying" on buses and trains, what kind of situation are you imagining? You said you've been here before, did you get bullied on the train?

I worry most of the time because I'm afraid of insulting someone if I do something wrong.

Normal people do not get insulted if an obvious foreigner makes a slight cultural faux pas. That's pretty universal wherever you go.

If you are worrying about this so much, to the point that its crippling, then I think this is less a problem with travelling and more a problem with your own self esteem. Remember, image is more about how you see yourself than how others see you. If you are confident and easy going, then people will react accordingly. If you are shy and timid and always worrying about insulting others, then you're going to interpret yourself offending people (even if that is not the case).

The bullying thing isn't always inside the language school that I'm worried about, but outside too, like on trains and buses etc.

Its simply not going to happen.

I'm glad all my worrying seems to be a little less needed than it should be, but I guess anybody would when they were taking such a massive step in their life, especially from a country that doesn't carry the right information for me.

Well that's what the internet if for, but you have to look in the right places. Its a good thing you found this forum!

I don't think I would ever be told I'm so tall, considering I'm barely 5 foot 1 tall

In other words, around the average height for Japanese women.

My main problem is I look awfully like a boy, but I am a girl, so I'm mainly worried about bullying about that.]Maybe I really will have a chance to make friends there after all! I am quite glad about that. I was never able to make friends when I was younger because of how I looked, but it definitely seems that the difference isn't exactly noticed over there.

Again, try working on your own self esteem. People naturally like you better when you like yourself.

how to get £15'000 for just one year! I don't have a bachelor's degree (which I keep getting told I need to work there, even while studying)

Now that is a real problem. First off, you don't need a bachelor's degree to work while on a student visa. You only need to have a good attendance record, and permission from your school and immigration.

Getting the money to qualify for the student visa is a common question on this forum, so I'd suggest doing a search. The basics are that you can either have the money yourself, get a loan, temporarily borrow fund to inflate your bank account, or have a financial guarantor (your parents?) who can support you while you study. I think most people choose the later when possible.

I also worry whether I'd be allowed to work with a student visa to bring in money for living during my studies.

Assuming you are a good student you will be allowed to work part time on a student visa (28 hours a week I think), but don't expect to make enough to live off of. You should have sufficient funds before coming to Japan anyway if you will be on a Student Visa (its a visa requirement).

I hear of so many people being offered jobs because of their English language skills or because they look foreign. Is that even legal?

It happens all the time. Usually they are small, under the table language tutoring jobs. Some people make their living off of these (usually with lots of effort and an established reputation), but I wouldn't expect these offers to be frequent enough offers to depend on.

I cannot imagine anyone getting bullied by strangers on the train in Japan...I think that would be unusual in any country.
I mean perhaps a situation where there was a "gang" of teenagers trying to show off by being cheeky? but I wouldn't really call it bullying, I mean they are just showing off to each other probably has little to do with the person being teased.
I have had that situation where they start saying English words and sniggering, but I have never let it bother me that much.
Part of me is just thinking if you are going to speak english as a joke just because you see a nearby hakujin, better to do it without that terrible katakana accent! What are they teaching in schools these days! haha.