By Shun Daichi

　今回は調和主義について深く考えるようになったきっかけに触れている。それはオーストラリアに住んでいたときで、もうすぐ日本に再上陸することが明らかになったときだ。日本への再上陸は三度目だったが、これが極めて難しいのだ。

PART ONE:
What is "Harmonism"? (2)

1. Harmonism and I (2)
　I came back from the U.S. equipped with the American virtue of individualism, and the spirit of “Never Give Up”. And I had become quite self-assured, outspoken and confident, just like a typical American.
　Back in Tokyo, I wanted to go back to the same company I had worked before. All my former colleagues welcome me back, and the Editor-in-Chief took me to the owner of the publishing company.
　"You are not Japanese any more. You are more American than Japanese and my company is a very traditional Japanese company and you might disturb our system so you had better look for a job with some foreign company. Do you understand Shun?"
　“Well . . .I thought, I can be more useful to you than before . . . .because now I am equipped with English-speaking and writing abilities..." "It's a good point, Shun, but look at your pink shirt. Do you think you can wear such a shirt and long hair working for a Japanese company?"

　The owner of the company was very clear about not accepting me in his organization, so I decided to look for a job elsewhere, though I could not comprehend for a long time why he had to reject me, for he knew I was a good writer and a decent editor.
　I got a job with the Tokyo branch office of Hill & Knowlton International. According to the manager I was the first Japanese male hired after interviewing more than 600 people. The pay was three times better than that at Japanese companies, and I was enthusiastic.
　However, disillusion came quickly. I simply had doubts about the job called “Public Relations”. I felt our society is different from the US and we did not really need “Public Relations”. If you read through this booklet you might agree with me.
　I also had to fight against Japanese consultants who had successfully cheated the American company. I lost the war against those consultants and I was forced to leave the company.
　I was head up with English speaking Japanese gentlemen who get paid enormous amount of money from American manager and give wrong advices and rip them off. Some of those people were quite well known figures in Japanese society as a bilingual person.
　It was a really funny feeling to have been asked to join with them in defrauding the Americans when only Japanese were in the meeting room.
　What do you think I did in that meeting room?
　Do you think I told them "NO" or said "YES" ?
　Actually I didn't say anything and just smiled and smiled in a friendly manner, even though my answer was clearly "NO."
　This is our way of behavior in the society of Harmonism that I will tell you in more detail in the following chapter.
　I lost enthusiam and American manager took advice from Japanese advisors to get rid of me, so I was asked to leave. I had no place in the company and did not want to have a part in the cheating of Americans anyway so I was happy to leave.

　I joined a Japanese firm in Kayabachou, a Wall Street of Japan, in Tokyo and was producing booklets, slide presentation kits, TV commercials and newspaper advertisements for 300 security houses and firms on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
　I enjoyed staying this organization. It was comfortable. Pay was good. Work was easy. People were very nice. Though I needed more exciting job, I stay with the organization for more than 6 years.
　One of the reasons for my joining a Japanese company at the time was that I felt it might be easier for me to be accepted as a Japanese in the society. By that time I realized that I was rejected not only by the owner of the publishing company but also by most of Japanese.
　They said I was a bit strange, too pushy, never compromising, that I didn't pay enough respect to seniors and what I wore was too colorful and my hair was too long.
　So. . . , I was regarded as a "strange Japanese. "

　Have you ever heard of the Japanese phrase "Henna Gai-jin" meaning "Strange Foreigner"? This means a foreigner who speaks Japanese fluently and understands the Japanese ways very well.
　I was treated as "Henna Nihon-jin," (meaning "Strange Japanese" ), a Japanese who speaks English well and who does not fully understand the Japanese ways or does not accept the Japanese ways.
　Working for a Japanese firm for nearly seven years, it appeared that I was finally accepted by the majority of my fellow Japanese as another Japanese, albeit a little slightly strange one.
　I was successful because I learned to wear a mask and hide my emotions and my opinions behind that mask.
　By and large all the Japanese people wear masks to hide their feelings so as to keep harmony with others.

　It was in Australia when I realized what kind of a wall I was hitting my head against. I lived in Australia with family for five years working for a Japanese company. I was an administration manager.
　The idea came suddenly.
　I had an 8-year-old son who had lived in Australia from the age of 3 to 8 and who behaved and spoke like a real Aussie. I was wondering, what was going to happen to him?
　Does he have to go through all the difficulties I had gone through with Japanese society? After 20 years of hard work to assimilate myself into Japanese society, I was still considered by many Japanese to be an "unusual Japanese."
　While I was thinking about my son, suddenly I realized that what I was fighting against was the Harmonism of Japan. And my son Maana would have to face the same monster.
　Then, it became my obligation to analyze and understand the monster and tell Maana what are it like and its weaknesses and other factors of the monster. Then he may be able to tame the monster and become friendly with it.

(To be continued)