Good post Maciamo, its better put than I could do it.

The lying thing really gets on my nerves. Whilst in Japan there are 2 things that stand out from my experience that really annoy me. The first one was one day during school the police came and arrested a teacher. I asked what was happening and noone knew and the next day the school released a note for everyone to take home explaining what had happened.
Their story: The teacher had been taken in for questioning about an incident and the school had 'relieved him' due to stress.
What happened: He threatened a guy with a knife and physically assaulted him and was thus arrested.

The other was one day after school clubs were over, about 7pm. Most people take the bus back from the sports campus but my club is at the main campus and I was waiting for a friend who is on the bus. So the buses roll up and everyone gets on reaaally quick, very quietly and 2 teachers get on. Inside the bus you can hear screaming and crying. 2 ambulances turn up and they take 2 girls from the volleyball club off the bus, who are clutching at their chests having trouble breathing. I've done FA courses about 4 times, at school, cadets, for surflife saving and for work. These two were hyperventilating and it would be a pretty simple thing to treat. But when I asked the teachers what happened I got "it was just mental stress from family troubles".... 2 girls, in the same club from different families on the same day? Nah, its called not cooling down after training (they run these girls hard right up to the last minute).

Being a foreigner in Japan who can speak Japanese is a 'novelty' and is a PAIN to get people to take you seriously. 2 years out of high school I turn up in Japan and WHAM, im back to being treated like a primary school student. "No, you cant cross the road till I say its safe", "oh you cant go out after dark, its dangerous" etc etc. :'( arrgh

I'm not saying its wrong, just different. And Jeishi, they do drive on the same side of the road as us ;) heh

Show me one line, just a single line, where he says that its bad? He does state at the start its just what he's noticed and how its different. Live in Japan for a prolonged length of time and you'll discover this.