How Seriously We Can Trust Google Translation?

Most of the foreigners use Google translator to understand the content of the Japanese mail or material they encounter with at office or during daily life. I still use Google translator to understand the whole context of a long text written in Japanese language, but I do not depend on the meaning suggested by the translator. 

Google translator helps me to understand an overall meaning. For me, reading and understanding of a two-page material written in Japanese language will take more than 25 minutes. Typically, we read approximately 200 words in one minute (highly dependent on age, native language or not etc). Quick readers can finish a page of around 600 words in a coupe of minutes. I do use Google translator to shorten the time of understanding the context meaning, which will help to read quickly. 

Google translator app for smart phones is one of the best tools that assists expatriates in Japan. Translation app has camera function, which can read Kanji characters and show equivalent meaning in any language the user choose to display. You will get an approximate meaning since most of the Kanji characters represent a conecpt. 

When it comes to the written material or mail, google translation still gives an approximate meaning, but is not an accurate one. Japanese language writing style is different from person to person. The difference in writing style and its impact on the meaning was noticeable. Most often it produces opposite meaning for the passages/e-mails written by some individuals, while it produces nearly accurate meaning for others.

Translation of technical news produce satisfactory results compared to the news related to social issues. Below is a news appeared in one of the leading Japanese newspaper about the recent controversies surrounding Huawei.

Original Japanese Newspaper Article

米国をはじめとする先進各国で、情報漏洩やサーバー攻撃を防ぐために中国製の通信機器を排除する動きが強まっている。主な標的は、中国最大の通信機器メーカーで第5世代移動通信（5G）関連の技術力に優れるとされる華為技術（ファーウェイ）と、同じく大手の中興通訊（ZTE）だ。

ファーウェイについてはここ数日で、目まぐるしい動きがあった。米政府の要請でカナダ当局が同社創業者の娘である孟晩舟・最高財務責任者（CFO）を逮捕したことが明らかになった。また、英BTグループがファーウェイ製品を基幹ネットワークに採用しない方針を表明した。

日本政府も、各府省庁や自衛隊の通信機器の調達について、安全保障上のリスクを重視した新指針を導入する方針だ。名指しは避けているが、やはり中国企業を念頭に置いた措置だ。

Google Translation in English

In the advanced countries including the United States, movement to eliminate Chinese-made communication equipment is strengthening to prevent information leakage and server attacks. The main target is China's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer, Huawei Technology (Huawei), which is said to be excellent in technology related to the 5th generation mobile communication (5G), and also a major Zhongxin communication (ZTE).

For Huawei in the last few days, there was a rapid move. At the request of the U.S. government, Canadian authorities arrested Mr. Meng Funabu, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the daughter of the founder of the company. In addition, the British BT Group announced its policy not to adopt Huawei products as its backbone network.

The Japanese government is also planning to introduce new guidelines focusing on security risks regarding procurement of communication equipment of each government agency and the SDF. Although I avoid the name, it is still a measure taken with a Chinese company in mind.

My Translation in English

The United States and other advanced countries have started to eliminate Chinese telecommunication equipment manufacturers due to concerns of information leakage and Cyber security. The main targets are Huawei, a leading 5G technology provider and China's largest telecommunication equipment manufacturer and Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment Corporation (ZTE).

The US Government moved quickly against Huawei for the last few days. Canadian authorities have arrested the Chief Financial Officer and the daughter of the founder of Huawei, Ms. Meng Wanzhou following a request from the United State. In addition, UK's British Telecom (BT) had announced its policy not to adopt Huawei products in its backbone network.

The Japanese government is also planning to introduce new guidelines considering the security risks in procuring Chinese communication equipment for the Government agencies and the Self Defense Force (SDF). Though the company names are not published, it is widely considered as a measure to restrict Chinese companies.

Note: English is not my native language.

An Afternoon Trip to Kitanomaru Science Museum

Kitanomaru Science Museum is around 900 meters away from Kudanshita Station. Our kids were insisting on some kind of entertainment and learning outing for Saturday, which was the first day of the first sanrenkyuu (3 consecutive holidays) of 2017. We started at around 1 pm from home. Kudanshita is the 11th stop for us from Higashi-Ojima. Exit No. 4 is the nearest deguchi (exit) to our destination, since we decided to walk from the station. We saw a police box (koban) on the left when we came out of the exit.

We followed the route shown by Google Maps and reached the museum, which is located inside Kitanomarukoen (park). The entrance to the museum is on the ground floor, and there is an information counter on the left side of the front door.

