Volume 13, Number 7 |
A friend of mine is singing on the 15th of July in Tsukuba. She is a Juliard (New York) graduate who has sang several title roles in New York, and is presently an associate professor of music in Japan. She has a beautiful voice. Songs are by Haydn, Barbar and Bernstein. The concert starts at 14:00 2nd floor of ARS Hall, a building where Tsukuba Public Library is. It is just one block north (towards KEK) from Tsukuba Daiichi Hotel/Tsukuba Bus Terminal. If you have time to waste for physics, try the concert. Admission is 1000 yen per person.
As part of its activities, the Tsukuba Information Center sponsors a bilingual discussion group the fourth Wednesday of every month from 2 to 4 pm, with invited guests giving a presentation from their area of expertise or experience. This month, we are pleased to have Ms. Zhang Hong, who is a graduate student in information science and electronics at Tsukuba University.
She writes the following as an introduction to her program: I wonder how much you know about my country China. Though you live in a country close to China, you may be surprised when you realize how little you know about China. Please come and join us in a quiz game about Chinese culture and customs. This is a good chance for you to learn some Chinese conversation too. Let’s begin with Ni-hao. I have been studying ballet since I was six, and so I would also like to perform Chinese dance and teach you a few steps. Let’s begin with yi (1), er (2), san (3). It will be good exercise and great fun!
The Coffee Hour is meant to be an informal exchange of information and opinions. English and Japanese are both used with efforts made to make sure those who can't understand one or the other are able to at least get the gist of the conversation. Likewise, you don't need to commit yourself to the entire two hours and can come and go freely. So drop by, whether for a short time or for the entire two hours, and enjoy some free refreshments along with a stimulating discussion.
Well-known guitarist, Maria Estelle Guzman, will be giving a concert at the Palacio de la Guitarra in Yasato-machi on Saturday, August 28 at 6 pm. Tickets are 3000 yen and reservations can be made by calling 0299-46-2457 (fax. 0299-46-2628) on Saturdays or Sundays only. As the concert hall is small, reservations should be placed early. If you like classical guitar music, this is a great opportunity. If you need directions in English, call Tim Boyle at 55-1907.
The Tsukuba Information Center is offering language classes every Tuesday morning beginning in October and running through the end of March. The classes are free of charge, and will consist of a once-a-week, 2-hour class from 9:30 to 11:30 am. The classes will be divided into 3 levels: Introductory (for those with no previous study) and Beginner 1 (for those who can read hiragana and katakana and communicate with standard basic phrases), Beginner 2 (for those who can write hiragana and katakana and speak daily conversation).
Registration is from Sept 1 and is limited to 25 applicants for each class, first come first serve. To register, drop by the Tsukuba Information Center and fill out an application form. For more information, call 52-6789 and ask for Ms. Nishikawa or Ms. Nemoto. This will be a good opportunity to acquire some basic language skills while having fun. The class will also include a few special events, such as a potluck party and a bus tour.
The Fall/Winter Playschool term will begin Sept 22nd with an Open Day. This will be a great chance for those who may be interested in enrolling their child to come and see what Playschool is all about.
Playschool is a pre-school type of activity for English-speaking children held Wednesday mornings during the school term at the Tsukuba Christian Center/YMCA building near Daiei. Children enjoy various activity centres as well as arts and crafts much the same as one would expect to see at a Western kindergarten or preschool. We also have a small library from which the children may borrow books. Children aged from 3 to 7 are welcome to enroll at any time during the term.
If you would like to attend Open Day or for further information, call Dianne at 0297-68-3317 or Manisha at 0298-32-2059.
Located in Kukizakimachi, the two-story house has four bedrooms (one with an air conditioner), two toilets, one bath, and a kitchen and air-conditioned living room. There is a parking place for a small car and/or motorcycle. It is about a 10 min. drive to Tsukuba Science City. It is partially furnished, with a dining table, cupboard, kitchenware, sofas and a telephone available. The rent is only 55,000 yen per month with no key money and just one month deposit required. For more information, please contact, Kuni Sadamoto, at 03-3235-3421.
Japanese woman (fluent in English) seeking two female boarders (either long term or short term) to share a furnished house near Tsukuba University. The house is located in a quiet neighborhood west of the University less than a 10 minute drive from downtown Tsukuba, and has a large yard and garage for parking. Rent is Y35,000 per month with Y10,000 for utilities and other expenses. One month bond and the last month's rent are required in advance. For more information call Michiko at 56-8178.
An English language interdenominational worship service is held once a month normally on the fourth Sunday of every month at 2 pm at the Tsukuba Gakuen Church near Daiei. The Japanese language congregation meets every Sunday morning at 10:30 am, and the service is translated into English over headphones. There is also a Bible Study in English every Tuesday evening at 8:00 pm in the Christian Center. For more information or help with transportation, call Tim Boyle at 55-1907.
