So for context I’m 23/M from SEA. Always wanted to visit and stay in Japan so i came here as a technical trainee so i could do just that. I’ve had a really good time here the past 2years and made close friends japanese and foreigners. I have very good relationships with my seniors and enjoy my stay here in this company.
Today i was out on a field work to do maintenance on a site that belongs to our company. I went out with just me and a 52y/o japanese senior, male. So this guy came into the company about a year ago. First he was fine then as he got used to the company he started to use very informal almost rude words towards me and a few other trainees. Especially me cause i was the youngest. Even tho most japanese use the work ばかやろう in a friendly or joking manner. Most of the time when this guy used it he wasnt doing any of that. Granted there are times when we make mistakes during work, but they’re never big mistakes and can me fixed in 5-10mins. Even our own department manager has never called us お前 or あなた、he always calls us by our names. It’s been going on for a few months now but my contract ends on december so i thought I’ll just somehow get through his bullshit.
So today we had fixed a few concrete slabs and as we were about to end the work and getting this ready i accidentally stepped on the wet concrete. It wasnt even a big thing it was like two fingers widht and i could get some concrete from the car amd fix it in 5mins. And as soon as that happened he slapped me in the helmet. I just paused and looked at him cause i was pissed and i almost swung back, but i remembered that would land me in more trouble. So i just walked away, did what i had to and got in the car. He didnt even bother apologizing for it.
I plan on complaining to the agency that sent us here and are in charge of looking after us and the company HR.
I just want to know what might happen to him or me after I complain and if he does deny it happened what can i do to prove it did. Being a trainee and whose contract is about to end, I’m afraid they wont take me seriously or would say somethibg like ‘we’ll look into it’ and not do anything. I obviously did not record video or convo. So any suggestions would help. Thank you
26 comments
Hey, good work keeping your head cool and not swinging at him. You were the bigger man. Do you have witness willing to testify/recodings of the incident? Regardless of what the rules are, in the end it will be tough if it is your words vs his.
I know living in Kansai this was a common thing for guys to do to each other. I would even have friends present their head to me in some situations. I got so used to this I ended up doing to a bald co-worker at a bar in Canada once and almost started a real fight, hahaha.
I think it’s kind of like punching someone on the shoulder in North America.
Auto correct had me write Kansas
Not the right answer but I know exactly what I’d do.
I’d start complaining of ‘headaches’ and make it seem like I was feeling worse and worse. I’d then conveniently mention to the agency ‘oh yeah that guy slapped my head!’ And I’d start casually hinting about taking legal action. Generally just have some fun and scare the guy until I leave.
I would sincerely apologize for my inattention and then firmly tell him hitting me on the head is off limit. I feel like escalating this may harm you more than anything else.
That is definitely not okay. Don’t give a fuck if it’s a thing in Kansai. People need to keep their hands to themselves, especially in a work setting. Next time that happens, just straight up tell him that’s not okay.
Where are you from? Because some SEA cultures consider head sacred, while in Japan not So much
Hey man, i work for company that handle and manage technical intern (kumiai). In my company, these things are considered violence and we will go talk to them to get them not to do it anymore. Maybe you can try talk to your handler about this.
You’re done in December. Repeat him. Fuck that old geezer.
Sounds like typical old school construction worker behavior.
You should remind him you’re his senpai.
Hi, fellow Indian here. I used to work for Sending organizations for TITP. I’d suggest you to inform this to your SO and take SVO in the picture. This will give you an idea if they are supportive to you or not. You can also tell them, if the abuse doesn’t stop you will complain to NSDC.
Edit: Here is the email address where you can complain about it
Email: grievance@nsdcindia.org
Phone no: 011 – 71600050
Your IO and SVO would try to solve your issue, because don’t want to loose their license as an IO.
Nothing will happen to him. You’re non-Japanese and he’s Japanese.
Don’t even waste your time trying to pursue any action.
OP, that is not acceptable behaviour in the modern Japanese workplace.
If I were in your position, I will tell HR or this person’s direct superior about the incident, and also that this person has been rude towards fellow colleagues.
You can then say that you don’t want to cause trouble and are willing to let this slide, but that if this were to persist or escalate, you want them to make a police report.
