"Michael Cash" <mikecash@buggerallspammers.com> wrote in message

> Why do you assume that I work for random strangers I pass on the
> street?

Because a friend did that sort of jobs (in building industry that was) and
he said that nobody asked him from what country he was from, if he had a
visa, if he could speak or read nihongo.
Those 3 questions tend to be systematic for foreign looking people that
apply for a job  in Kansai, and they usually don't ask that to Japanese
looking people. Sometimes, there are more important differences like the
foreigners not receiving their salary on time while the Japanese get theirs,
and also, the contrary, only the foreign staff getting paid normally and the
Japanese having to beg ...

> My current employer treats me no differently than any of my coworkers.

So there are exceptions or different regional traditions. Here in combinis,
they propose me their credit card schemes.  I take off the "always".

Kuri