The Tsukuba Catholic Church has an English mass at 8:00 am every Sunday and the Japanese masses on Saturday night (6 pm) and Sunday morning (10 am) are accompanied by a summary of the message in English. There is even a Spanish mass on the 3rd Sunday at 3 pm. On the last Sunday of the month, there is a coffee social after the English mass. For information, call the church at 36-1723. The Tsuchiura Catholic Church offers an English mass on the last Sunday of each month at 3 pm (tel. 21-1501). There is also a Portuguese mass on the 3rd Saturday at 7 pm.
The Tsukuba Baptist Church offers an English language Bible study before the Japanese service every Sunday from 10 to 11 am. It is located in Inarimae just east of Nishi Odori on the street closest to the meteorological observation tower. Tel. 58-0655.
The Megumi Church in Tsuchiura (489-1 Kami Takatsu) also offers English translation of their 10:30 am Japanese service over ear phones. An English Bible class is held every Sunday morning at 9:00 am. There is also an International Fellowship group that holds a monthly pot luck dinner usually on the third Saturday. For information on that, call Melissa Ishio at 38-1374. For more information, call the church at 22-2244 or e-mail LDN03144@niftyserve.or.jp (Also see their Tsuchiura Megumi Church Web Page at http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/ro/tmc/index.html).
The Tokyo International Church, Tsukuba Branch in Amakubo 3-3-5 (across from Tsukuba Univ.) offers a 10:30-noon Chinese (Mandarin) service interpreted into both English and Japanese. There is also an English language Bible study every Sunday evening at 7 pm. For information, call Rev. Huang at 52-6820.
The International Christian Assembly meets every Sunday at their new building just off of Tsuchiura-Gakuen Sen east of Tsukuba (just behind the restaurant with the dragon on the roof) from 10 am for Bible Study and 10:30 am for worship. For more information, call Richard Swan at 36-0993.
The Nozomi Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tsuchiura (23-27 Komatsu 3-chome) also offers programs in English, including a worship service Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm and a Bible class on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am. English Bible information courses are available any time. For more information, call Glen Hieb at 0298-21-3578.
The Tsuchiura Christian Church offers an English message translated into Japanese every Sunday morning at 10:30 am. For information, contact Paul Axton at 56-2167.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Tsukuba ward is located at Higashi 2-21-22 by Higashi Middle School between Doho Park and Tsuchiura Noda Sen. Services are translated into English over headphones. The Sacrament Meeting begins at 10 am followed by Sunday School at 11:10 am and Priesthood and Relief Society at noon. A Gospel Doctrine class in English is also offered. For more information, contact 52-6548.
The Jewish Community of Japan invites anyone of the Jewish faith in the Tsukuba area to feel welcome at any of their programs in Tokyo. Sabbath services each Friday at 6:30 pm followed by Sabbath dinner; Kosher Kitchen, Saturday morning, 9:30 am. Contact 3-8-8 Hiroo, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo 150; tel. 03-3400-2559, fax. 03-3400-1827.
After months of excitement and anticipation, the congregation of ICA has moved into their new building. Since March of 1997 they have been meeting in a room at Free Space K in Shimohiratsuka where they quickly outgrew their space. In August of 1998, the land-purchase process began, and in April of this year, they were granted the zoning required for the building of a church. Construction began in May. The new church is located at 758-2 Furuku, Tsukuba (just north of Tsuchiura-Gakuen Sen behind the Chinese Restaurant and Cosmo gas station down the hill to the east of Hanamuro, two lights east of Higashi Odori).
The congregation consists of people from several countries including the Philippines, India, United States, and, of course, Japan. Although the services are in English, Japanese translation is available. Pastor Swan and the congregation would like to invite you to worship with them as they sing, pray, study, and offer praise to God. Sunday services are at 10:00 AM for Sunday School and 10:30 AM for the morning service. Other meetings occur during the week.
International Christian Assembly is an Assembly of God Church. As such, they believe the following: The Bible is the inspired Word of God. There is one God existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus, God's Son, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died an atoning death for the sins of mankind, and will return for His church. The redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross provides salvation through repentance as well as healing for the body. Water baptism by immersion is a sign of the believer's intention to obey Christ. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is available to those who ask for it.
Special meetings are planned for the weekend of August 6, 7, and 8. A group from America, The Scarlet Cord, will present a special program on Friday, August 6th at 8:00 PM. The same program will be presented on Saturday, August 7th at 8:00 PM. There will be clowns, music, puppets, and drama. On Sunday, August 8th, The Scarlet Cord will lead the worship service, and Rev. Paul Schoch will be the special guest speaker. A potluck will follow the morning service. On Sunday evening at 7:00 PM a special Musical Program will be presented. Please join us! Children will especially enjoy the Friday or Saturday presentation. The services are free of charge. For more information, please call Pastor Swan at 0298-36-0993.