We paid 720 yen for adults and 260 yen for our kids, which made a total of 1,960 yen. For middle and high school students (中学生、高校生), the ticket charge is 410 yen. If you plan to go as a group of 20 and above, the tickets cost 520 yen for adults, 310 yen for middle and high schoolers, and 210 yen for kids above 4 years and up to middle school.

The ticketing staff told us that the museum has the floor guide instruction leaflet in the Japanese language only. You can participate in and understand many interactive learning sessions that the museum conducts if you know the Japanese language. One such learning session we missed was about computer-aided design.

Our kids found the museum very interesting since they could learn many new things and clearly understand many scientific principles of phenomena that they had already learned at school. Unfortunately, very few words are written in English. One of the staff demonstrated the principles of magnetism and explained them in English to our kids.

There is a parking area near the museum. The building has a restaurant in the basement (B1) with a seating capacity of 250, and it opens from 11 in the morning through 4 in the evening. The ground floor, or the first floor, has the reception (information desk), ticket counter, museum shop, and public telephone booth. Lift facilities and wheelchair facilities are available. Museum displays and interactive models are displayed from the 2nd floor to the 5th floor.

On the second floor, we saw a vast collection of old bicycles that are chronologically arranged in demarcated areas to protect them from visitors. We saw the history of bicycles, displays of gear and brake systems, etc. One section named “Mono Dukurium,” which is a room for making things, shows CAD-aided manufacturing, CNC models, 3D printers, and 3D scanners that show body images on a computer screen; the robot working principle; demo models to compare the friction of tires of cars; screw puzzles by George Hart; two-part bagels; twisted tours; four-part cubes; cube puzzles; and Pythagorean puzzles of different shapes; Matsumura’s picture puzzle, etc. Another interesting display was SCARA (selective compliance assembly robot arm) using Yamaha motors.

The Waku Eco Motor-land displays zero-emission technology by Nissan. At the entrance of the motor land, we could see the lithium-ion battery module and lithium-ion battery cell. Kids could experience the effect of collision when driving on the road. For children under 130 cm in height, this gives a virtual experience. The videos showed different situations of dangerous driving and taught how to avoid such situations. The “Winding road driving car and bike” section has a bike, which we can drive by seeing the road on the screen, and it teaches the importance of reducing speed on curves. Children could learn safe driving practices. One of the displays showed car mechanisms and motorcycle mechanisms. Principles of engine, suspension, transmission, and brake systems; steering differential gear; muffler; SRS airbag, etc. are explained in Japanese in this section.

The video of car manufacturing and the factory tour assembly process was also a different learning experience not only for the kids but also for us. A static model of the car showing internal parts is good for both kids and adults to understand what happens when driving. That is named a hybrid skeleton car. It has the functions of stop, start, and slow-speed driving; normal-speed driving; high-speed driving; and braking and stopping.

Kids enjoyed virtual driving of a truck for 3 minutes on a winding road by seeing it on a front screen. The course takes the truck to a warehouse. Near this truck, there is a working model of an engine to learn the mechanism of the engine and cylinder.

The 3rd floor has attractions such as the Atomic Station Geo Lab, different sources of energy, and methods of electricity generation. Information about natural energy sources is particularly useful to kids. A chart shows the ranking of the first three countries based on their production and/or availability of natural resources.

For natural gas, Iran tops with 18%, Russia with 17%, and Qatar with 13%.

Coal is more available in the USA (27%), followed by Russia (18%) and China (13%).

Uranium ore: Australia 29%, Kazakhstan 12%, Russia 9%.

Petroleum: Venezuela 18%, Saudi Arabia 16%, and Canada 10%.

The knowledge that today’s fossil fuel was created by the decomposition of creatures that lived 360 million years ago was exciting to our kids. The nuclear energy section has an interesting comparison that says 1 kg of uranium is equivalent to 100,000 kg of coal.

Models of stones from which rare earth elements can be extracted are also displayed in glass cages. There is also a model showing the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste.

The global warming section describes the causes and effects of global warming. The Bulgaria Yogurt Laboratory of Dr. Bulgaria, sponsored by Meiji, gives scientific knowledge about yogurt. Electro Hall Auroral Science displays many working models of acoustic and aural phenomena. One large model at the front shows similarities between television and auroral signals. Denki Factory displays models of an electrical heater, bulb, and voice changer, where children can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. The staff explained and demonstrated the principles of the magnetic properties of different materials.

