racist or just plain fucking smallminded?

[GuyJean]

Go postal, bro!

If it makes you feel any better, government offices in the States are notoriously hellish experiences as well.. But you can usually sue someone.. or shoot them.

Here, you're just another FUCKED GAIJIN! Welcome!

british drivers licence holders don`t need to take a written or practical test

Get an international license. Why do you need a worthless Japanese license?

Or, don't get a license at all. I drove for ten years without one.. You actually drive MUCH better!

Or, make 4 copies of EVERY possible paper size. Then make them choose which one they need. It's always nice to jiggle those Japanese ben WA balls.

GJ

[Big Booger]

I got mine, took fucking 9 hours, but I got it...

I could have told you about the fucking copying crap... they are not racists.. they are just sticklers. They love doing to anyone applying for a fucking drivers license because they know that they have your ass over a barrel...

I got mine in one day,arrived at 9:00am, waited in line, had to take the written test (10:00 am, passed, had to submit paperwork 12:00pm, passed (had my copies hehehe), then had to wait until nearly 3:00pm to take the driving test, passed, then had to wait till 4:00pm to receive card saying I passed, 4:45 got the license, 5:00 headed home.

Luckily another gaijin had taken the test prior to me, and I had asked them what was involved.

what you could have done is slipped him an ichiman yen bill, give him a wink, and bam, the fucking copies would have been done hehehe

Make sure your UK license is translated officially (JAF) like you said and you have copies of both sides of it as well.. if not your ass is going back to the copier.. I was told even if it is blank, you still need to copy it...
also you might want to get there earlier this time, if possible so if something is fucked you can fix it...

What you could have also done was grab the beady eyed SOB right by the ring of the neck, tossed his ass aside, and made your copies. hehehe then lay 2 hyaku yen down, and tell him lets proceed.
LOL
BB

[groovewonder]

i know this is aside from the topic, but why the f*ck is it that the j*panese are the worse f*cking sticklers in the whole f*cking g*d d*mn world. don't they know the meaning of s*mplicity? don't they know they make work as hard for themselves as it needs to be? j*sus ch*ist!!!

[den4]

i know this is aside from the topic, but why the f*ck is it that the j*panese are the worse f*cking sticklers in the whole f*cking g*d d*mn world. don't they know the meaning of s*mplicity? don't they know they make work as hard for themselves as it needs to be? j*sus ch*ist!!!

The J-rules are simple. You follow the rules, even the unspoken, unwritten ones that you find out the hard way, and everything goes smoothly....when you want to buck the system and break or bend the rules, then you have the problems.

Alternatively, taken from the other person's perspective, why should they break/bend the rules for one ballistic/going-postal gaijin anyway? As far as they are concerned, all of the other FGs seem to go through the system with relatively minor annoyances but remain silent....claiming racism just because you didn't get things done in a timely fashion at your convenience doesn't make it racism...and going ballistic does not help your case at all, regardless of whether you are in the right or not.

Simple thing to remember, and this applies to some of my posts as well, is that the system and rules that are in place in Japan are not the same as you're familiar with in your own home country, they weren't designed to be so, and they aren't going to be changed for any individual, no matter how much they scream or shout or rant or rave...

Enough preaching...

But if you're all upset because of a driver's license, then, heh heh heh, wait until you have to deal with the friendly folks at the immigration office in your local prefecture....or your particular embassy, should you be way outside of Tokyo....then you'll know what a real bad day is....

good luck!

[groovewonder]

But if you're all upset because of a driver's license, then, heh heh heh, wait until you have to deal with the friendly folks at the immigration office in your local prefecture....or your particular embassy, should you be way outside of Tokyo....then you'll know what a real bad day is....good luck!

Been there, done that. Actually, I've lived in Japan for 19 years, so I know that rules are different here than they are in the states. I don't even remember living in the states, except for college. However, as a person, I'm still allowed to get pissed. I love the japanese as a people, but one thing I do hate against this culture is they love paperwork, and they love procedure.

Haven't even tried the driver's license thing yet. Satisfied with my intl. license and just know how much of a bitch it'll be. I did, however, have to waste a lot of time at the immigration office!! repeatedly! worse than cops, i hate the folks at immigration.. i know it's their job to be dicks, but geez.

