Extrapolation and Extension
Now consider the foreigner whose primary
identity
within the group is almost always his foreignness. Such people can be
very useful to Japanese seeking change, so long as they are not
identified too closely with them. On the one hand, the foreign presence
elevates the prestige of the group by making it appear international;
on the other hand, because the foreigner is not considered Japanese
anything that he says or does can easily be excused or admonished by
the simple fact that he is foreign. Thus, whoever can befriend the
foreigner can also utilise the friendship to bring about change within
his group. This is especially true when the foreigner suffers from a
Japanese language deficit and is unable to perceive clearly how he is
being used.
Of course, some foreigners do
not seem to care how
they are used, just so long as they can achieve their own selfish ends,
be it special guest treatment, a lucrative pecuniary reward, or simply "
gaijin
attention".
44
Moreover, when it comes to bringing about change within the
group, these same foreigners regard any reflection of their own culture
in Japanese society as a feather in the cap of their ethnocentric
pride. Insofar as many Japanese are forever stating how different and
unique Japanese society is, one can easily understand the motivation
for such feelings.
The foreign presence is best utilised when
hesitancy on the part of other members of the group is discovered, or
when the Japanese innovator is afraid of potential risks associated
with his innovation. In short,
new ideas that can be reformulated in such a way that they appear to be
coming from the outside sometimes have a better chance of being
received and therefore succeeding. If the idea succeeds, everyone is
happy, and both the Japanese and his foreign guest receive credit. If
the idea fails, then it is easily overlooked, because it was never
Japanese to begin with, and everyone can laugh. What do foreigners know
about Japan anyway? Certainly some Japanese are more adept at this game
than others. Many play it unconsciously, because they have been playing
it ever since they realized the general status of foreigners in
Japanese society. Such realizations can be made very early in life.
Many foreigners struggling to gain entry into
Japanese society never learn how to play the game, because their meager
proficiency in the Japanese language simply does not permit them to
find out. Then too, many are told by their foreign predecessors, who
are avid players and reap important benefits from their own exploited
positions. Although mutual exploitation can be mutually satisfying, it
is not necessarily the basis for a strong friendship. This appears to
be the tragedy of many of the relationships formed between Japanese and
their foreign friends. Fortunately, not all relationships
between Japanese and foreigners are formed in this manner, but mutual
exploitation appears to be the norm, rather than the exception.
If the foreigner is diligent, he will realize on
his own how he is being exploited, and like those before him learn to
exploit his own exploited position to his advantage. The game can
be played indefinitely or suddenly come to an end depending on the
predisposition of those who are exploited. Many foreigners living in
Japan like the game, because neither side feels obligated toward the
other, and so long as the exploitation is balanced, the game is fair
and can be played indefinitely. In effect, it is cooperative game with
limited cooperation
in which each side wins something, but neither side is able to maximize
the full-potential of the relationship.
Unfortunately, the only way to secure a
friendship
under such circumstances is for both sides to acknowledge that there is
something more to being foreign in Japan than being other. This is
difficult to achieve. Foreigners in Japan are too few in number and
scattered too far about to bring about the changes needed on their own,
and most Japanese are unwilling to challenge the status quo. In the
end, the foreigner remains, not because he enjoys being exploited,
rather because he is either not aware of the exploitation, or
because he knows and takes advantage of his exploited position and
exploits back.
44 The
term "
gaijin attention" refers to the special treatment --
either negative or positive -- that one invariably receives in Japanese
society by virtue of one's foreigness. The Japanese word
gaijin
(外人 or foreigner) is an abbreviation of the word
gaikokujin
(外国人 or foreigner) which means someone from a country outside of
Japan. This latter term is nearly equivalent in meaning to the German
word
Ausländer. Many people believe that the term
gaijin
is a deprecative rendering of its more formal
gaikokujin
counterpart. To the extent that it is employed more often in a
negative than positive context no one appears to know.