My sister lived in Japan for like a decade, and she sometimes complained to me that she'd try to talk to people in Japanese (she is quite fluent in it) but they'd respond in English because she's very clearly not ethnically Japanese. Sometimes she would keep replying in Japanese but a lot of people never switched to it, so it would get weird and she'd eventually switch back to English.
So, you know, stuff like that might also play a role. Japan is a kind of weird example for this because it's a very insular culture that can often be pretty xenophobic.
edit to add: Also, I'm pretty sure JET (the main way that Americans get to live and work in Japan) actively discourages fluent Japanese speakers from applying, or at least used to. My sister tried to apply with them right after graduation (after spending a year in Japan as a student) and was told that her fluency in Japanese was actually a problem, because it's an immersion program and they don't want teachers falling back on communication in Japanese. Or that was my understanding, I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong. This was like 25 years ago, my memory is not that great and also things may have changed a lot.
Tbh, it's moreso Japanese wanting to practice their English than anything bigoted really. They're very socially awkward, and they often do that. When I was in Japan I would respond in Japanese and they would do the same thing, but some returnees (born in Japan, moved overseas, and then moved back to Japan) assured me they deal with the same thing even though they're ethnically Japanese. Once they found out they were returnees, random people would respond in English to them as well even though fluency was apparent. Granted there are still bigoted reasons but I found it's mostly just practice opportunities for them, at least in Nagano, Tokyo and Osaka.
it's moreso Japanese wanting to practice their English than anything bigoted
Kinda yes, kinda no.
Two things: first, assuming any racial minority you meet 1. can't speak Japanese and 2. therefore can speak English is, in fact, a kind of bigotry.
In the US, we consider it rude to say "ni hao" to every east Asian we meet, and Japanese people agree that it's rude to make assumptions like that. We all agree that it's inappropriate and rude, so it's strange to hold Japan to a lower standard.
But also, the Japanese education system basically teaches children that they only need English to teach foreigners how to behave, so "just wanting to practice English" isn't really what's happening. Like, why would you assume I'm here to give free English lessons? Why can't you just talk to me normally? If I'm a customer, how about addressing me properly?
Like, fine, let's debate if it's bigotry or not, but I can think of very, very few situations where treating a stranger as a"practice opportunity" isn't super fucking rude.
In the U.S we speak in Spanish to most Latinos who don't speak English despite there being Portuguese, and regional dialects, so lets get passed that. Happens in the service industry, medical industry, etc., so i don't agree with you on your first point. Same with how we forget Canadians often speak French, or confusing Europeans with each other (i.e., Germans and Swedes).
Also, the majority of tourists in Japan are either from English-speaking nations, or have a firm grasp on the English language. It'd be silly to assume foreigners speak a different language besides English, unless they're privy to the foreigner's background.
Second point - it happens in the states as well. In college there were people who would try and practice languages of different nations with those hailing from those same nationalities. Same in the military, whenever we had joint operations and training with foreign nations despite these scenarios being in English. No one took offense. Also, I don't get your second point entirely. Are you jilted by the Japanese speaking to you in English, or are you jilted that they aren't reciprocating conversation in Japanese? Another point is that they're taught English because English is the universal business language, and because they've had a history of it. It's why English was compulsory before and during WW2, despite there being very little tourism from western countries.
So is it bigotry? No, because they're not being prejudicial. If it's rude, then just ask them to speak in Japanese. If they continue to disregard that then, sure, it's rude.
In the U.S we speak in Spanish to most Latinos who don't speak English despite there being Portuguese, and regional dialects, so lets get passed that
Is it considered polite in the US to go up to brown-skinned people and speak Spanish at them "as a practice opportunity"? Since you're either being dishonest here or pretending to be stupid, I'll answer for you: no, it is not.
the majority of tourists in Japan
We're not talking about tourists, though. I'm not a tourist.
it happens in the states as well.
Again, is it considered polite in the US to approach people, assume a language based on their race, and use them for practice? Again, you're being dishonest and clearly not pretending to be stupid, so I'll answer for you: no, what the fuck are you talking about? You will get your ass kicked in the US if you do that.
in the military, whenever we had joint operations and training with foreign nations despite these scenarios being in English
Wait, what??? Nobody's talking about joint exercises.
No one took offense
Because they signed up for a seminar in English you dipshit. That's a completely different thing from what everyone else is talking about.
Also, I don't get your second point entirely. Are you jilted by the Japanese speaking to you in English, or are you jilted that they aren't reciprocating conversation in Japanese?
Huh? I live here. I want people to act normal around me? What the fuck are you not understanding here?
they're taught English because English is the universal business language
Again, you aren't understanding - I'm not talking about the reason why they study English, I'm talking about how it's taught. Y'know, because I used to teach English here.
So is it bigotry? No, because they're not being prejudicial
Except they are. Like, they will openly say it to your face.
If it's rude, then just ask them to
Or maybe people can just have manners and not say rude shit to strangers?
Except, I guess that is actually too difficult for you because you genuinely think it's ok to go up to random Latinos and speak Spanish at them just because of their race.
Holy shit, you actually are just too stupid and racist to understand why that's not okay.
The tourist thing made me laugh. I get the same thing when I talk about people singling me out when they hear my accent. "Well maybe they don't like/aren't used to/curious about tourists".
Living and working here close to ten years, paying taxes, owning property, taking children to school, etc = tourist? Yes they know I'm not a tourist; I'm everywhere a tourist wouldn't be 😂
The assumption is if you're different, you're only here for a short time and should be singled out. Hmmmp.
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u/Loud_Insect_7119 2d ago edited 2d ago
My sister lived in Japan for like a decade, and she sometimes complained to me that she'd try to talk to people in Japanese (she is quite fluent in it) but they'd respond in English because she's very clearly not ethnically Japanese. Sometimes she would keep replying in Japanese but a lot of people never switched to it, so it would get weird and she'd eventually switch back to English.
So, you know, stuff like that might also play a role. Japan is a kind of weird example for this because it's a very insular culture that can often be pretty xenophobic.
edit to add: Also, I'm pretty sure JET (the main way that Americans get to live and work in Japan) actively discourages fluent Japanese speakers from applying, or at least used to. My sister tried to apply with them right after graduation (after spending a year in Japan as a student) and was told that her fluency in Japanese was actually a problem, because it's an immersion program and they don't want teachers falling back on communication in Japanese. Or that was my understanding, I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong. This was like 25 years ago, my memory is not that great and also things may have changed a lot.