The medicine laboratory on the third floor has a chart of the chemical formula of Tacrolimus at the front and a chart showing new medicines contributed by Japan to the world, such as Abilify, Prograf, Benicar, Invokamet, Leuplin, Vesicare, Latuda, Crestor, Actemra, Prevacid, Blopress, Myrbetriq, and so on.

The 4th floor displays materials, vehicles, and tools required for constructing buildings, tunnels, etc. The earthquake protection system was under repair when we visited. There are models of cranes, movers, and wind protection systems. One section displays various models of metal ores, which is named “Metal Factory.” The “Future Scope” section has modern scientific products such as hybrid assistive limbs, mental commit robots, communication robots, rescue robots, security robots, nursing care and welfare robots, receptionist robots, service robots assisting humans and industry, mapping, and new energy futures.

The 5th floor has a house model and simulates the effects of an earthquake. It also has interactive learning tools to understand mechanics. One section is dedicated to mechanics, gears, pendulums, wheels, trick pedals, and gear wrestling. The last section we visited has a set of mirrors that creates multiple images. One of the mirrors displays a question: “How many images can you create?” and kids enjoyed looking at the light well.

Our kids thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Kitanomaru Science Museum. We finished our learning trip at 5 pm.

Satkar Indian Restaurant in Minami Suna Near Toyocho Station

On the way back home from the office, I took today's dinner from an Indian restaurant in Minami Suna, which is near the Toyocho station and the Koto driving license test center. Usually, I take a route through Kiba Koen for walking after office hours. I thought of trying this new restaurant on the way just for a change. The restaurant was almost empty at 7:20 p.m. There was a Japanese lady at one corner, and I was the second customer.

I have seen this restaurant while passing in the car and have wondered who would be customers since the restaurant is a little far away from stations, offices, and other shops. Getting casual customers would be difficult in such areas. I have heard from those friends who are into the restaurant business that the location of the restaurant makes a big difference in the revenue. This is another reason for my entry to the Satkar Indian Restaurant & Bar at Toyocho.

My intention was to take a parcel for kids. Ordered to pack one Butter chicken curry and 4 pieces of Chicken Kebab. As they would take time for the preparation and needed to wait, I ordered a plate of chicken Tikka. At first, I was a bit hesitant to order since the Chicken Tikka was priced at 800 yen for 4 pieces. I didn't want to fill my stomach with chicken. It would spoil the purpose of walking, but I finally ended up ordering the full plate of 4 pieces.

While waiting for the food, I saw three menus on the table: one for the lunch, one for the dinner, and the third one for drinks. Indian, Nepali, and Pakistani foods are available at Satkar Indian Restaurant & Bar. All three menus are systematically arranged so that customers can choose items without looking here and there. Photos of dishes are neatly arranged inside the menus.

To my surprise, the sizes of each piece of chicken tikka were large. As I started tasting the tikka, I realized that two pieces were enough for me. I called the staff and requested him to pack two pieces. By this time a group of four Japanese customers also entered and sat near my table. The chicken tikka was really tasty and was worth the price.

The restaurant offers a membership card. Customers will get one point per visit, and if 15 points are accumulated, they can claim a simple lunch item. If customers intend to use this point at dinner time, they can get a 1000 yen discount on their bill. Though the restaurant is not located in a prime business area, it seems there are regular customers to this restaurant. There are residential apartments nearby, and that could be one major source for regular customers.

The address of the restaurant is 136-0076, 東京都江東区南砂2ー2ー16, 東陽町グリーンハイツ301.

Tel: 03-5632-8485

Kaisuuken, a Cost-effective Commuter Train Ticket in Japan

Coupon ticket is known in Japanese as Kaisuuken, written in Japanese as 回数券（かいすうけん）. I heard about this type of ticket option from Mr. Shimizu, who is one of my colleagues, when I discussed with him my recent changes in work place for two days in a week. 

For the past four years I have been commuting between Kiba and Higashi Ojima. Monthly Pasmo card is cost-effective if the work place is same for all working days. For some reasons, for some people, there may be more than one work place in a week. In my case, it happened to be three days in Sakura, Chiba prefecture and two days in Kiba, Tokyo. Usually, Japanese companies pay for the commutation charges biannually. Employees can claim the travel expenses for any additional travel such as domestic business trips and travels based on company's request. 

Until now, Pasmo card charged for 6 months was very useful, convenient and cheap. If the same Pasmo card is used for three days a week, I will end up using the card for 12 days in a month, but need to charge it as usual. Pasmo cards are cheaper than daily tickets if one commute at least 16 days a week. For a typical salaryman in Japan, Pasmo card is cheap and cost-effective, but not anymore in my case. That was the reason for the discussion with my colleague to explore another ticket options. 