The June Issue of the Alien Times, entitled the Police Issue, was featured on the Ibaraki Page of the June 13 edition of the Asahi Shinbun newspaper. The article featured a picture of the Alien Times front page and was entitled, The Tsukuba University Student Murder Draws Interest of Foreigners, with a subtitle, Local English Language Newspaper Runs Special Edition; Questions Raised About Police Investigation.
The article mentioned the rumor that was going around in May that the police already had arrested the culprit but simply kept it quiet in order to have an excuse to question more foreigners and get more information about them. Likewise, the article mentioned the perception that numerous foreign residents apparently were getting that the police were somehow, the enemy, and that this perception would hamper cooperation with the police in the future. The article closed with the appeal made in the Alien Times that it is important for the police and the international community to develop a mutual feeling of trust in the future.
Alien Times editor, Tim Boyle, was also interviewed by a reporter from the national weekly magazine, Shukan Shincho, which featured an article on the unsolved murder in a recent issue. There, it was reported that a local reporter said such and such, but there was no mention of the Alien Times per se.
Concerning the rumor about the police already having the suspect in custody, there was actually a bit of truth to the tale. It is anybody’s guess as to how the information leaked out to start the rumor, but as it turns out, the police did pick up a tall, non-student foreigner who frequented the campus, but for whatever reasons, he is not considered a suspect, and at present, there are still no solid leads.
It was also reported to the Alien Times that the last issue was being translated into Japanese for the local Tsukuba Police to read and get a better understanding of how foreigners feel about the issue of police investigations. Hopefully, some of the distrust and misunderstanding that have intensified because of this tragic occurrence can be rectified in the future.
By Jim Alexander
Last year, I shipped stuff from Japan to the US in cardboard boxes and I had some successes and some problems. Maybe I can help you avoid the problems.
Joyful Honda sells cardboard boxes, in both double thickness and single thickness. Be sure to buy the double thickness. Joyful Honda also sells thin (3mm) sheets of plywood, and it turns out that the sizes are just exactly right so the plywood can fit inside the cardboard box and strengthen and stiffen the box tremendously without contributing very much weight. Since the boxes are made of rather soft cardboard, I strongly recommend doing this. The boxes I sent without the plywood lining suffered badly, but the ones with plywood lining survived perfectly. I only used 2 sheets of plywood in each one, so in principle the other two sides and the top and bottom were unprotected. Nevertheless, this was sufficient to make a nearly perfect and inexpensive shipping container. I think it is a good idea to make sure the plywood fits snugly.
By the way, I used the #22 size box which is also happens to meet (exactly) the airline restrictions on luggage/container size. I had no furniture or large items to ship, and I found the most economical method of shipping was to send heavy things (books) by mail, and pack everything else for the airplane. Even with the excess-baggage charge, it is still a reasonable way to send stuff, and it arrives when you do. I don't remember the exact cost now, but I think it was about 300 yen per kilogram. Of course there are limits on size, weight, and number of pieces. But you can send 4 excess pieces per ticket so if you're traveling with family, that's a lot of stuff.
*JULY*
Gion Matsuris Galore
There are numerous "Gion Matsuri" scheduled for late July. "Gion Matsuri" are Shinto festivals usually taking place in the evening hours and centering around the portable shrines carried of rolled along the street. Information as to exact times and locations are not given in the Japanese listings, and so you may want to have a Japanese speaking friend call ahead for details. Foreigners who have not seen these celebrations find them an interesting bit of Japanese culture, and you have plenty to choose from. Other festivals are also included here.
*July 17-18, Mitsukaido Gion Matsuri, central shopping district, Tel 0297-23-2111.
*July 19, "Ninniku (Garlic) Matsuri", Ichinoya Yasaka Jinja in Tsukuba (just east of Higashi Odori, 2 lights north of Hiratsuka Odori). Tel. 0298-64-1132.
*July 23-25, Tsuchiura Gion Matsuri through the "Menuki Dori" shopping area (route 125 between the west side of the station and Kijo Park). The parades and festivities focus mainly on the late afternoon and evening hours, but last all day. A good opportunity to see traditional Japan. Tel. 0298-24-2810.
*July 22-25, Shimodate Gion Matsuri, in front of the station. Early Sunday morning (around 6 am) , the "omikoshi" is carried through the river. Tel. 0296-24-2111.
*July 20-21, Ishige Gion Matsuri, through the center of town, Tel. 0297-42-3111.
*July 25-27, Edosaki Gion Matsuri, central shopping district, Tel. 0298-92-2221
*July 27, Ryugasaki Tsukumai Matsuri, traditional "dare-devil" type stunts on a 17 m. pole, from 5 pm. Tel. 0297-64-1111.
Mitsukaido Fireworks
Friday evening, July 23, is the time set for a gorgeous display of fireworks along the Kinu River in Mitsukaido. The fireworks are to be launched from the river bank just to the north of the route 354 bridge. Tel 0297-23-2111.
