Hello everyone,
Recently I had an English class that had international students where some people are from Japan China Finland Tunisia.
I was asked to give my opinion on a subject. And I said that I admire how efficient Japanese people are at rebuilding after a natural disasters. Which I couldn’t say the same for my country. I was thinking this is a positive thing. But the teacher was quick to mute me and change the subject.
He later sent me a message saying that he was worried that the Japanese students would be offended.
I would like to know if this is a sensitive topic and if I should avoid it in the future. Mind you I was only trying to compliment them.
https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/14yd9hg/sensitive_subject/
15 comments
The topic isn’t sensitive; it’s divisive to the point of being dangerous. There are two strongly opposed camps: those who think that rebuilding and what not are perfect and those who absolutely don’t think so. Showing yourself proactively as a member of a certain camp is faux pas.
I’ve lived in Japan since before the Hanshin earthquake in 1995, so I’ve seen a lot of different rebuilding efforts. I can’t imagine anyone being offended by your comment. At worst, you might have a reaction where someone disagrees and talks about government mismanagement or something.
Which is funny given the money debacle of 3/11. Anyway. This is where I go up to my teacher and ask what to say and what not to say. Then ask him if he just wants robots in his class.
Also make some eggs that week but keep the shells. Then bring them to school and dump them on the floor. Then step on them. Then email him a link to the meaning of walking on eggshells.
Praising Japans overall speed at rebuilding after disasters compared to your country in a general manner is not a sensitive topic at all.
Your teacher probably misheard you and thought you were criticizing Japan. Or perhaps they thought the subject of disasters might trigger some students.
Very strange indeed.
I’m guessing it’s not specifically the rebuilding but talking about natural disasters. The teacher was potentially worried that the Japanese student might have known someone that died in the 3/11 earthquake and tsunami or was affected by it themselves.
I think it’s in reference to the Fukushima/Tohoku rebuilding effort which perhaps some people in the affected areas have been critical of.
But even so, it’s ridiculous that, as adults, an interesting topic such as this can’t be dicussed for fear of “offending people”.
its an uncomfortable subject because its always the fucking mob that is first on the scene
I think it’s to avoid flashbacks from 3.11 if someone in the class happens to be directly affected, especially if this was meant to develop in to a deeper discussion involving specific examples. I wasn’t near the epicenter when that happened but I still get minor flashbacks just from the news broadcasts at the time.
The teacher might be a bit too sensitive but I also understand where he’s coming from as the person in charge
Natural disasters are a fact of life in Japan. I don’t think what you said is controversial.
Generally discussions about natural disasters are avoided in the classroom here. Especially in English class.
Usually most Japanese people take pride in their ability to coordinate and/or respond after natural disasters. For a lot of Japanese people it is considered the norm.
With that said, if it was directly on the heels of the recent flooding and mudslides that happened in Kyushu, I can possibly see why they may say something if there is a student from there or with family from there.
When I first moved to Ishinomaki, Miyagi in August of 2011 directly after the major earthquake and tsunami, it might be seen as out-of-place, depending on the present company, to make such a statement. But like 2yrs after, most wouldn’t bat an eye.
Did you ask everybody in the class of they had ever survived a natural disaster, and if so, had they completely rebuilt their lives yet?
I don’t think it is taboo to talk about recovery from disasters, but if a topic comes up that reminds people of 311, such as the tsunami, it may upset some people, so the teacher may have panicked. 311 memories are very vivid. When images of the 311 tsunami appear on news footage, there is sometimes a warning message in advance.
Where did you get the idea that Japan is really efficient at rebuilding after national disasters? The pace of construction in this country can be excruciatingly slow.
Yes, efficiency at rebuilding after a tragedy is a positive thing, but ineffiency at rebuilding after a tragedy cannot be surmised as negative, either. Because to the world, the efforts may seem coordinated and admirable, but to the Japanese, what takes precedence is NOT the return to normalcy. There’s no way things can return to normal after such tragedies. Loss of lives of family members and friends can’t ever be recovered. What is the use of rebuilding a city when my loved ones are no longer here?
Feelings of grief and pain linger as the people carry on with their lives. I can’t speak for all Japanese but I can say this was how my mom’s side of the family reacted after losing my uncle and aunt in the 1995 earthquake. There were many complaints about the government. I was still a kid back then. But in the newspapers, the Western media always had something nice to say. It really is not easy to move forward after a devastating loss, so if anyone failed to forge ahead during this time, it should be treated with more compassion. There are many ways to compliment Japanese people without touching on any form of tragedies.