Your (pet) peeves about Japan

[winstein]

There was a topic about things the posters hate about Japan, but it's old and almost two and a half years old (Link here), so I think I should be able to create a new topic about this, as I want to post something myself, but old topic was too old without calling it necromancy I think. So, anyway, here you can talk about your peeves about Japan, as in what are you irritated about them and what you dislike about them, as Japan is not a perfect country like any other country in the world.

For me, I am a bit bugged about the materialism in Japan, where physical things matter and there are even people who thought life ends when something material was not in favour to them (like failing a grade or didn't get the position they wanted). That kind of peer pressure is unnerving with the high standard of living. But then I suppose Japan is not Japan without this, but I am not comfortable with this.

I heard about a story where Japan used China's trees for their chopsticks (a good quality one which they insisted) for a low price, and when they are done, then they sold it back as good quality paper to China for a high price, which I am agitated to. I suppose this is normally how Japan get their profit, but the thought of making money off of precious trees from China is unnerving as well (Japan actually profit from this). This might be an old story and not a practice as of now, because I heard this from my mother who read it on a newspaper.

Anyway, so what are your peeves, or to a smaller extent, pet peeves about Japan?

 

[The Outrage]

Do the Japanese-obsessed Westerners who think they're so worldly by knowing a different culture, yet know nothing about their own or any other one for that matter count?

 

[winstein]

Do the Japanese-obsessed Westerners who think they're so worldly by knowing a different culture, yet know nothing about their own or any other one for that matter count?

I am actually envisioning this topic to talk about things the posters are bugged or dislike about Japan, so I think that doesn't really count, but you do have a point.

 

[Seiko]

I really don't like the idea of using the word "hate" to describe a country or group of people, so I'll just go with what I find annoying instead.

The racism has always bugged me. I understand why they're like that, but it's just not OK. Also, I'm not religious at all, but man they completely missed the point of Christmas.

 

[winstein]

I really don't like the idea of using the word "hate" to describe a country or group of people, so I'll just go with what I find annoying instead.

The racism has always bugged me. I understand why they're like that, but it's just not OK. Also, I'm not religious at all, but man they completely missed the point of Christmas.

How do they missed the point on Christmas?

 

[F-22]

Their end: Sexism/racism, living costs, education system, workplace environment

Yes, I know land is at a premium, but let's just say that an average Japanese's disposable income is far lower than here. $100 for a video game? $40 for a movie? No thanks.

Our end: weaboos

Yep. I went to Japan twice, and it's an absolutely wonderful place to visit, but to live? Hell no.

 

[fate]

Moe anime, and their sexualization of little girls in general.

And yeah, on our end, japanophiles. Very interesting bunch...

The racism has always bugged me.

Dunno if I'd call it racism. It's more like an extreme xenophobia.

 

[Seiko]

Eh, I'd say that xenophobia's a form of racism. But that is probably a better word for it.

@winstein-

For one, they only adopted the secular aspects of Christmas. Which I'm not really against, since most people in the states are pretty secular as well. So they have Santa and the red and green and stuff. But over there Xmas is moreso a romantic holiday between couples and the whole "family gathering and togetherness" thing is non-existant. It's basically Valentines Day with a festive theme.

But that just bugs me because it goes against my ideas of how Christmas should be celebrated. I suppose they should be allowed to celebrate a holiday however they choose but goddammit they're DOIN IT WRONG.

 

[la traviata]

The xenophobia has always frustrated me with Japan. And now that I'm looking at going there, I've found that the living costs are ridiculous, too - my study abroad program there is not going to be cheap because of it.

 

[mini-chan]

Their end: Sexism/racism, living costs, education system, workplace environment

Yes, I know land is at a premium, but let's just say that an average Japanese's disposable income is far lower than here. $100 for a video game? $40 for a movie? No thanks.

Our end: weaboos

Yep. I went to Japan twice, and it's an absolutely wonderful place to visit, but to live? Hell no.

$100 for a video game. That's average in NZ. Some good as ones cost $120!

 

[Marik]

Really? The best video games are only $60 in America.

 

[Rellik]

Moe anime, and their sexualization of little girls in general.

I agree with most of what's been said so far, but this is tops for me. It just creeps me the hell out. I mean geeze, what's the age of consent over there, 9?

 

[Marik]

I agree with most of what's been said so far, but this is tops for me. It just creeps me the hell out. I mean geeze, what's the age of consent over there, 9?

In Japan, about 5.

 

[TM2-Megatron]

I find the xenophobia somewhat disconcerting... but particuarly when coupled with the near reverence for certain things perceived as "western". It's very incongruous

 

[SaintJimmy]

That most talk a different language.

 

[Adamant]

Really? The best video games are only $60 in America.

And Joe American McVideogamebuyer makes 7$ an hour, so it all works out in the end.

That's also why i can't be bothered to take up a job while in the US. Why work for peanuts here when i can get paid triple for the same amount of work at home?

 

[F-22]

I'm not part of that income bracket. $100 for a console game and $50 for a handheld game is pretty outrageous in comparison to US prices.

I don't know about minimum wage in Japan or NZ, but I can't imagine it to be terribly greater.

But really, if someone is making that little, I wouldn't imagine them to be a huge consumer of video games. :/

 

[mini-chan]

I'm not part of that income bracket. $100 for a console game and $50 for a handheld game is pretty outrageous in comparison to US prices.

I don't know about minimum wage in Japan or NZ, but I can't imagine it to be terribly greater.

But really, if someone is making that little, I wouldn't imagine them to be a huge consumer of video games. :/

When I converted the american price for HGSS to New Zealand dollars, it was $20-$30 cheaper! It was $90 when I bought it!

 

[Zeta]

Their sexualization of the underaged while viewing adult sexuality as taboo.

Over-idealization of youth in general throughout their media (if you're over 15, you're over the hill).

That everyone in the country smokes.

That they need to go beyond laugh tracks and show pictures of people actually laughing at comedy shows, that they need to have news reports showing that everyone in Japan agrees with each other (This from the streets: 5 people agree today is hot!)

That they stole and bastardized a needlessly complex and overly cumbersome system of writing from the Chinese and insist on adhering to it - here's a tip, if the average adult has to take a dictionary with him to read the morning paper than your writing system is stupid.

That's pretty much the big ones.

 

[Xiaomao]

Their sexualization of the underaged while viewing adult sexuality as taboo.

Over-idealization of youth in general throughout their media (if you're over 15, you're over the hill).

These two piss me off more than anything else about Japan, their xenophobia, I can sort of understand because they're about 99% Japanese an their only real exposure to the rest of the world is filtered through media.

But that moe shit is annoying. And their squeaky kawaii desu voices, submissiveness, and oftentimes childlike appearance. I just find the whole sexualisation of children icky. I'm not saying they have to ban whatever manga, but if it's to a point where 25 is 'too old' for a woman to date someone, I feel like you need to step back and really get a good, hard look at your society.