Wake Board (probably Japanese English similar to "Gate Ball") is a water sport that is a cross between water skiing and snowboarding. There will be a major competition at Ushibori, the town at the opposite end of Lake Kasumigaura from Tsuchiura. The dates are July 23-25. Tel. 0299-64-2611.
Ushiku Kappa Matsuri
Focusing on the mythical character "kappa" (river monster), this annual festival is directed primarily at children. Held on the east side of Ushiku Station, it runs two days, July 31 and August 1.
*AUGUST*
Mt. Tsukuba Gama Matsuri (Toad Festival)
Sunday, August 1st. A portable shrine (omikoshi) shaped like a toad and weighing about 800 kg is toted about the area during a parade in the evening. Vendors of "toad's grease" chant their slogans during that time. A fireworks display will be held after dark. Tel. 0298-36-1111.
Tsuchiura Kirara Matsuri During the period from Aug. 6 to 8, the shopping area to the west of Tsuchiura Station will be holding its annual festival. Tel. 0298-24-2810.
Mito Komon Matsuri, Aug. 2-4. Named after the famous ruler who dressed as a commoner to go out and help his people, this festival is the main one held in Mito near the station. Big fireworks display on Aug 7th. Tel. 029-224-0441.
Fireworks Festivals
*Shimotsuma holds its "Hanabi Taikai" on Aug. 1st at the Sunanuma Bridge with about 3000 bursts scheduled. Tel. 0296-43-2111.
*Shimodate holds a similar event at the same time (Aug. 1st) on the banks of the Kinu River. Tel. 0296-24-2111.
*Kashima also holds one of the biggest fireworks displays on August 29th, with 6000 bursts planned.
*Toride Tone River Fireworks Festival. A big fireworks display will take place on Saturday, Aug. 14 along the shores of the Tone River in Toride. If it's raining, it will be postponed to the 26th or 27th at dusk.
*Daigo-Machi Fireworks and Toronagashi
Along the Kuji River each year, the town of Daigo (near the famous Fukuroda Falls in northern Ibaraki) holds a fireworks display and "toro-nagashi", the traditional custom of floating paper lanterns down the river. This year's event is scheduled for Aug. 14. tel. 0295-72-0285. A similar event is also scheduled in Tone, at the opposite end of Ibaraki (and closer to Tsukuba) on Aug. 17 at the Highway 4 Bridge. tel. 0297-68-2211.
Karasaka Manto (10,000 lanterns)
Held during the Obon holidays on August 15, this festival centers on the lighting of lanterns. Traditionally, lanterns were lit to help guide the spirits of the ancestors "home for the holidays" before they would be sent off again into the nether world for another year of wandering. The location is the Obatake Washi Jinja (shrine) in Niihari-Mura about 2 km west of the Tsuchiura Kita Interchange of the Joban Expressway.
Kasama Matsuri
If you are planning a trip to the pottery capital of Kasama, Aug. 16 is a good time to go (or to avoid, depending on your interests), and get some of the flavor of Festival ala Japan. tel. 0296-72-9222.
Shimotsuma Matsuri
August 22, Tel. 0296-43-2111.
Ina no Tsunabi
Literally meaning "rope fire", this traditional festival will be held twice, on the 23rd at the Takaoka Atago Shrine and on the 24th at the Obari Atago Shrine in Ina-machi, to the south of Tsukuba. tel. 0297-58-2111.
*SEPTEMBER*
The giant fireworks display in Kashima is followed on September 1 by the "Happiness of the Gods" festival at Kashima shrine. This would be a great time to visit the KAshima Shrine, said to be the oldest in all of eastern Japan, dating back well over 1000 years.Matsuri Tsukuba
The first weekend in September is the traditional date for the local Tsukuba Matsuri, and this year is no exception. Held Sept. 4th and 5th, a number of interesting booths are set up and various cultural events take place through the 2 days. If the other festivals mentioned here are not something you want to take the time and effort to go to, this is your back-up option. It's always located along the central bicycle path and adjacent parks, and so it's not hard to find.
Sanshukuyama Ichigonshu Jinja
Held Sept 13 at the Ichigonshu Shrine in Mitsukaido. Tel. 0297-27-0659.
Ishioka Matsuri
One of the bigger local festivals is the Ishioka Matsuri held in mid-September every year. This year's festivities are from the 14th to the 16th, culminating in a grand parade in the center of town. This is probably the biggest local Matsuri, and is right at the end of the season. So, last chance until next year. Tel. 0299-23-1111.
In the second instalment of a three-part series David Aldwinckle examines how Japanese police are willfully targeting foreigners for spot identity checks.