Kaisuuken is very useful ticket option when you have a walking habit. Many people have the habit of walking to the office and back home weekly twice or thrice depending on the climate. 6 months or 3 months charged Pasmo card will not be good option if you have this walking habit. 

Kaisuuken written in Katakana as ｶｲｽｳｹﾝ is a bunch of tickets, typically eleven numbers that we can buy from ticket vending machines at any station. Pay for ten tickets and get one ticket free! For example, if we pay 300 Yen for one ticket, we will get eleven tickets for 3000 Yen. If you walk back home from office at least two days a week and use Kaisuuken, you are going to save something around 3000 Yen/month.   

Kaisuuken has expiry periods. So, pay attention to the number of tickets while doing a bulk purchase.

The inconvenient point is the storage of these tickets safely in our bag. The railway companies in Japan has a solution for this too. They provide a small envelope to keep these tickets.

Charged Pasmo cards are useful when we need to travel multiple times between same points. The money you may save out of this habit will not be significant, but can buy an ice cream or coffee once in a while.

Continuing Agonies of Kumamoto

The God Kashima let the Namazu move and thrash the Kumamoto prefecture. As we were watching NHK News on Saturday morning that showed devastated landscapes, fresh alerts of aftershocks started appearing on the screen. This time, Namazu's chosen playground was in the Kyushu Islands. Scores of people have been buried alive by Namazu's foul play. Scores of people were feared buried alive after two powerful quakes hit Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu that killed at least 37 people (officially).

To add more pain to the wounds, a storm is also forecasted in the region. Seismologists predict an eastward movement of the tectonic activities, injecting fears in the minds of people living in the Kansai and Kanto regions. The Kumamoto earthquake is the biggest in the history of earthquakes in Japan after the Great East Japan earthquake in 2011. Though there were drills and training to face an impending earthquake given by the school, we did once again insist our kids be mentally strong to stand in times of difficulties.

Kumamoto is in real trouble now. NHK footage of the collapsed buildings, eroded valleys of Mount Aso, and people in shelter houses shows only a glimpse of the biggest disaster in the country after 2011. Rain with strong wind has also started in the area, threatening the rescue operations. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake, which struck at 1:25 a.m. Saturday in Kumamoto Prefecture, had a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale and originated at a depth of 12 kilometers.

Reporters of NHK News and News 24 channels have been trying their best to cover the disaster-hit areas. Houses, roads, and railway lines were swept away when huge hillsides collapsed and tons of mud were dislodged by the tremors. Buildings were reduced to rubble, taking dozens of lives unaccounted for over a wide area. Some villages in the valleys of Kumamoto were completely cut off by landslides and damage to roads. The NHK news said that at least 1,000 people believed trapped in one of such isolated areas.

The possibility of an eruption of the nearby volcano is adding to the worries and was discussed in the channel. Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture is the largest active volcano in Japan. There is one nuclear power plant located in the southwest direction of the epicenter of Saturday's quake but was unaffected so far.

The demons are restless and hungry. What people can do is pray to the gods to control these demons. The Japanese myth says the cause of earthquakes is the giant catfish Namazu that lives in the underground. Namazu is one of the monster creatures of Japanese mythology and folklore that brings misfortune or disasters. Namazu moves his tail and shakes the entire earth. Namazu loves to play with his tail and cause trouble to bring disasters. The God Kashima can only control Namazu's evil doings. People living on the earth are indebted to the God Kashima as he keeps the earth's surface from moving. Unfortunately, Kashima gets tired sometimes or gets distracted from his duty. By taking this opportunity, Namazu moves a bit, and his movements cause the tremors.

Even now the aftershocks are continuing in Kumamoto and its surroundings. If the Gods do not act in time to control the demon, his movements will get transferred to other parts of the country.

Cross-Border Marriages on the Rise in Japan

Has Japan started shedding its obsession with a homogeneous racial society? If data from government records and the news reports can be taken into account, there are indications towards a growing number of cross-border marriages. Government data released recently says that one in every twenty-nine babies born in Japan in 2014 had at least one foreign parent.

The population data compiled by the Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry reveals that out of the 1.02 million babies born in 2014, approximately 35,000 babies had at least one non-Japanese parent. Discussions are going on on one side about the declining interest of Japanese youngsters in the institution of the family. 