[Big Booger]

your international license is now garbage if you have been living here for more than a year. They just passed a law in June of 2002, demanding that gaijin living in japan for more than 1 year must get a Japanese license.
YOur insurance will not cover you if you are in an accident and have been living here for more than a year, unless you go back to your country for 3 months out of the year...

Just thought I'd pass it on. I actually bought my International drivers license in May, then in October I received this fax about the licensing change...

Might want to check up on it.
But I think your international license is now garbage in Japan.
BB

[Kurofune]

They just passed a law in June of 2002, demanding that gaijin living in japan for more than 1 year must get a Japanese license.

Thanks for posting that. I've been putting off getting a Japanese license, but now I'll just get it over with. Besides, I'm sick of using my gaijin card--with my nationality, place of birth, visa info, and place of work printed on it--as ID.

I was in an insurance office near a US military base several years ago and saw a military guy who was applying for insurance submit his int'l driver licence. The clerk told him that "international driver licenses aren't very welcome in Japan" and didn't accept his application.

[Big Booger]

I wish I had known about it last year.. then I wouldn't have wasted the time to get another International Drivers license...
BB

[groovewonder]

mm.. not quite garbage.. mine's still valid for another 5 months!!!

i got married seven months ago and my status changed from S.O.F.A. (status of forces agreement) to having a japanese wife..

i do appreciate the heads up. i never got that fax about the intl. license expiring after a year... that sucks.. won't bother getting another one.. oh well.. if only one of my "get rich quick" plots would work or those dudes in nigeria would pay me my $41,000,000 U.S.D. i could just get a driver for myself.. or pay for a cab.. would rather do that than waste a day pushing papers..

[den4]

I found the immigration office was fine, assuming you got in line and got to see the bloody officers before noon....after that it was all downhill.....but that was assuming you had all your paperwork in order....

The SOBs at the embassy (US) were real jerkoffs, and the thing is you had to have all your paperwork then and there, and many times even they didn't seem to know what you needed...
and if you didn't have the right one, then "sorry, but please get it and come back again tomorrow." Not so bad if you live near Tokyo, but if you lived, say way out in Hokkaido or Kyushu, then you're really F'd.....since chances are you'd have to get the paperwork from your local ward office that has to have the hanko (official stamp) to authorize it, and have a duplicate of it translated into English, even if the clerk you're seeing is a Japanese person.
Not that I agree with the terrorists, but after getting such BS treatment from my own embassy, I can understand why somebody would want to bomb it....and yes, the J-folks do love their paperwork....about as bad as the Vogons in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...hmm.....I wonder if Douglas Adams came up with some of the stuff from his travels around the world....I'm sure some of the stuff applies to J-land.....too bad there isn't any Engrish in H2G2....

[Kurofune]

I found the immigration office was fine...

Other than an administrative misunderstanding that was quickly cleaned up and apologized for, I haven't had any problems with immigration either. The key to dealing with them is to have all your paperwork ready (in a protective folder so it doesn't get folded or dirty) and go nicely dressed (preferably in a suit)]you[/i] to ask me for my gensen choshuhyo?"

The SOBs at the embassy (US) were real jerkoffs...

They can be nasty, but they happily made the phone call that cleaned up the immigration administrative problem I mentioned above. Having spent time in the US military I know how to talk to US govt types, but I still have my guard up when I go there.

[Kyoto Gaijin]

Getting my japanese driver's license was a breeze, sure the test centre was a train ride and a bus ride away and took about an hour and a half to get to but the actual process only took 1 or 2 hours, no written or driving test, just an eye test. (because I already have an english license)

The rule (as with the immigration office) is simply to get there early, as the place opens, its not hard - just requires waking up at normal non-FG times.

Getting my american driver's license when I lived in California was a horrendous affair on the other hand, there must have been 200 people in the line, I had to take a written test and a driving test *and* give them my national insurance no. for no apparent reason. (which legally they're not allowed to do - however they simply won't give you a license if you don't show it to them)

It took 2 weeks for all the paperwork, and about 2 years off my life expectancy.

they weren't being racist either - they were just being shit, as they were to all the americans in the place too.

[Big Booger]

IN the US, I got my license in 40 minutes. Walked in, filled out the form, sat down, was second in line, took eye exam, took written test 20 questions, less than 10 minutes.. was very simple.