So let's bring out my notebook. I'll divide Mr Koga's answers into capsule-summary points:
A. My request for Haneda Airport Lodging a Complaint with the Police
To my surprise, Mr Koga had already talked with a superior in the police force, a Mr Watanabe Keibi Kachou [again, real name], about lodging my complaint. Unlike the other police officer I had the tete-a-tete with, Mr Watanabe was willing to give out his name and even his phone number (03-5757-0110). He even wanted to meet said uppity university lecturer in the flesh. However, Mr Koga had told Mr Watanabe that meeting as a threesome might be a little premature - that since the former had not yet met me personally, it would be better for Mr Koga to get to know me one-on-one beforehand. (a wise call - I doubt I could have a full uninterrupted and warm exchange with a cop sitting there getting all defensive.) The point is that Mr Koga thought that my message was worth passing along to the pertinent authorities no matter what. A good start.
B. The need for Security in the Airport
"This sort of thing is inevitable," Mr Koga said, "and it's not exactly harassment." He brought out his version of the Gaijin Card: a laminated Haneda Airport ID with all his credentials listed avec dangling tag to clip on his breast pocket. "Debito-san, I have to show this every day when I come to work here. It's just an inevitable part of working at a transport hub, a good target for any terrorist. We need high security to keep order and ensure that we don't have a disaster on the premises."
C. Why I In Particular Got Stopped...
...was, in both the cops' and Mr Koga's view, a matter of bad timing. Haneda Airport, thanks to the inconvenience of Narita, is fast becoming the bottleneck for overseas VIPs paying calls on the Japanese government. Clinton was in town between November 20 and 21. Then PRC Party Secretary Kou Taku Min (Ziang Zhe Min to the rest of the world) was here (and
in Hokkaido too) from November 25 onwards. "Now we've got Carlos Menem in town and who knows who's next. Your November 23 arrival was right between visits, and the cops were just maintaining their beefed-up of security in the interim."
When I told him that suspecting me of terrorism just because I was a foreigner was rather off, he said:
D. Foreigners are Suspected of More Crimes by the Police. Sorry
Mr Koga voiced the suspicion I already had quite clearly sensed: "It is a fact of life that, say, American officials will more likely be targeted by Middle-Eastern-looking terrorists than Asian and Japanese. It is a fact *to the police* that a foreign-looking person is far more likely to do something criminal for political reasons. Japanese are much less suspect, sorry. I know that's not very nice, but that's just the way the police see it, and they will more likely target foreigners if there is a need at this particular moment for more security."
[I thought about countering that Japanese are equally capable of terrorism, Sarin gas attacks, the Red Army even as a hobby nowadays viz. lethal-house-hold-chemical terrorist handbooks, randomly-poisoned cans of cola, or Wakayama curry rice. Commonplace in Hokkaido convenience stores and bus stations are lookout-for posters saying "Is Your Neighbor An Extremist?" It's funny Terrorism in Japan never seems a matter of nationality unless an extra national appears - then the blame gravitates towards the foreigner or foreign influence. But as I said, I was letting Mr Koga talk. I never got to say this point, so for sanity's sake I'll mention it here.]
E. Police are Fallible Too. "The police here are not all from Tokyo. Some are imported from the provinces, where foreigners are fewer and they're not used to dealing with you the same as Japanese. Plus one look at you, Debito-san - heavy-set, big-boned, towering over most of these shorter Japanese cops - will make many Japanese get antsy. Even if you talk back to them in Japanese, their uneasiness about how to deal with you in general plus their surprise in specific means they might be gruff. Sorry. They're only human."
[I thought "image" was going to be an issue, so even though I hate wearing a tie when I'm traveling, I bit the bullet when dropping by Haneda this time: slacks, button-down collar, even a pastel-green V-neck sweater to make me look grandfatherly. It had the intended effect "But you, Debito-san, it's hard to believe that a cop would find you threatening. Sitting here talking to you. I can't imagine what they suspected you of." Smirk.]
Mr Koga seemed out of steam, so I started cajoling, like I was persuading a sixteen-penny galvanized nail to go straight into a hardwood stud deep and straight or else the whole structure would fall down (yes, a rather cryptic simile, but you get it, right?). My answers:
I. Bad Timing is one thing, but Haneda is getting infamous in "The Community" (I know addressing "us" as a whole as 'The Community' is presumptuous, but maybe it's time to start.) I said to Mr Koga that it is fast becoming common knowledge through our internet links that Haneda is giving the run-around to other non-Japanese for no reason but extra-nationality. I told Mr Koga of the case of one gentleman of European origin, a prominent member of The Community, used the airport three times between September and November. He was questioned each time without fail. The first time was by blue Haneda Security, who saw that our friend's language skills were impeccable (therefore he must be somehow legit) and let him go without a fuss. The second time was by the Police proper, but our hero indicated in passing that he was accompanied by a Japanese friend who would vouch for him, and thus slipped away. The third time was nastier: despite again being with a Japanese friend, the Tokyo cop demanded his Gaijin Card and threatened to take him into a separate room for questioning if he did not comply. Although this is in fact illegal without criminal charge for arrest, our hero realized that he had a plane to catch and was surrendered his ID with a suitable degree of grumbling.
