The other day, all old and new JETs in my prefecture received a letter from one of our Prefectural Advisors (PA). The PA's job is to liaise between the JETS and the International Affairs department which has a role in employing and bringing us to Japan. The letter was "in response to an incident that took place not long ago". I'll talk about what the "incident" was after the letter:
September 8, 2008
Dear JETs,
How are you doing? As the 2nd semester of school has now started, your work as a new ALT has finally begun. I hope you will do your best.
There are a few things I would like to ask you. Particularly, I want new JETs to heed what I am going to write.
I think you have already read your working regulations and have received a briefing from Japanese embassies in your countries or from your Contracting Organizations about your status in Japan. Here, you are a special service local government employee. Just like your countries, public servants in Japan are supposed to work for the public welfare, and their salary is paid from the tax money of citizens. Being engaged in the education of children in our prefecture is part of the enhancement of the public welfare.
For this reason, citizens, especially Japanese citizens give a hard look on public servants, and inappropriate behavior as public servants faces strong criticism. Above all, as school teachers are in a position to educate children, any bad behavior on the teachers’ part invites harsh criticism from society. Working regulations also stipulate that impartial punishment shall be imposed on such behavior. The strictest punishment is dismissal.
Taking your position in Japan into account, I would like to remind you of the following things.
Firstly, about drunk driving. Absolutely no driving is allowed under the influence of alcohol. If you do, you face a strict punishment. In addition to the confiscation of the driver’s license and the dismissal from work, severe criminal punishment is imposed. The same can be said when riding a bike. There are people who drink and drive thinking that it might be OK because the amount is small, and consequently, ruin their entire life.
Secondly, how you behave at parties. You are mature working adults and allowed to drink alcohol according to Japanese law. I will not tell you not to drink alcohol. It is all right that you communicate with each other over alcohol and deepen your friendships. However, the law prohibits you from going on a rampage in the streets or causing trouble to others, in a state of extreme intoxication. Obviously, it is inappropriate behavior as public servants. Even if you drunk heavily and don’t remember what you did, you can be punished by Criminal Law and other related laws if you hurt others, steal belongings of others and break into someone’s house. Also, it must be disappointing for you if you get totally drunk and injured. In extreme cases, it could kill you, as there are many cases of death from plunging in to water and drowning while heavily intoxicated. Considering your future and your family, please be very careful about how you drink alcohol.
In addition, you must not coerce other JET members into drinking. Some drink and some don’t. Situations are different depending on their physical condition on the day.
Furthermore, I hope you will always remember to have parties within reasonable bounds. You shouldn’t force other JETs to join a party. It’s also better not to make a party long and to avoid follow-up parties.
Besides the problems associated with drinking, there are many things you must heed, but these things will be taught to you by senior JETs, JTEs and other teachers at your school, and your Contracting Organizations. First and foremost, I would like you to take special care to prevent yourselves from making serious mistakes regarding excessive drinking.
Apart from this email, I intend to ask each Contracting Organization to give you instructions regarding “Strict Ban on Drunk Driving” and “Moderate Drinking”.
I truly hope that you will have a happy life in Fukushima without facing any accidents and troubles.
Yours sincerely,
Koji Kuboki
Director, International Affairs Division
Fukushima Prefectural Government
Now to the supposed incident which I assume is the incident in question since I haven't heard of anything else happening. Over a month ago, some JETs went out for a night's worth of partying and fun. One JET (a newbie) decided to rock up on his bike. As the night drew to a close and with everyone well merry and drunk, a taxi was called and everyone began to pack into the taxi. However, said JET was adamant that he was going to ride home on his bike even in his well intoxicated state and after clearly instructed to do so by another longer serving JET.
Of went said JET on his bike and not surprisingly he falls off his bike numerous times (he has the facial scars to prove it). After a while, he decided that it's time to pass out so he opens the door to some random house and passes out in the hallway.
(This is where details become sketchy).
Soon after, the kids in the house wake up and find a drunken gaijin passed out on the floor. They're shocked so Mum comes over to see what the commotion is and is equally shocked. The police are called and said JET wakes up in a drunk tank at the police station. Some say one of the kids fell over whilst in the process of being shocked and hurt him/herself and that Mum had to take time off work to deal with the matter (and probably clean up the spot that the JET was sleeping on).