Then took the driver test immediately after the written. Drove around the block.
No sweat.

In Japan, they stick to "other-side drivers."
The Brits, Aussies, and Kiwis have it too easy.
BB

[n o i s e s]

it's me, i'm teardrops, who posted the original rant.

i went back this past monday. it took 4 hours but i had x10001 copies of everybloodthing i could think of & they remembered me & one guy freaked as soon as he saw me in the queue. they made me go through all the hoops & even wasted an extra hour of my time right at the end just as i was about to get the card because some vengenced bastard spotted that earlier another section had apparently innocently mistakenly typed my family/christian names in the wrong order & i had to go right on back & get it fixed, & then queue again...

the whole experience has shifted soemthing inside my brain, japan is not the same colour & it won't be again, i finally realised that although i love my job & i love my girl, i can't stay here. i'm gonna give it another year, but i know i'm gonna end up all twisted out of shape if i build my life here like i'd always thought i would.

i mean, what if a real emergency came up, an earthquake, a medical emergency, a car crash; it's not just the missing photocopy that lead to me having to go back again on monday... it's as though my whole life here is missing a copy of something somewhere & somebody someday is gonna check soemthing & point out the error.

these people don't want us here, not any of us.

[cstaylor]

these people don't want us here, not any of us.

Ultra, could this be the new tagline for FG?

[Steve Bildermann]

I know it's an old joke but the first five years *are* the hardest. You have to learn the life lessons of Japan that we all do. It can't be pre-studied. All Gaijin bring to Japan their own particular uniqueness and because they *are * Gaijin they also bring their own pride in that uniqueness. It's because we are taught to respect and admire (and reward) the person who stands out from the crowd.

Get this straight. Japan does value or reward the individual. AND In fact as you found out Japan punishes the individual for disturbing the harmony - now yes I know I'm waxing lyrical but if you intend to stay any length of time you'd had better learn that one fact and learn it really well. If you won't learn it (thinking that you are the one exception to the rule) you are so going to be the 'fly on the windshield'

Rant and rave all you want. It won't make any difference. You are outnumbered.

My lesson was learned early at the old Judo Kodokan at Suidobashi. I was young, good and I knew it. I could wipe the floor with just about anybody who came my way and so it was I strode onto the mat and proceeded to give these Japanese guys a lesson. First five or six yudansha fell to my might and power, next five or six were a little tougher and the next five or six were damn hard AND STILL THEY CAME. By the time I had taken on thirty guys I was totally fucked and 10 year old kids were throwing me around like a rag doll. I went home rested, came back the next day and got my hat handed to me again. I soon found out to pick my fights and to stop trying to be supergaijin.

I'm not going to go on and on (thank god the crowd sighs) but I'll give you one of Steve's golden gaijin guidelines.

If you want to change someone's opinion in Japan stop saying what you want and start sharing the problem with them. Simply say:

'Do shimasho' (What shall we do)

The effect is to immediately put the onus on the other person to come up with a mutually agreed solution.

Try it - you'll see what I mean.

I have more golden gaijin guidelines but I'm saving them for my upcoming book.

[Taro Toporific]

Simply say:
'Do shimasho' (What shall we do)
I have more golden gaijin guidelines but I'm saving them for my upcoming book.

Here's my fav when dealing with the cops: Sa, soko nan toka.
(Well, let's see it from another way.)

[American Oyaji]

I never had any problems except once in immigration.

Getting a driver's license was simple. I had never had a U.S. drivers license. All that I had was a driver's license that I got from the base. Everyone had to get this. If you had a U.S. drivers license, you got issued a Japanese driving permit. If not you took a class and a test (class was 2 hours) and then a driving test and then you could get it.

This was translated on the back already. I had the military police translator translate the front and went there with my marriage certificate (it was already in Japanese) and gaikokoshomeisho and took an eye test and they took my picture and boom I was done.

They smiled me through the whole process too. (my wife WAS with me too).

At immigration, they guy started giving me a hard time and he was talking rather roughly to my wife....so I butted in and asked what the problem was. His tone and manner IMMEDIATELY changed (I guess he thought I didnt know what was going on.) He asked me some questions and he stamped my passport for 1 year.

Then again. My presence alone makes men tremble.

Or maybe its my quiet demeanor.

Or the Spirit of Jesus within me.

take your pick.