"The point is, Mr Koga, that there seems to be a lot of 'bad timing' happening here. In fact it seems difficult to time it right. I think that we are being targeted and that should not be happening, for the sake of the comfort and image of Haneda Airport to The International Community."
To this, Mr Koga replied that this special security (Tokubetsu Keibi Kikan, I think he said) happens a few days once a month. "It's a pity that you and your friend were here when that happens. Still we can't tell too many people that we are tokubetsu keibi kikanchuu or terrorists are going to swarm. Please understand that this is a classic case of shikata ga nai."
I continued:
II. Police should Mind Their Manners and Show More Respect
"I know that the Japanese police are better than the prewar days, when they carried Kendo-sized batons and could beat anybody at will [cf manga "Barefoot Gen"]. But they still should respect our dignity more by not singling us out. If it is absolutely necessary to ask us for ID, ask everybody, or at least a random sampling of both foreigners and Japanese. "At least give us a reason why you want us to show our ID - don't just say 'it's the law, so there'. If you tell me that a crime has been committed, and the prime suspect is a Caucasian male, 180 cms, with brown hair, sure, l'll gladly show my ID. But I have to be suspected of a *specific crime*, not just because l'm a foreigner. If the security measures taken to get me into this airport lobby were enough for a Japanese, they should be enough for me too."
Mr Koga did counter that there is an impression within Japan nowadays that foreigners are scary to the police, moreover the harbingers of crime. Recent statistics have been bearing that out, he said. But he did agree that giving a good reason is important and would reiterate that to the Police chiefs.
Time to conclude this jawing session:
III. This is not just for my sake, it is for Japan's sake
Now it was time to bring out the warm-fuzzy feelings: my kids' pictures (see them for yourself at http://www.voicenet.co.jp/~davald/daughters.html) . Japanese, to their credit, have an irrepressible soft spot for children, and mentioning names and showing photos melts hearts every time.
"Look Mr Koga, I have one daughter that looks Asian and the other Western. They're both Japanese, but under the current circumstances one will be targeted and the other won't. That's kawaisou. For the sake of their future and Japan's modernization, it is important that people, particularly the police, stop seeing Japanese in terms of genetics. Japan is a modern, mature country now, and should start behaving like one. One way is to accept that people with differences can be citizens and not viewed with distrust. Stopping these instant checkpoints at Haneda is a good place to start. If you really must check my ID, give me a good reason and you'll get my cooperation. Demand it thanklessly aand there should be trouble. For the sake of Japan's open-mindedness I hope you will help me help internationalize Japan."
Mr Koga said he would. He gave me his meishi and told me that if l, or any of my friends, had any trouble, they should get in touch with him. He hoped that I would contact him again off-hours for a beer, and I said l'd be delighted next time I'm in town. He walked me to my JAS departure gate and as I lifted off for my weekend in Oita, I felt just plain swell. l'd met a nice guy, had a nice chat, and had not only made some waves but opened an avenue for entreaty should it be necessary in future.
But still I could take it farther, I realized. I would be passing through Haneda again on my way back, so a little call to Police Chief Watanabe might be just what the doctor ordered. So...
IV Monday. December 7, 1998
Meeting Mr. Watanabe. Haneda Police Keibi Kachou
This time around, I had a two-hour layover, so l left a message at (03) 5757-0110 saying that I would be lounging around the gate for the 3:30 JAL flight to Sapporo, and would welcome a few words with Mr Watanabe if he had the time. l was in the midst of typing up both this essay and the Morikawa Fingerprint report when two suited gentlemen (yes, black suits over white police uniforms) sidled up to me and said, "Are you Mr David?"
"I am. You must be..."
We shook hands. Mr Watanabe was a thin cop in the grand tradition of thin cops. He had the rugged face of Takakura Ken, the wiriness of David Caruso, and the Dennis-Farina eyes that could burn through bullshit in no time. His assistant, who was along for the ride and sizing me up for the duration, was the prototypical Dennis Franz fat cop: round face that usually scowls, dark circles under the eyes, world-weary but ready to spring in an instant should anybody affront his boss. His name was Mr Jin (kami-sama no jin), and the two made a formidable partnership. Both in their late forties/early fifties, they trusted no-one, for they had seen every type of human depravity and knew that a person was capable of absolutely anything. If there was a criminal around, they'd know in an instant. l knew that there was no way I would be making waves with them.
Worse yet, there would be no time to get to the Entreaty Stage. I looked at my watch: 3:10. Boarding calls would be in five minutes, and the airplane doors would shut in fifteen minutes. So on went Mr Watanabe with his specially-prepared spiel:
"Mr David, it's nice to meet you. I heard from Mr Koga that you felt you had been ill-treated by one of my police officers. I came to apologize for that. It was not our intention to make you feel uncomfortable, and l want you to know a couple of things:
A) We don 't discriminate.
"You might think we singled you out as an individual, but that's not true. We question everybody. We don't care if they're Chinese, don't care if they're Chinese, Korean, Filipino, White, European, American. We ask all foreigners for their Cards if we are in a tight security situation."
