It probably wasn't anything wrong you had done wrong. From what I've been hearing from some family who do business in asia. As they explain it, Japan has had an economic whiplash from the 80s and a lot of those cultural and economic policies that gave them initial success were not sustainable long term. And since Japan is a VERY proud culture, they've found it easier to blame outsiders than their own miscalculations.

The inside of the bus was as silent as a church for the entire drive even though it was full.

Is that not the case where you're from? Genuinely almost never heard anyone having a conversation on an intercity bus

It's really nothing you did. The people there just randomly decide to stand up in crowded trains if you are a foreigner and sit beside them. Or this time I was just walking down the street and the lady who was walking towards me just randomly crosses the street and walks past.

Despite having population crisis and financial loses, they are still committed to xenophobia. They are master of that.

Sure would be a shame if they also had an abysmally low birth rate which will result in their societal collapse.

I'll never prejudge an individual from Japan or any other nation.

I will however judge the polity as a whole.

Mfs still pretending like they never did any warcrimes.

Probably on my list of reasons why I don't want to visit Japan

The odds of a Texas BBQ joint not having any Spanish speaking employees is exceedingly small.

Its called Xenophobia.

Xenophobia and racism are distinct forms of prejudice: xenophobia is the fear or hatred of foreigners, while racism is the belief in racial superiority and systemic oppression based on race. Though they overlap, they target people for different reasons.

It literally isn't racism though. You can disagree with it and think it should be banned, but there is no interpretation that it can realistically be called racism

I lived in Japan for a while. I've seen a couple places with a sign like this. In my experience every place like this is perfectly willing to have foreigners that speak Japanese. They simply don't want to deal with the hassle of a language barrier

I should also note these places were always in touristy areas. If they don't have a sign like that, they'll end up with majority English speaking customers, because Japanese customers prefer places without rowdy tourists that can't speak the local language. I did too. Going out for an after work beer, you want an entirely different atmosphere from tourists getting hammered

It would still not be racism

Xenophobia at worst, only hatred of tourists at best

It doesn't say "if you are of that race we are open". It says you must understand the language. So learn it - you'll need it anyway to live there - or go elsewhere, where staff can serve you on your language, provide a menu on your language etc.

A hate system where you can upgrade your status by learning is not racism. Also not necessarily a hate system in the first place.

If an American moves to Europe and doesn't attempt to learn the local language, then by a few months to a year in with zero effort people will say they're in the wrong for not making an effort to integrate and expecting everyone to speak English for them.

Clearly "Americans expecting foreigners to speak English" is different from "Other countries expecting Americans to speak the local language" from a moral point of view. So why is Japan then lumped in with America as the "Local people must accept and accommodate foreigners who can't communicate in the local language" bucket, when anywhere else it's "If you're traveling there and you didn't even try learning the language, then you're ignorant and entitled."?

why no dogs...?