‘Speak Japanese’ contest

Press, 4 February 1986, Page 20

‘Speak Japanese’ contest

Sir, —The judges of the recent Japanese speaking competition were “impressed with the high standards” (“The Press," December 6). My Japanese pen-friend’s recent visit to New Zealand resulted in disappointment that the only Japanese speakers she met here were native Japanese, including her tours with Newmans. My inquiries revealed open discrimination in a preference for employing Japanese nationals rather than New Zealanders to guide Japanese tourists in New Zealand. Would Mrs McFarlane (one of the “impressed judges”) comment on why my pen-friend was told by three separate tourist-related companies in Christchurch that New Zealanders are not up to working with Japanese tourists linguistically. I might add that the service my pen-friend received from native Japanese here did not impress her one bit. Impatient is her description of the Japanese she met. Does Newmans in Christchurch employ New Zealand people to work with Japanese tourists yet? — Yours, etc., JANE-MARIE SHAW. December 7. 1985.

[Mr Denis J. Gilmour, chief executive of the South Island

Promotion Association, replies: “The main objective of the contest is to encourage New Zealanders to learn Japanese, with a view to enhancing their prospects of employment in positions requiring proficiency with the language. With regard to Japanese nationals being described as ‘impatient’ by Jane-Marie Shaw’s pen-friend, it is impracticable to speculate upon unsubstantiated statements of this kind beyond wondering whether such complaints were brought to the attention of management at the time. While the South Island Promotion Association would be delighted to see an increasing number of New Zealanders employed in the tourist industry, the matter appears to me to be very much in the hands of the various commercial operators involved.”]

[Mrs Shoko Macfarlane, manager of the Japanese group of Newmans Tours, Christchurch, replied: “High standards at the Japanese Speaking Contest do not simply and directly apply to an ability or a capability to guide Japanese tourists. A guide for Japanese tourists has more to do than just guide. He has to be able to interpret, negotiate, consult in many different situations, and to be a trouble-shooter, teacher, judge, conversationalist with balanced point of view, not to mention that he should be kind, pleasant and courteous. This job requires maturity with plenty of life experience. Then, of course, he has to understand Japanese fully and speak it fluently. It is preferable that he can read and write the language. He must know and understand the Japanese way of thinking, customs and habits. This is the most difficult part and this is why generally it is thought that only native Japanese could do the job satisfactorily or non-Japanese who have lived in Japan for several years and experienced the lifestyle. There is a significant difference between a good-will mission or friendly relationship with Japanese and a business relationship with Japanese. We tour operators in New Zealand have to try our best to fulfill all the requirements of Japanese the tour companies ask or expect us to do. Therefore, it is not always our choice to hire native Japanese guides. In business, you do not produce products with which customers would not be satisfied. This practice is particularly important to the Japanese consumer society. And this applies to tourism, and guides are one of the products we offer to our customers (namely Japanese tour companies). So the whole business is not just a simple matter of not hiring New Zealanders or Japanese or a question of discrimination. Our business is more complicated than people outside the industry realise. However, I hope the day when we can really argue about discrimination will soon come, because this is the time when we will have plenty of good guides around for Japanese tourists in New Zealand. Yes, I had and have gaijin (foreigner to the Japanese) guides in Christchurch. A few are always working at our Auckland office doing the operational side of the jobs.’’]