Just saw the news on tv and the Tokyo Fishmarket will be closed for foreigners/tourists for one month as a reaction to the bad behaviour of some tourists. They showed some footage of a French guy really provocing the people who work there, speaking in rude broken Japanese and one of the working people shouting back in broken English "go out!" Pretty sad sight. Other guys where smoking next to the tuna, even licking it. going into area's where they are not supposed to, etc. I can imagine it is a real pest for the working people. But really another sad case of how some people put the whole foreign community in a bad spotlight and the media who eagerly report the topic. Like recently the foreigners dealing drugs in Tokyo. Anybody else seen it? Or some more incidents?

ouch! that sucks giving foreigners a bad name can't blame them though...i guess maybe did teh police get involved in the fishmarket thing?

:-(

didn't hear any mention of police on the news. I think it was a managerial decision. Because of the continuation over time of those small incidences they want to send out a strong signal.

Yeah, I saw that on the news. I thought they were Frech college students on a foreign tour. One moron was riding the fork portion of the forklift. I'm guessing they were doing much worse to get a Japanese man to yell at what is essentially a guest.

To be fair, I thought that Japanese Obama impersonator was equally offensive in his actions. More so as he was being paid to it. Granted, we just saw what was filmed, and probably none of the appologies done later.

Is this news video online anywhere?

The Obama one too?

Of course it gets closed the instant I wanted to visit it. Where am I going to lick sufficient amounts of Tuna now?

...that's a really weird thing to do.

If I recall, David Arubito sued an onsen place that barred foreigners in Hokkaido. Some Russian sailors had gotten drunk and were scaring away the customers. Anyway, he won the case.

Ah Japan, where 1 foreigner or small group of foreigners = All foreigners

wait wait wait a guy not Japanese won a legal case in japan? wow i didn't think it was possible sweet.....

But what do they think to achieve by forbidding entrance to foreigners for one month? To teach the whole world how to behave so that in the future something like this won't happen again?
The Japanese approach to education is an interesting one...

Jasta Wrote:Just saw the news on tv and the Tokyo Fishmarket will be closed for foreigners/tourists for one month as a reaction to the bad behaviour of some tourists. They showed some footage of a French guy really provocing the people who work there, speaking in rude broken Japanese and one of the working people shouting back in broken English "go out!" Pretty sad sight. Other guys where smoking next to the tuna, even licking it. going into area's where they are not supposed to, etc. I can imagine it is a real pest for the working people. But really another sad case of how some people put the whole foreign community in a bad spotlight and the media who eagerly report the topic. Like recently the foreigners dealing drugs in Tokyo. Anybody else seen it? Or some more incidents?

Here's an interesting question...

How do they know whether are not a person is foreign? Are they going by looks, language, or passports? Seriously.

"I'd like to go into the fish market." "Oh, wait, lemme see some ID....Says here you're from Norway." "Huh, no it doesn't. I'm from Hokkaido." "Nope, It definitely says Norway." "Common, I'm speaking fluent Japanese." "Sorry, can't let you in." "WTF?"

This is not undestandable at all. This is insane. LOL

On drugs.

That "foreigner" passing out the dope could very well be a Japanese native. Especially considering this is happening in Tokyo.

Everyone loves a scandal. And unfortunately, like here in America, it reveals a lot about the market the news program's seeking to reach.

I will be happy when America finally gets it's troops out of Japan and into Guam. Nothing gives foreigners as bad of a name as when one of those guys rapes some young girl. It makes me ashamed to be an American everytime they make the Japanese news.

bodhisamaya Wrote:I will be happy when America finally gets it's troops out of Japan and into Guam. Nothing gives foreigners as bad of a name as when one of those guys rapes some young girl. It makes me ashamed to be an American everytime they make the Japanese news.

Then again, a lot of Japanese men rape young girls. It's just sick people at one location (The army just happens to have a higher ratio of sick people).

I think this situation is stupid, they can't ban all foreigners just because of a few retards. I guess it's because of this stupid media situation where a lot of westerners seriously think it's all "wacky japan" where people have shitty underware tournaments every day etc. They see the "YATTA" movie and think Japanese really act like that and think they can do whatever they want when they visit "wacky Japan". It makes me sick and I'm always pissed off when I see white people who doesn't know shit about Japan go there and mess stuff up for the rest of us.

@kaze

It's actually not just foreigners being barred, it's tourists in general. This news story was written specifically about an auction in which spectators were never officially allowed but were not shooed away since they weren't causing huge problems in the past. It's simply one of those stories that has been spun into some kind of headline that suggests discrimination where none really exists.