The Japanese government is trying to encourage reproduction in the country at a time when the Japanese population recorded a negative growth by losing almost one million people in the last five years. The declining population has its great impact on industrial growth. Japan is a country that almost entirely depends on its manpower and technology. An increasing number of interracial marriages hints at a growing number of foreigners in Japan.

Traditional Japanese society has a conservative attitude towards cross-border marriages. Japanese people judge cross-border marriages as either "marriage up" or "marriage down.". This is what I could understand from the discussions with local friends so far. This "marriage up" and "marriage down" thing and attitude is highly prejudiced. Japanese society looks down on some countries while they place high regard for some countries.  If I elaborate more on this subject, it would not do any good to the readers. Common sense may please be applied to guess about “Marriage up” and “Marriage down” or just Google.

A surrealistic short story, "Missing Heels," written by Yoko Tawada, tells the story of a Japanese woman who traveled to a European country to live with the husband she has yet to meet face to face. Though the story is about the mail-order bride, it reveals pretty well the preferences that Japanese women who seek interracial marriage keep while searching for their life partner. The story also tells us about the upward mobility of women when seeking partners from other countries. Economic equations are changing now, and China and South Korea have also achieved, to some extent, the status of developed countries, or, at least, a considerable percentage of the population can afford rich lifestyles materialistically.

A working paper named “Brides for Sale: Cross-Border Marriages and Female Immigration” submitted to Harvard Business School by Daiji Kawaguchi and Soohyung Lee also studies the increasing cross-border marriages and migration of brides from developing countries in East Asia to the developed countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and Korea. Their study reveals the fact that a large number of women migrate as brides from developing countries to developed countries in East Asia, a phenomenon the researchers say did not exist in the early 1990s. They also found that foreign brides currently comprise 4 to 35 percent of newlyweds in these developed Asian countries. This paper argues that two factors account for this rapid increase in “bride importation”: the rapid growth of women's educational attainment and a cultural norm that leads to a low net surplus of marriage for educated women in their homeland.

Apart from the above-stated “intentional migration by marriage or for marriage,” cross-border marriages happen at workplaces, where foreigners work with Japanese nationals. In such workplaces, Japanese and foreigners get chances to know each other well, similar to the love marriages between two Japanese nationals. I know many foreigners married to Japanese and leading happy lives either in Japan or in another country.

The percentage of babies of cross-border parents in 2014 was 3.07 percent, which is close to the record high of 3.44 percent in 2008. With the percentage trending higher over the long term, 1.7 percent in 1990 and 2.6 percent in 1995. It is predicted that the proportion could rise even higher if more foreigners come to Japan as guest workers through deregulation of work visa rules.

By nationality, Chinese nationals accounted for the largest number of foreign-born fathers of babies born in 2014. Koreans accounted for the second-largest and Americans the third-largest number of foreign-born fathers. Chinese nationals accounted for the largest group of mothers, while Filipinos constituted the second largest group, followed by Koreans. The study has included the second generation of Chinese and Koreans as well.

The trend indicates increasing business opportunities in sectors such as education. Japan has been witnessing a surge in the number of international schools and universities to cater to the needs of international communities.  Local governments in such prefectures as Shizuoka, Aichi, and Mie take steps to ensure such children enroll in schools and provide special language training. International school is the choice when either of the parents is on a short-term work visa status in Japan.

O-Hanami Party in Komatsugawa Park with Friends

Around five in the evening, we returned home from nearby Komatsugawa Park after an almost three-hour Hanami party with friends. It had been a delightful O-hanami gathering, with nearly eighty friends coming together to enjoy the season and each other’s company. After such a long and cheerful afternoon, a short break felt necessary to re-energize the body, so I decided to take a nap. However, I couldn’t extend it beyond twenty minutes. The thought that daylight would soon give way to darkness nudged us awake and drew us back toward the park.

That quiet urge led our steps once more to the place where nearly a thousand Sakura trees stood dressed in their latest spring kimonos. Shades of pink and white blended effortlessly, mesmerizing Komatsugawa Park and everyone who visited it that day. The cherry blossoms were at their finest, and the evening felt like the perfect moment to savor their beauty.

A mischievous wind swept along the road running parallel to the Arakawa River. It rushed through the trees without mercy, plucking delicate Sakura petals and sending them swirling through the air. We overheard two Japanese children scolding the wind for its cruelty, pleading with it to stop its mischief. Meanwhile, our own children were busy collecting fallen blossoms from the ground, posing happily for photographs with fully bloomed Sakura trees behind them.

