The Swiss live in a parallel world in Japan
Published: Friday, Jun 21st 2024, 10:20
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For many Swiss people, Japan is a dream destination. According to experts, however, tourists and expats often have a one-sided image of the country. Finding a long-term connection turns out to be difficult.
Japan has a restrictive naturalization policy. The social rules are also strict and often unfamiliar to people from the West.
For example, people do not eat on the street, dispose of garbage at home and keep quiet on public transport. "Anything else is considered an affront," says Japan expert David Chiavacci in an interview with the news agency AWP. People who deviate from the norm earn angry looks - especially if they are recognizable as foreigners.
"Many Japanese people are suspicious of foreigners," says Andreas Strahm from Zurich, whose mother is Japanese. In addition to foreigners, known as "gaijin" in Japanese, there are often empty seats on the subway, even at rush hour, because the local population avoids contact with them. They are also often turned away as tenants. There are now internet forums that explicitly support expats in their search for accommodation.
Nevertheless, most foreigners hold on to their dream. "Many don't notice the daily rejections because they are subtle," says Strahm. This is because Japanese people remain polite at all times and package their statements in such a way that negative feelings are usually not noticed. In private, however, they often speak disparagingly about non-natives.
Foreign community separated
Matteo Tittone from Solothurn, who traveled to Japan as a tourist, also felt the separation from the locals. "In the evenings, the foreign community always meets in the same places."
The traditional isakayas, i.e. the bars where the Japanese meet after work, are not very accessible to tourists. Some bars in Tokyo have signs saying "Foreigners Welcome" or "English Menu available", but in many places it says "Members Only". This means that only compatriots are allowed in. The willingness to speak English is also very low compared to other countries in the region.
Even after a longer stay, it is difficult to feel at home in Japan, says Jean Kesselring, who recently returned from an eight-month stay abroad in Tokyo. Although he learned some Japanese, he was sometimes turned away in restaurants for seemingly no reason. "No room," he was told, even though there were plenty of free tables.
However, he only experienced situations like this around five times in eight months. In less touristy places, people were also much more approachable and often invited him into their homes.
Anonymity as a way of life
On the other hand, Strahm, Tittone and Kesselring emphasize the opportunities for anonymity that are only possible in large cities. Kesselring says that in Tokyo, you are swept onto platforms in the flow of people during rush hour and still have a sense of privacy.
"Japanese people don't feel the need to stand out from the crowd, but see themselves as part of the whole." The clear rules of conduct were not restrictive for him, but liberating, says Kesselring.
He also liked to eat alone. "The restaurant is simply a place to eat - not a social meeting place," says Kesselring. There is often no contact with other people - even ordering is automated. "It's completely informal." The computer linguistics student has already booked his next trip to Japan and could imagine living there for a longer period of time.
Meanwhile, Japanology professor Chiavacci also sees tourism as an opportunity to loosen up Japanese society: "Migration policy is becoming milder because there is an increasing shortage of workers in tourism and the hospitality industry." This development is also being driven by the ageing population and low birth rate in Japan.
©Keystone/SDA
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