Access has been restricted since April when traders first complained about flash photography interfering with hand signals. The auction has even made an official statement that they will not be singling anybody out and that part of the reason they are doing it is just because of general crowding issues for the time of year.

@ bodhi

Every army serving abroad has had it's share of rape scandals I'm sure, but yeah, I think they should be closing those bases as well. Nobody ever gave the US a free pass to police the world and yet we do.

As far as stories like this go, the Japanese media sees largely what it wants to see and what it thinks will appeal to Japanese readers; in this case it's a story about barbaric gaijin and peaceful pure Japanese, a classic bias.

Dragg Wrote:@kaze

It's actually not just foreigners being barred, it's tourists in general. This news story was written specifically about an auction in which spectators were never officially allowed but were not shooed away since they weren't causing huge problems in the past. It's simply one of those stories that has been spun into some kind of headline that suggests discrimination where none really exists.

It was early in the morning so I only watched tv with a half eye/ear open. But still I heard
"外国人”　repeatedly in the report and the footage was showing only distinct non-asian tourists. I think the report was a tad suggestive if the reason they barred the place was more out of capacity problems.
Anyway, my main point for posting this was to express my disgust for people who behave in that way, not to make any claim on discrimination.

Dragg Wrote:@kaze

It's actually not just foreigners being barred, it's tourists in general. This news story was written specifically about an auction in which spectators were never officially allowed but were not shooed away since they weren't causing huge problems in the past. It's simply one of those stories that has been spun into some kind of headline that suggests discrimination where none really exists.

My question still stands. How do they known whether or not a person is a tourist/foreigner/lipstick-lesbian at a "fish-market"?

Discrimination is irrelevant. I know the story's probably sensationalized to get attention. I just don't get the how.

Quote:It makes me ashamed to be an American everytime they make the Japanese news.

You are not responsible for the actions of an idiot. You are not to blame. There is nothing you could have done to stop it. The only one's who should feel ashamed are the perpertrator of the crime and his/her parents.

Tourists tend to stand out.

If you're dressed in street clothes, have a backpack, and are taking photos, you're probably a tourist. If you're wearing galoshes/boots and an apron and are obviously working, you're probably not a tourist.

What about customers?

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/12/15/idi...-tour.html

etpan Wrote:http://www.boingboing.net/2008/12/15/idi...-tour.html

I can see why they didn't like the first group. But the guy at the end said he asked. He was framed I tell you framed!

But still, where are the customers. Unless this not really a market so much as a processing area called a market. If that's the case I don't even see why it's news worthy.

I was there not so long ago and I think it's a shame that these idiots had to ruin it for others. It's difficult enough not getting run over by crazy fork-lift drivers but it's a place of business and they are kind enough to let tourists in to see them do what they do everyday. So long as you are respectful, there's no problem.

I would like to point out in that video they are *English* tourists who have a pretty bad reputation.

bodhisamaya Wrote:I will be happy when America finally gets it's troops out of Japan and into Guam. Nothing gives foreigners as bad of a name as when one of those guys rapes some young girl. It makes me ashamed to be an American everytime they make the Japanese news.

Right, because every other American besides the US Military is the Angel of Virtue? Here's a hint: The Military, much like the Prison System, is a reflection of the Society that Sponsors it. True, no one in the US military has yet to cut up a Philippian Hostess lady in Tokyo and try wash the remains in a laundry mat and store it in a locker, AGAIN. However, comparing all of Japan against the act of one (or 1 thousand) deranged Japanese is akin to comparing all of the US military against the act of 2 Marines and 1 Sailor in Okinawa 13 years ago.

Is there a point. Nope. Just saying that the military draws it's people from the US population. In addition, Japan has a bad habit of forgiving it's own for actions that would get a US service member front page treatment. So, the Japanese are hypocrites and the US military are overweight, lack morals and a respect for authority. Your Mileage May Vary.

b0ng0 Wrote:I would like to point out in that video they are *English* tourists who have a pretty bad reputation.

The article was correct though, they are literally British tourists. One could easily go further with the hand washing and say "Well, they're Londoners, the rest of England isn't like that." It's also just as unnecessary. Sensible people should realise that all groupings of people will have their share of nutters and not tar all of them with the same brush.

I love how they wrote half of what 'the foreigners' said in katakana.

b0ng0 Wrote:I was there not so long ago and I think it's a shame that these idiots had to ruin it for others. It's difficult enough not getting run over by crazy fork-lift drivers but it's a place of business and they are kind enough to let tourists in to see them do what they do everyday. So long as you are respectful, there's no problem.

I would like to point out in that video they are *English* tourists who have a pretty bad reputation.

So you've actually been to this place? Could you tell me a little bit about it please.