Though we were tired, the worry that wind and rain might carry away this miraculously woven wardrobe of the blossom princess, Konohanasakuya-hime, kept us going. In Japanese mythology, Konohanasakuya-hime (木花咲耶姫), also known as Konohananosakuya-hime (木花開耶姫), is the daughter of the mountain god Ōyamatsumi and the princess of blossoms. She symbolizes the delicate and fleeting nature of earthly life.

Komatsugawa Park is home to nearly one thousand Sakura trees and draws visitors from nearby neighborhoods, especially during the Hanami season. In Tokyo, the park is well known for its Senbon-zakura—literally meaning “one thousand cherry trees.” The Sakura-lined road running parallel to the Arakawa River, along with the park itself, offers an ideal setting for O-hanami gatherings. The park is well equipped, with three restrooms located in different areas and a parking space that can accommodate up to ninety-seven cars. That said, most visitors prefer public transportation, such as trains and buses, to reach the park.

Apartments surround the park on the east, west, and north sides, while the Arakawa River borders it to the south. The park serves as a recreational space for residents of nearby apartments and attracts people from surrounding areas, especially in the evenings. Many come to enjoy sports facilities or let their children play in the playground. Over time, the park has become a familiar meeting place for those of us living in the Ojima and Higashi-Ojima areas, particularly on weekends.

As we walked around the park, quietly absorbing the beauty of the Sakura, one full round brought us back to the realization that it was time to return home. A herniated disc in my lower lumbar spine, combined with the cold wind blowing in from the riverside, compelled me to give in. My spirit, however, remained tireless, longing to spend a little more time with nature. The children, too, were reluctant to leave and paid little attention to our requests.

The day was slowly retiring, handing over its treasures of earth and sky to the night. As we walked away, the clouds in the sky and the clouds of Sakura blossoms in the park began to resemble each other from a distance. Clouds are ephemeral—they appear, change form, drift, and disappear, yet they bring joy to those who observe them. Sakura blossoms share the same fleeting beauty. They bloom briefly, fade away to welcome the next season, and leave behind gentle memories.

Sakura reminds us of the impermanent nature of life. Yet, instead of evoking sorrow, it fills us with joy, energy, enthusiasm, and hope. That is why we await this season every year and celebrate each petal of this extraordinary gift of nature—the Sakura.

Is Japan Safe for Foreigners?

It was not the first time when I heard a hate speech in front of the south exit of JR Moto-Yawata station yesterday. I had paid attention in the past too to such venomous talk against foreigners belonging to certain countries. A man clad in a black dress standing in front of a black-colored wagon holding a microphone in his hand was the source of the xenophobic talk in Moto Yawata station.

On the way from Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, I was reading an article in the online edition of 'Japan Today' that boasted the efforts of Japanese authorities to show the measures they have taken to convince foreigners about the safety in Japan. Yes, Japan is safe for foreigners compared to many other countries. I have hundreds of personal experiences in the past eight years to prove beyond doubt that Japan is safe in many ways, not only for locals but for foreigners too.

I slowed down to understand more about the reasons for his talk. He was talking about the claims made by China over the Senkaku Islands, and people from such countries enjoy their stay here....and he was getting more fire in him as he proceeded. People going out of the station seldom paid attention to his speech. Nobody bothered to pause to hear him. He was full of pride in the past glory of Japan and expressed his anxiety and concerns over the lost sovereign authority. It seemed to me that the things he uttered would not do any good to Japan. He was just polluting the air.

The Japanese government has also been monitoring the hate speech in the country and had released the results of the survey it conducted. The survey conducted for the first time in Japan analyzed the rallies held by the anti-foreign ultraconservative and nationalist groups in the period between April 2012 and September 2015. The authorities analyzed online videos recorded at the demonstrations, as well as other means, including collecting information on calls for gatherings from websites of xenophobic groups.

Leading newspapers in Japan carried the survey results that show violent slogans such as “Get the hell out of Japan,” etc., were repeated frequently. The majority of those rallies were held to protest against certain political issues. Some of those issues included the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea and territorial disputes with China and Korea. Two Koreas and China were the main targets of the verbal abuse by xenophobic groups.

Yes, it is a fact that incidents such as the one I came across at the south exit of Moto-Yawata station happen here, but Japan remains a safe haven for foreigners. Unlike in other countries, such hate speeches rarely take violent, aggressive forms here. Xenophobic rallies are also becoming less common in Japan. So, the conclusion is: Japan is safe for foreigners, and the local people are friendly and helpful to foreigners.