Job Discussion Forums

[Brooks]

beats me, but at my XAX gym I was told directly that if I had a tattoo, I was not welcome.
The amount of paperwork was excessive. It must have taken at least thirty minutes. I also had to bring my passport and they wanted to see my credit card. It made me wonder if they had bad experiences with foreign men using their gym without paying.

When I first signed up with J-Phone I had to show my credit card. J-Phone makes me pay by credit card because they have had the problems of gaijins leaving Japan before paying their cell phone bills.

Brooks

[Mike L.]

Hey Brooks, sounds like you're getting abit of a rough ride.

J-Phone mails my bill to my house. I only showed my gaijin card to get my phone. I was also impressed with the English follow up call. They really seem to want my business. I'm sure they want yours too.

They have an English service number. From your J-phone keitai dial 157. I never called it though as I've only had the phone for 3 months.

You should dial it up and demand that they mail the bill to your house. If they refuse threaten to call a consumer complaint number. They do exist. Sorry I don't know the Japanese for this but you'll probably be talking to a gaijin.

If anyone knows of one please post some info here.

I used this threat to take care of a simmilar grievence against AU. The moment I said those words they gave way very quickly.

Any problems at the gym might be approached in a simillar manner.

I've found that if you make it clear that you won't accept any type of institutional discrimination or racism, such as making gaijin jump through hoops for a cel-phone, that "pure minded, honest Japanese" do not, you'll generally do well here.

Be polite, but firm.

As to racism from regular people well that I just tolerate as it's usually based on ignorance and fear. Fair enough, if you don't know any better and watch Japanese TV which often portrays foreign people as thieves and criminals, than a different impression can be made through your polite behaviour.

Saw one program a while back that followed the capture of a petty thief and concluded that "of course the criminal is a foreigner!" This was pretty blatant compared to the more suttle references, along the same lines, one catches in the media.

Also, the excuse that Gainjin don't pay there bills is bulls**t. Japanese people skip out on their bills all the time. The previous tennant in my apt didn't pay a large electricity bill. Rent too, as eviction is quite difficult here.

Japanese people are just like anybody else: most people pay their bills, a small minority don't.

Companies know better than discriminate against foreign residents. Recent court cases have helped.

In one recent case, a real estate agency in Akebane (near Tokyo) asked the skin colour of a man from India when he called looking for an aprtment. It cost them 500, 000 yen in court. I guess they were foolish enough to admit it in court.

Slowly but surely these small annoyances "becasue you are a gaijin" are dissapearing. After 4 years here I think it has become a more tolerant country.

Not that any country is free of discrimination. My native Canada included.

If you decide to pursue the J-phone matter let us know how you fare.

Good luck!

[Vince]

After reading the post about XAX and tattoos, I remember that the salesperson at Tipness told me to cover any tattoos I have. She didn't ask if I had one, just said to cover it up if I did. I throw my towel over my shoulder as I go to and from the shower. I've forgotten a few times, and nobody seemed to care.

[Dean T]

Im in Nagoya,

any advice here for where i should look for a gym ?....i live in Sakae / shin sakae however chickusa and nagoya itself are easily accessible