Now the interesting thing was that this incident happened well over a month ago. The week after it happened, all new JETs were at an orientation and obviously gossip was flying quick and fast about what happened. We were seriously addressed by some guy from the Internation Affairs department and for most, a connection was made to the recent incident.
There were a number of things that I found interesting about this letter. Firstly, this letter came a month and a bit after the incident happened. I would think that it had missed the boat given that a significant amount of time had passed. Whilst other older JETs did not receive the verbal version of the letter since they were not at th aforementioned orientation, this letter has woken up sleeping dogs. Those who did not know about "the incident" (and there are a significant amount) have started to ask about what the incident was, creating a game of Chinese Whispers. Time has passed but still the incident has been brought back for show again which really is unnecessary.
Secondly, the content of the letter is hypocritical and contradictory. First and foremost, we were openly addressed as "mature adults". But throughout the letter, a condescending tone was taken to talk to us and about our actions. Reading the letter, I felt that Kuboki-san, a middle aged Japanese man, had suddenly transformed into a little middle aged Chinese lady that I called "Mrs Au-Yeung". To tell us to be careful of excessive drinking, of not coercing others to drink and attend parties and to limit parties to a certain hour is just plain condescending. Most JETs are in their 20s and as such, have either lived on their own during college or have held down full time jobs. Whilst I cannot vouch for the maturity of everyone participating in the programme, it does give me the impression that, rather than present a gentle reminder of our actions, it is pointing out things that Kobuki-san feels that we do not know.
The most important aspect to me is how hypocritical the letter is. Throughout our countless orientations and workshops, we were told to about things to expect and follow. That as a new teacher you would have "enkais", welcoming parties held in your honour where everyone loosens and relaxes through food and drink. That it is polite to have your cup topped up constantly and to do the same as well. That we are in Japan, the land of nomihodai (all you can drink). To then have someone tell us that we should be careful of intoxication and our drinking behaviour is contradictory. The culture promotes drinking (I swear there are at least 3 beer ads during any given commercial break) and is seen as a way to relax and get to know folks. So which one are we meant to listen to: drink, have fun and get to know your fellow colleagues? Or don't drink because you will get drunk and go on "rampages" and be prosecuted for it?
The other week I was invited to a party to celebrate the hard work put in by the teachers during the school festival. We had nomihodai and some of us went to play darts and had ramen to cap off the night. Whoops, seems like my Japanese teachers led me astray from what Kuboki-san reminded me about. And of course we drank responsibly and everyone caught a taxi home. This just further emphasises my first point about the condescending nature of the letter.
Thirdly, a lot of the letter comes across as being lost in translation. Apparently the letter was translated by the in-house translator who is not a native speaker of English. The two CIRs (a Canadian and New Zealander) were not consulted in regards to the letter. A lot of cultural nuances and phrases are obviously wrong and could have been written better. I can see that the intention may have been to offer a gentle reminder. From all accounts, Kuboki-san is a nice guy who is keen about having JETs and keeping the programme alive. However, it is unfortunate that it has created negative responses amongst the JET community. Some are seeing the letter as being "racist" or "discriminatory". Others like me are seeing it as hypocritical or condescending. Of course we all may be wrong and have misread it due to a language problem or being oversensitive. But the stereotype that we are being painted with the same brush, that what happens to one foreigner means it will be the same for the other foreigner, stays.
I myself find the letter funny and as further material to use in future anecdotes. Of course we are all mature adults who are not out to jeopardise our jobs or careers. Of course we do not become Hulk-esque figures and start going on our rampage with out suddenly boosted gaijin powers after a drink or two. Of course everyone wants to have fun with a drink or two. As such, I treat the letter as evidence that things can get lost in translation and how it can produce unwanted results. Unfortunately it has already produced some negative results. Even more unfortunate is that it has produced this mega-long and boring post that took nearly 2 hours to write.
I didn't realise it but it's been nearly six weeks away from Sydney and nearly six weeks without having seen the sea.