Given the current climate in Japan and your good record thus far, I believe they will take your complaint seriously.
This is certainly wrong, but the understanding by companies that it’s wrong is a new thing.
What I’m trying to say is that getting hit or slapped for a mistake was the norm in Japan, especially in manual labor jobs, and was expected for people currently in their 50s and older. So the guy that hit you definitely got hit *a lot* when he was your age and he probably thinks it’s normal to hit.
Also, being kind to subordinates in manual labor jobs is also relatively new. In the old days, your boss would always be angry and treat you like shit until you’d been on the job for a few years and had proven yourself. Again, that treatment was just expected and young trainees were expected to just take it, not complain or fight back, and not take it personally.
So that guy who hit you is just old school.
If you want, you can talk to your kinder boss and mention that the guy hit you not as a complaint but just as an observation, saying, “he’s really old school isn’t he haha” or something like that. Then it’s up to the boss whether he makes a big deal about it. Maybe if you’re lucky, the boss will just warn the guy not to hit subordinates.
Warn HR about him, パワハラ and 体罰, make sure you mention that this jiji is the problem, NOT the company because you love the company, and this jiji might harass the other younger employees in the company as well, if not now, maybe later. Make sure you are clear that you’re reporting it for the good of the company.
These days, jijis like this is problematic for any company. If news broke out, it’s bad for PR. So if the company really cares, they’ll sort it out.
Working in construction, Step in wet cement, get a slap on the helmet. Seems fine to me. Don’t see what the issue is unless it was a real super hard thwack…
Sounds like a dick, bet he is looking down on you. He wouldn’t do that to any of us Aussies I bet, no one slaps someone the size of a refrigerator.
Hey look mate, if he is gonna continue being a dick, wear a bodycam or try to set him up in front of a recording device.
Japan has a history of power harassment and such things are taken quite seriously now, but you gotta get solid proof.
I’m not as mature as you honestly, I’d have pick him up and thrown him into the concrete. Back home I go!
Best of luck mate, I hope you find a resolution, everybody has the right to work in peace.
Sounds like a bit of old-school Showa attitude rearing its head. You did right not to get heated.
Just chalk it down to experience.
Trainees are abused a lot in Japan. Some even worst than your experience. They’re literally in hell. Just report it even if they turn a blind eye. You might be able to help spare from abuse the ones following after you in some way.
Even if it’s his word against yours, I would report it to HR. To let him know that he’s being watched from now on and perhaps others have reported him too, which would make your case a lot stronger. Please remember also that this kind of POS, as we say in my country ‘will meet the wrong person one day’ and make this mistake and get in huge trouble either with that person directly or with the law.
I agree with the other commenters here time will only be wasted if you pursue any “legal” actions. There is a video of a Vietnamese jisshusei in youtube that is being physically abused and caught on video and even then I don’t think any of the people involved got major consequences.
But this doesn’t include any gray or illegal stuff. You can be petty if you want to. Report his adulteries to his wife or create some gossip regarding that. Make anonymous letters to your company regarding made-up fucked up scenarios like reckless driving or train molestation etc. Slash his tires or some shit before you go back to your country. Or if he does hit you again, exaggerate and even fucking fall screaming out loud.
Karma might get them in the future but you can also act as karma’s agent. This is if you want to get even.
But judging from your post, it seems like you are a kind-natured individual so best of luck.
In short. nothing will happen if you complain
I’ll take an a** chewing if I mess up but no one is putting their hands on me period.
Sack up.
Don’t go behind his back snitching. Confront him calmly and peacefully. Tell him not to do it again.
He should be able to figure out that it’s appropriate to apologize.
Besides, you were wearing a helmet. Sounds like your ego is more bruised than your head.
“slapped me in the helmet” wtf does even mean?
He slapped your helmet? The thing designed to protect your head?
If I were his supervisor I wouldn’t reprimand him, I would reprimand you for being so fragile. You’re making mistakes and getting chastised for them. You come online and make excuses about the mistakes being small and look for sympathy from strangers. I hope you can see how embarrassing that is.
Idk, sounds like you’re a little shit. Respect the culture and pour concrete better.