Are the kids pretty cool with foreigners in japan? -

From time to time I hear that alot of the older generations aren t very fond of foreigners in Japan. I wanted to know how the younger group (Teenagers to like Early to mid 20 s group) get along with people from other countries?

Don t put too much confident in Japan which is absolutely different from USA. People there no matter how old they are are all well enough uni-ethnic cultured so deeply. They feel some fear or unrest to stranger because Japanese can judge difference of stranger by their instinct so easily. You may try to adjust yourself into Japan. Once you came into the society accepted, you d feel great tremendously much better than in any place in USA. It is always same in all over the world particularly being unfamiliar with foreigners.

Well most kids just want to go about their daily life. They want to hang out with their friends and go out just like teens in the West. They chat on cell phones, play games etc. Unless you are forced together by school or some other circumstance they will likely ignore you like most other adults. If you speak to them they me be more confident to speak back but don t expect a long conversation. Most Japanese are a little shy about speaking English even if they have some level of skill. They don t want to make a mistake and look foolish. I know it sounds strange but it is important how others view them and if they tried to communicate in English with you and failed they would feel bad so rather than deal with the stress of that many try to avoid having to do it. I found sometimes the older people liked to talk the most. Even if they could not speak English hardly at all they wanted to show their feelings and be of some help when they thought they could. waiting for trains and buses I had many more older people talk with me than younger people who were busy on their keitai. Japanese are friendly but don t expect more than just some social kindness unless you are accepted and that takes a lot of time. Once you become accepted they are very social.

Japanese elders are not either fond or hate foreigners. just they are not used to with foreigners. teenagers and people in mid 20s, like me are just used to seeing and interacting with foreigners, only when foreigners are polite and respectful. Some American women who came to Japan say, quot;Japanese are very polite and respectful to us, moreover, they are super friendly to usquot; i understand that why she/he felt this way, because if Japanese people talk to Americans. for example in the USA. probably they are kind of annoyed because of their English. You know, I used to get obvious negative facial expression everytime I talked to Americans in the USA, back in High shcool. So, when Americans, for example come to Japan, they predict that they will be treated like how they treat ESL people in their country. So, they get surprised of friendliness of Japanese people, when they visit here. Also, as you know, Japanese people are very polite which is nature of Japanese and we tend to place an emphasis on harmony. For example, there are 3 Japanese and 1 obvious Second Japanese learner and they are having conversation in Japanese. What happens is 3 Japanese try to involve this 1 SAJ guy into conversation, and they try to understand what he is saying, so he does not feel bad about his Japanese and consequently feel comfortable satying with 3 Japanese persons. You know this does not happen in America. So Japanese do not automatically become friendly or polite toward foreigners. and Japanese people in all ages are like this. so do not worry.

As a young adult , I ve been to Tokyo twice. Kids/Adults have all been very polite. The Japanese society appears to value harmony, it makes ill our American quot;It s all about ME!quot; mentality.