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Is Japan changing and becoming open to more foreigners?
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matador



Joined: 07 Mar 2003
Posts: 281
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 2:56 am    Post subject: Is Japan changing and becoming open to more foreigners? Reply with quote
Q. Are there many non-Japanese (such as Chinese) working in convenience stores like 7/11 in Tokyo? Is it very rare or normal? Thanks.
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Pitarou



Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 3:35 am    Post subject: Re: Is Japan changing and becoming open to more foreigners? Reply with quote
matador wrote:
Q. Are there many non-Japanese (such as Chinese) working in convenience stores like 7/11 in Tokyo? Is it very rare or normal? Thanks.
What the hell has Chinese workers on the graveyard shift got to do with Japan changing and opening up to foreigners?
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hagiwaramai



Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Apparently there's a guy called Lawson working at one Tokyo Lawsons. Big news!
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matador



Joined: 07 Mar 2003
Posts: 281
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Just pondering whether anyone had noticed a trend over the past 3 or so years of more non-Japanese in the workforce particularly in the retail sector.
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Apsara



Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I see non-Japanese (Koreans, Chinese, Indians mostly) working at convenience stores, chain coffee shops like Doutor and fast food places (McDonald's in particular) a lot these days in Tokyo. I've seen Americans working at Starbucks too.

Yes, I'd say it's a trend of the last 4-5 years or so. Whether it means Japan is opening up a lot to foreigners I'm not sure!
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jmatt



Joined: 29 Apr 2012
Posts: 122
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Apsara wrote:
I see non-Japanese (Koreans, Chinese, Indians mostly) working at convenience stores, chain coffee shops like Doutor and fast food places (McDonald's in particular) a lot these days in Tokyo. I've seen Americans working at Starbucks too.

Yes, I'd say it's a trend of the last 4-5 years or so. Whether it means Japan is opening up a lot to foreigners I'm not sure!


Considering that most convenience store transactions only involve a limited number of set phrases (not to say that non-Japanese workers can't speak the language) and very little, if any, chit-chat with customers (at least in Tokyo), makes sense that foreign workers would be in those jobs.
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
jmatt,
I'd have to disagree. There are plenty of things that could be confusing for a clerk to learn. It's not just, "Here's your change. Thank you".

They deal with vendors and questions about paying bills through the mail. They would have to READ a lot, too, especially those forms for paying bills.

Re: Chinese
Be aware that many might not be immigrants. They might have been born here like the zainichi Koreans.
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jmatt



Joined: 29 Apr 2012
Posts: 122
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 7:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Glenski wrote:
jmatt,
I'd have to disagree. There are plenty of things that could be confusing for a clerk to learn. It's not just, "Here's your change. Thank you".

They deal with vendors and questions about paying bills through the mail. They would have to READ a lot, too, especially those forms for paying bills.

Re: Chinese
Be aware that many might not be immigrants. They might have been born here like the zainichi Koreans.


You're right, and that's what I was getting at----though, would the average foreigner be able to tell if the clerk wasn't native born Japanese, but Chinese or Korean raised in Japan?

Along those lines, just sort of compared it to the convenience stores near my house here---lots of social back and forth I'd never experienced in stores in Japan, where things were more formalized.
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GambateBingBangBOOM



Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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