Middle managers who have no idea what their job is, let alone what their subordinates job is, relish in gaining power from their underlings’ successes and shifting the guilt and the blame on the entire department if something fails instead of where the blame should rightly go (the not-so-stellar manager) or where the praise should go (the incredibly stellar team working beneath the incompetent manager).

In Japan, just as in America, company meetings tend to do nothing more than disseminate information that was already decided and that everyone already knew. Nothing is gained. There is no possibility for change since the management won’t listen to the suggestions anyway. So, people mindlessly attend pointless meetings and waste highly-valued time in the interest of nothing.

Even the lack of efficiency is pointedly similar. Higher ups that cannot even see their own feet and have never been to the same working space as those they are commanding make irrational decisions based on who knows what logic and then wonder why the product didn’t release on time. Underlings – those at the bottom of the food chain – are relegated to mindlessly following orders or getting probated, punished, or even fired for challenging the authority that their inept, puerile managers command. It’s a do-as-you’re-told-or-die kind of dichotomy.

I have had some of the exact some atrocious experiences in my Japanese-based office as my American-based offices. They all essentially stem from the same concurrent issue: greedy, retarded, lazy old bastards who like to feel important bossing around incompetent, lifeless managers bossing around competent, intelligent, but given-up-on-life workers who no longer have any soul or hope. Those once competent workers eventually have any motivation, dedication, or innovation driven out of them early on and themselves become the same unmotivated, un-dedicated, soulless middle-managers that they once despised so much.

I attended a bonenkai in Japan once. All I saw was the sacchou (big boss) being followed endlessly by a cohort of shamelessly praising young women who constantly threw out empty compliments to try and win some ego points with the boss and secure their potential move-up through the company. I recalled having attended a similar party in America where I saw the exact same thing. The only difference was that a couple men were also members of the primarily-female cohort following the division manager and department directors around trying to win their next promotion.

Certainly, on the surface, there may be some differences. But when you delve into the matter just a little, everything seems to blend together and both countries’ corporate culture look exactly the same. Maybe I’m just biased, slanted, slighted, and bitter about my overtly and overly negative experiences in the corporate world. But that’s how I see it. Unfortunately.

But she will not speak with you unless you apologize to her.”
“Well,” I said, “That sounds wonderful.”

Sometimes you just have to be honest. There is no other way.

I too am a 1-year ALT, and your tantrums sound tame compared to the ones I had when I first started. I think the Japanese get stuck in disagreeable situations, especially if they are young and new, and have to suck it up. They get no say in the matter, which I really don’t think is fair.

Alas, I had to stop caring so much about what they thought of me, try to do the best I could at work (despite wondering at least ten times a day, “what is going on?”), and plan fun weekends.

Now, my 2 penny worth of opinion … She’s a bully. Shes not not emphasisizing or not being sensibl, she is a bully nor does she care about the wa of the office. This much is blatantly clear. So don’t emphasize with her. The problem here is that when you say “sorry” you actually mean “sorry, I was wrong” whereas I get the distinct impression that in Japan “sorry” means nothing. It is just sound, a phrase used to achieve an aim, like ringing your bicycle bell to get people out of the way.

It’s your choice to apologise, your colleagues cannot put the burden of responsibility on you just because she is a pain to deal with. It is your choice.

I would also suggest complaining about her not doing her job properly. She lied, and did not give you correct information to execute your job — which is her job. You’re leaving anyway, so might as Welles something to hel the next foreigner.