Uh, this is not exactly how one defines "non-discrimination", I thought. l asked if they ask Japanese for their ID, hoping that that would lay bare the irony. Nope. As you know, irony doesn't work so well here. He replied: "No, almost never, unless they are doing something suspicious. Anyway, Japanese don't have to carry passports." The glaring tautologies were astounding but insightful into the mind-set at work. So I said: "By law, neither do we, but anyway, I think you should ID everyone, not just foreigners. It's extremely uncomfortable and prejudicial to be thought of as suspicious just because we look differently."
Mr Watanabe was not feeling assailed, again because I was being sunny and keeping my head low. So more came out of him: "Well, Mr David, l'm sure you understand our need for security around here. We cannot go around NOT asking foreigners for their ID, right? Especially since foreigners are more likely to attack fellow foreign VIPs. We have to do this or we would not be doing our jobs properly. We don't want the same thing that happened at the Japanese Embassy in Peru to happen here. We can't let accidents happen in the name of human rights."
A lot of things clicked into place when he said that. So I let him finish.
B) We are just doing our jobs.
"Honestly, Mr David, our job is to keep the peace and public security. If that means that you get asked for your ID, I'm sorry, but I must ask you to cooperate for the public good." l nodded. "Yes, that I understand. I would just hope that you would respect our dignity (igen) enough to at least try to persuade us that there is a good reason for showing it." I knew that this would be the only policy that the cops could swallow, and I finished off with my pat Naturalized-Dave argument and pulled out the kids again for good measure. At this point both Mr Jin and Mr Watanabe began softening up when they saw the ningensei of the situation. Mr Watanabe: "Yes, with beautiful kids like that I can see why you're so concerned. I have already instructed my staff to give foreigners concrete reasons when they ask for ID. That's a reasonable solution, no? "
I knew that that was the only solution with mentalities like these. JAL was announcing their final boarding call, and l finished off our brief but pleasant meeting by saying: "Thank you very much for taking the trouble to meet me! Please give us a good, fair reason, and we'll co-operate. "
l gave them a deep bow (These are Japanese cops, for Chrissake! Be respectful or they'll lock you up for weeks!), and it again had the intended effect - Mr. Watanabe: "What a polite foreigner! How can somebody so polite be stopped by one of us?" (Yes, he really DID say that!) I was soon on the plane and started ruminating about whom we're dealing with here.
EPILOGUE TO PART FOUR:
"We're only doing our jobs," The Almighty Excuse
Before I start discussing what we can do to improve our legal situation here, let's bear in mind what kind of force we're up against.
1) These are cops. Cops see themselves as keepers, if not micro-managers, of the peace in any peaceful society. That is their entrusted job.
2) To accomplish this domestic peacekeeping mission, police will exercise their powers to the fullest extent of the law. Read the previous sentence again. Since the law no longer permits beating people up with batons like during wartime, nipping crime in the bud involves something more mild, like keeping one's eyes open and understanding what people around you are up to.
3) People commit crimes. That is axiomatic. Therefore to a police officer (cf Judge Dredd), anyone is a potential criminal, worthy of suspicion should they catch your eye. Moreover, anybody whose activities a police officer cannot understand qualifles as "suspicious", and therefore worthy of investigation for potential criminal activity. This is how foreigners suddenly become targets. It's awfully hard to look unsuspicious when you are so physically conspicuous, and Japanese in general expect foreigners to act differently anyway. So there you go. Coming and going.
4) You gotta target those who commit crimes, if not anticipate the likelihood by finding potential "perps". From a police standpoint, targeting everyone in Japan is difficult. The Police Execution of Duties Law (Keisatsukan Shokumu Shikkou Hou), mentioned above and more fully below, makes random spot checks of Japanese for ID illegal. So in order to carry out their duties as effectively as possible, the police are going to target whom they CAN in the name of the law. Which means that they will spot-check foreigners in the name of the law because the Foreign Registry Law permits it. To a cop, this is a natural part of the enforcement process.
All right, enough empathy. Now let's address how to deal with that as a member of the public. There is in fact a way to check their checks to a certain degree. The main reason why Japanese are not checked is that Japanese know they are not allowed to be checked. Now it is time for you to know the same. The Community needs to understand their rights. How? Know the law. In fact, you should *carry the law* around with you inside your Gaijin Cards to challenge the police if they are being inconsiderate.
If you are interested in trying something really adventurous, how about dangling from a paraglider?! Yasato-machi has a paraglider school in the mountains just north of Mt. Tsukuba. Call the lbaraki Sky Sports School, they offer a eginners package for 10,000 yen, which allows you to learn how to handle a paraglider and try your luck from a 30 m high slope. For those with experience, the advanced flights leave from the mountain 400 m above the plain, from which you "can take a walk through the sky" for several hours (at only ~30,000!). The above prices do include insurance. If you are interested in finding out more about what's involved (in Japanese, of course), call 0120-43-0893.
