【SPECIAL】

異邦人の目に映る　冷たい群衆

By SACHIKO NAKAGOME, FREELANCE WRITER

　汐留、六本木、表参道、丸の内 …　次々と変貌を遂げる東京の街並み。渋谷、新宿、秋葉原 …　どの街もとどまることなく動いている。雑踏の中から次々と生みだされる流行は、追いつく間もなく消えていく

　東京は世界一エキサイティングな場所とも言われます。いっときも休むことなく変わり続けるこの大都市を、ちょっとだけ立ち止まって、いつもと違った目線からながめてみたい、そんな思いで企画した小特集です。最初の記事では、東京に住む外国人たちの悩みを取材しました。そこから透けて見える東京はどんな顔をしているのでしょうか。

　Offering some of the world's best electronics, cuisines, art and pop culture, Tokyo can be an exciting place to visit. As Romana Santos, a Brazilian-born New Zealander who teaches English in Tokyo, describes it, "It's like Saturday night seven days a week."

　Japan's financial and political center is also a multi-cultured city where foreign nationals make up 359,228 of the 12,645,525 residents registered as of October 2006.

　Foreign residents often note efficiency, cleanliness, extensive public transport and good restaurants as Tokyo's strengths. Their pet peeves are the drunks, smokers, garbage, crowded trains and rude people. But emotionally speaking, is Tokyo a nice place to visit, "but I wouldn't want to live there?"

　According to two counselors working at Tokyo English Life Line (TELL), a nonprofit organization that has been offering counseling to the foreign community since 1973, life in Tokyo can have its challenges.

　"For many of our clients, Tokyo is not all that comfortable," says Machi Taniguchi, a nationally certified counselor specializing in drug and alcohol addiction and mental health, who has worked with TELL for six years.

　Chikako Ishii, a psychotherapist specializing in family and couples counseling who has been with TELL for 11 years, says, "It depends on your background and financial situation."

　Financial stability can be difficult to obtain for anyone in this day and age, but it can be especially complicated for those dealing with visa issues. In fact, the most common inquiry category at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Consultation Service for Foreigners is jobs, visas, and foreign registration.

　Expatriates often need not worry about jobs or housing, which their companies provide. But neither expats nor the non-expat community are protected from emotional distress caused by prejudices and cultural differences in this unique society.

　According to the counselors, stereotypical images that Japanese have about certain cultures can make life difficult for the foreign community. When job-hunting, Americans and British nationals tend to be favored over people from lesser-known European countries or Asian nations for English-teaching jobs. When house-hunting, many brokers and landlords refuse to show homes to foreign nationals based on stereotypes. For example, they believe that certain people will "stink up the kitchen."

　In addition, being stared at constantly in public, or being treated differently because of their looks can add up to a lot of stress. And being told, "Oh, you can use chopsticks!" can be annoying after being in Japan for more than 20 years.

　John McInnes, a photojournalist from Canada, often gets bizarre reactions from the Japanese.

　"Occasionally, when riding on crowded trains people will not sit next to me. All around me people are standing up, but the space next to me remains vacant!" he says.

　Well, enough is enough for some people. Taniguchi says that many of her clients returned to their home countries because they couldn't bear being treated differently wherever they go.

　Japan's unique corporate environment could also be uncomfortable. The after-work drinking sessions may be considered essential in some industries, but that can be hazardous to a recovering alcoholic. The late-night work hours and corporate functions, where families are not invited, unlike in Western countries, can make spouses and children feel neglected.

　Adding to these stress factors is the living environment. In Tokyo -- where the average home size per household was about 60 square meters as of 1998, compared with 100 for Miyagi Prefecture -- small apartments offer less privacy for each family member. The sounds of neighbors can also be louder than in other cities due to the crowding.

　Tokyo's extensive train and subway system may be convenient for commuters, but it can be confusing and overwhelming for newcomers. It also allows children to explore the city without adult supervision until late at night.

　友だちができない

　That could be a nightmare for parents from rural areas, where kids can't go far without having adults drive them. Making matters worse, mature-looking foreign teenagers can easily sneak into bars because many Japanese bars don't check for ID, according to Taniguchi.

　"Some bar owners think foreign customers makes them look cool, so they turn a blind eye to underage drinkers," explains Taniguchi.

　Granted, raising teenagers can be difficult in any city. But with no family or friends nearby to discuss these issues with, many people internalize their problems.

　Friends would be great support in such difficult times, but Taniguchi believes making friends is the most difficult part of Tokyo life for foreign residents. Although there are communities based on common language, such communities can be small and suffocating. When native English speakers attend supposedly anonymous self-help group meetings, they might see people they know!

　Making friends with the Japanese is not easy either. Taniguchi and Ishii attribute this to several reasons. Some Japanese treat all foreigners like English teachers and constantly try to practice English on a foreigner who just wants to make friends. And because the foreigner is treated as a teacher, the relationship doesn't develop into a friendship.

　Cultural differences also contribute to the feelings of loneliness. Foreign residents sometimes feel they are not accepted as true friends if a Japanese friend doesn't invite them to his / her home. Although it is customary in many countries for friends to casually invite each other to their homes, many Japanese are hesitant to show their homes to even their closest friends.

　"Some people believe that to not reveal one's home is to not reveal one's heart," says Taniguchi.

　In addition, many foreigners don't understand why the Japanese take different attitudes toward people they consider "us" and "them." For example, some Japanese would apologize constantly to a friend, yet not apologize when they step on a stranger's foot. Some foreign residents take the latter examples personally and believe they've been victimized because they are non-Japanese.

　"Some of my clients have left Japan because they thought all Japanese are cold," says Ishii.

　With so many barriers, it's no wonder that TELL sees great demand for its services. Last year, TELL offered 1,385 face-to-face counseling sessions and responded to 5,369 phone calls on its Life Line. The largest group of clients was from North America while Japanese made up the second largest group. (Japanese clients include those who lived overseas and those who were referred to TELL by foreign acquaintances.)

　To local residents, Tokyo can be a lot of things: It can be an exciting city full of new opportunities or a cold metropolitan jungle. You can choose to stay or to leave. But don't expect it to change overnight. As Stephen Lebovits, a 38-year-old Canadian photographer/writer/editor, puts it, "Tokyo is what it is, for the good and the bad."