"masayuki" <masa@yahoo.co.jp> wrote in message news:2uetfcF29lfeaU1@uni-berlin.de...
> "Michael Cash" <mikecash@buggerallspammers.com> wrote in message 
> news:8m2vn0pmqfbhnpabtp7g0c6l75ch9p7snh@4ax.com...
>> This is a copy-n-paste of a mail I sent to one of those groups which
>> functions mainly as a place for Debito to post his press releases.
>> I thought my favorite bunch of reprobates might get a kick out of it:
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Not a big deal, nor anything other than what I expected when I walked
>> into the store, but I still gave them a ration of shit over it.
>> Thought I'd share....
>>
>>
>> Today, around noon, I stopped by a Family Mart in Nerima-ku and
>> noticed that they were having a big sign-up campaign for a new Family
>> Mart credit card they're introducing. I recognized the regular store
>> staff from multiple previous visits to the store. They were all just
>> performing their regular duties. FM had sent in some outside help to
>> do the campaign work.
>>
>> One was stationed by the door. One was stationed by the ATM. And a
>> couple more wore working the aisles of the store. Of course, they were
>> attempting to pass out card applications to everyone who came in.
>>
>> Everyone except me, that is. The door guy, who had been
>> enthusiastically greeting all comers and offering applications to
>> them, stood there still as a statue and silent as the grave when I
>> came in.
>>
>> So I thought I'd pass by the ATM guy and see what happened. Same
>> thing. Ditto the two guys working the aisles.
>>
>> Just to make certain how aggressive they were in accosting any and all
>> customers, I wandered around the store for perhaps 10 minutes (I went
>> in at about 12:10 and left at 12:25), passing slowly by each of the
>> campaign staff, looking just as approachable and unhurried as I could
>> to give them ample opportunities to make their pitch to me.
>>
>> What happened each time was the still-n-silent statue impersonation,
>> immediately replaced with aggressive accosting of the nearest Japanese
>> customer the instant I had passed by them. Hell, they were following
>> customers around the store continuing their harrangue as the customers
>> attempted to complete their shopping.
>>
>> After that had gone on about 10 minutes and I figured I had amply
>> observed the degree of their agressivity and given them at least a
>> dozen chances to make their offer to me I decided it was time to ask
>> if there was some reason for what was quite obviously an effort to
>> studiously ignore me.
>>
>> What ensued was one of those bizarre situations where Japanese
>> adamantly maintain that they are NOT discriminating....and
>> discriminating all the while they're doing it. Anyone who has ever
>> gone apartment hunting in Japan has probably encountered this and can
>> relate to what I'm talking about.
>>
>> As I was embarassing them by making a stink in the crowded store,
>> right next to the table where a couple of customers (one of them a
>> high school boy) were filling out applications, they very quickly
>> tried to usher me into the storeroom to continue the conversation.
>> Since raising a public stink over it was exactly what I wanted to do I
>> remained right where I was.
>>
>> I got the name and employee number of the main guy (who was from the
>> FM Honbu) and wrote it down for future reference. I wish I had thought
>> to ask for his name card.
>>
>> No, I don't care to sue Family Mart or the campaign staff. Nor do I
>> really care to bother with contacting the Honbu and registering a
>> complaint with them. I met the situation as it was, where it was, and
>> dealt with it just about as much as I care to. But I thought my fellow
>> foreigners in Japan might wish to keep an eye on their neighborhood
>> Family Mart and watch to see when they put on a credit card sign-up
>> campaign. If you have a few minutes to spare, wander around and make
>> it obvious that you are in no hurry to leave the store. I'm interested
>> in seeing if anyone gets approached and offered an application.
> 
> Sort of Japanese disease.
> 
> Now my wife says she will send a letter to the head office of FM
> tomorrow. She seems eager to know how they "justify" this kind
> of stinking practice. If she gets a response from FM, I will make
> public here.

Allow me to write in Japanese.
Here is a response from FM:

「拝啓　XX様に於かれましては益々ご清祥のこととお慶び申し上げます。

　さて、XX様のご友人の方がファミリーマート店舗をご利用された際、
ファミマカードの会員募集のお声掛けをしなかったとのご意見を賜り
ました。早速、該当職員に事情聴取したところ、正午過ぎの時間帯と
いうこともあり、大切な昼休みの邪魔をしてはいけないという認識の
もとに、勤務中と思われる方はファミマカードのご案内を避けていた
ことが判明致しました。人種差別をしたとのご指摘を賜りましたが、
パンフレットを配布しなかったのはご友人の方が制服をお召しになっ
ていたためであり、日本人ではないとの事由で軽んじた事実はござい
ません。かかる誤解を招き、XX様並びにご友人の方のご心中は
お察し申し上げますが、諸般の事情をお汲み取りのうえ、何卒ご理解
賜りたく存じます。

　なお、ファミマカードにつきましては日本人限定の会員制度ではなく、
弊社全体と致しましても日本人以外の方を避けてご案内するような
指導はしておりませんことを併せてご報告申し上げます。

　最後に、今後とも相変わりませぬご愛顧をお願い申し上げると共に、
XX様並びにご友人の方の益々のご健勝をお祈りし、書面にてご挨拶
申し上げる次第でございます。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　敬具」

Masayuki

> Masayuki
> 
>> --
>>
>> Michael Cash
>>
>> "I am sorry, Mr. Cash, but we are unable to accept your rap sheet in lieu of
>> a high school transcript."
>>
>> Dr. Howard Sprague
>> Dean of Admissions
>> Mount Pilot College 
>