Even if you're too intrepid to try it yourself, it is a nice outing just to go watch the dare devils fly. It is located at the northern end of the valley to the northeast of Mt. Tsukuba on the eastern slope of the mountain. Mt. Katsu, at 709 m, is the second highest peak in the range, behind Mt. Tsukuba (876 m). If you take the "Fruit Line" road about 8 km past Flower Park, there is an intersection, with the road going straight ahead leading over the mountain going right into Kasama. The road going to the left is the road to take, and it also winds through the mountains and on up to Route 50 and Kasama. Once you have gone 2 or 3 km on that road, you should be able to see the paragliders.
You can also try your hand at jet skis on the "taiken course" (literally, "have an experience course") for 4000 yen. The school is located on the large lake south-east of Mito called Hinuma. This lake connects in with the ocean a few km downstream at Oarai. The "yacht harbor' is located on the south shore of the lake, off of Route 16. They also rent "banana boats", inner tubes and other water sports equipment. For more information, call 029-293-8989.
Speaking of sailing, Tsuchiura has its own yacht harbor, and though the boats are all privately owned, many owners are willing to take people along for a ride for a fee that depends on the size of the boat and number of people. By ealling 0298-22-2437, you can find out which boats are available and how things are operated.
Another good way to cool off and have a chance to experience something new is to try canoeing. Rental canoes are available for 4000 yen per day. Classes are held daily for beginners for a fee of 3000 yen per person. The school is located at the Nakayoshi Campground off of Route 123 in Motegi Town, about 40 min. west of Mito.
If you are into camping, there are, of course, numerous campgrounds available. They are too numerous to list here, but if you are interested in trying your hand at camping (and the interesting people you're sure to meet), ask the helpful people at the Tsukuba Information Center next to Nova Hall (tel. 52~789). They can point you in the right direction (as well as give you information on other things you might be interested in).
The ocean isn't too far away, but for those who would rather not make the drive, there are several different ways to cool off, get wet, and have a fun time too! There are a number of pools in the Tsukuba area where you can swim. The biggest is the indoor pool at Doho Park, which has both daytime and nighttime hours through September. There are also several outdoor pools in the area, open only in the daytime. These pools are located in Hanabatake, Ninomiya and Yatabe, and are open from 9:30-11:30 & 12:30-5:OO, costing 200 yen or 300 yen, depending on place.
If you would like a lot of fun in the sun, a really nice place to visit is the Sanuma Sun Beach Swimming Center (0296-43-6661 ) in Shimotsuma, about 40 minutes northwest of Tsukuba. It is a large pool complex with giant slides, an almost 2 km long moving river pool, waterfalls, wave machines and the works. Admission and rentals for tubes are quite reasonable, so families can have a "funtastic" time without spending lots of money. Admission is 1000 yen for adults, 400 yen for junior high and elementary school age children, and 200 yen for small children. To get there, go along Route 125 through Shimotsuma to a 3-way intersection with a stone works center at the corner. There are signs in Japanese pointing out the direction (to the right). The complex is on the right a few hundred meters up that road, and has a large parking lot. The season extends from July 20 through Aug. 30.
A similar park is located a bit closer in Tsuchiura in the Kasumigaura Park southeast of Tsuchiura Station. It advertises itself as being able to handle 10,000 people, though we don't recommend going there on one of those days. It is, however, quite a nice facility with loads of things to do. The pool opens July 20 and closes August 31, with admission being 900 yen, 500 yen, 300 yen and 100 yen for adults, secondary school-age, primary school-age and preschool-age children respectively. Phone 26-6432.
If you are up for a drive to the beach, up north along the coast, there are the Oarai and Ajigaura beaches east of Mito. These beaches are good for swimming, body surfing, and lots of fun. They do tend to be crowded, but the facilities are good. The Oarai Beach also has a large fresh water pool next to the beach. Admission to it is 620 yen for adults and 310 yen for kids.
In Oarai, there is the large Oarai Aquarium (029-267-51 51 ), which has dolphins, seals, penguins, etc., along with local crustaceans and fish. There are entertaining dolphin and seal shows as well as sea life displays. Oarai is famous for seafood, and you can purchase some edible souvenirs to remind you, though perhaps just briefly, of your time at the beach.
Other beaches line the entire eastern side of Ibaraki, too numerous to list here. If you drive along the coast, you can, of course, stop anywhere you can pull your car over and walk along the beach looking for shells. More likely, however, you'll find a lot of chunks of styrofoam, pieces of wood, and a variety of other junk washed up by the tide. These sections of beach, are for obvious reasons far less crowded than the public beaches that have facilities and there is no charge. If you don't mind driving home without being able to take a shower, then you can take a dip most anywhere. It is much safer, of course, to use a public beach with life guards and changing facilities. Parking lots there, however, generally charge 700 yen or so per car with a similar charge per adult for use of the facilities (less for children).