JapanzineJapanzine is a free monthly English-language magazine with distribution (seemingly) all over the country. When I had first picked up one of the issues back in September I had found the articles to be a little comical, but not something that you’d expect to see anywhere but some amateurs blog. Thinking this was just my unaccustomed view of English magazines in Japan, I decided to wait and see if my perception of the content would change over time. Not surprisingly, it has.

Japanzine is horrible.

I’ll be the first to admit that I have a problem with perceptions in this nation where image is everything, and the chances of these issues being resolved is pretty slim, but the editors of this magazine aren’t making the assimilation of Japanese culture any easier for the foreigners who might read this tripe. If this is how foreign-run companies in this country actually present themselves to the local population, then not only are my future plans in life seriously destroyed, but there’s no chance any company run by foreigners will be taken seriously.

So What’s The Big Deal?

In a typical issue, we’ll get to see someone pretend to give advice while using the guise of a Japanese man with a very strong accent, a bunch of Caucasians making an ass of themselves (in pictures) at some bar or something, and a whole host of other material of dubious relevance and quality. If I wanted to see drunk people and hear about their escapades in another country, I’d go to a bar in Vancouver and listen to a bunch of idiots complain about their recent trip to Seattle. While I don’t expect non-Japanese visitors or immigrants to completely immerse themselves into the culture, I do think that the poor perception of non-Japanese people in this country needs to be cleaned up.

Magazines that portray us as alcoholic party animals with no self-restraint only maintain the stereotypes that many of us are trying so hard to break down. The news media portray foreigners as a bunch of criminals who are clearly guilty until proven innocent. The government sees us as a dark stain on their otherwise crisp linens. In a land of highly xenophobic people, how the heck can we improve relations when a widely distributed magazine shows the very things that we’re trying to disprove?

I’m not saying that Japanzine should become all pro-Japanese or be nothing more than an English translation of whatever pop culture magazines are currently showing, but it would be nice to see them tone down the content of the articles and advertisements to fall more in line with what we’d see elsewhere.

There are lots of great Japanese people in this country that don’t apply too many stereotypes to the foreigners roaming the streets, but there are a great many more that we still need to win over and prove our worth. If Japanzine really wants to continue being a stereotypical magazine, then perhaps they should try to mimic Dave Chappelle’s work and tear down racial intolerances rather than reinforce them.

That said, I doubt it will happen any time soon.