LONDON – Many Japanese have a somewhat romanticized image of living in Britain.
While for some those expectations may be fulfilled, the reality for others is that they struggle to adapt to a very different culture.
Yuko Nippoda, a London-based counselor and psychotherapist, has been treating Japanese clients suffering from psychological and mental health issues for years, and helps them cope with life in Britain and Western culture.
She says that communication difficulties as well as the “unpredictabilty” of British life — where customer service can be poor and unreliable — are two of the main problems.
Speaking to Kyodo News at her practice in west London, she said, “Japanese often fantasize and have an idealized image about life in London and Britain, but once they arrive they can become quite disillusioned.”
Her clients include those, mostly female, in relationships with a British partner, students and expatriates and their families who are staying here for a few years through work.
A common complaint of those having difficulty adapting to British life is a feeling that they cannot make themselves understood in English and this leads to a sense of powerlessness, isolation, inferiority and frustration, says Nippoda.
Unable to describe their true feelings, Japanese women may argue with their British partners and, on some occasions, turn violent, she said.
In addition, some Japanese women may feel disappointed that British men do not match up to their expectations of a traditional English gentleman.
Japanese students frequently find they are unable to follow lessons and, rather than seeking help, they withdraw from life and become demotivated.
They also struggle to adapt to Western teaching styles — which emphasize studet-teacher interaction — as opposed to the more passive approach in Japanese colleges.
And, while expats and their families here on a company assignment may have less exposure to local life, they often find it hard to make new friends as the makeup of the Japanese community is narrower, says Nippoda.
Some Japanese may also resent being in Britain because it is not their choice to be here in the first place. Often people have to move here due to their partner’s position and this resentment can prevent the process of adapting.
Nippoda says another problem faced by Japanese is adjusting from a “collectivist” culture — where the needs of the group go before one’s own — to one where an individual’s needs are more important.
In addition, Japanese have to adjust to the ups and downs of British life.
Nippoda said, “Public transport is often delayed and canceled without notice. Delivery services say they will come on a certain date and don’t, builders and plumbers don’t keep their promises and poor service even extends to banks.
“This all really frustrates Japanese and causes a lot of stress. In Japan, good service and organization are expected as a matter of course.”
She refers to this as “London Syndrome,” a phenomenon similar to “Paris Syndrome,” a term coined by experts several years ago for Japanese suffering feelings of disillusionment with life in the French capital.
Nippoda, who is registered with the U.K. Council for Psychotherapy and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, says it is difficult to estimate how many Japanese suffer while adapting to life in Britain, but a previous survey she conducted suggested up to two thirds may be severely or moderately affected.
Her therapy sessions help clients to think for themselves and establish a sense of identity and meaning. They also allow the client to become more assertive and develop more equal relationships with other people.
She said, “Living in Britain, Japanese are often able to find their sense of self and identity. They start to learn more about who they are, what they want and how they want to change.”
After a course of therapy, a significant number of clients show signs of considerable improvement, she says.
Nippoda believes that more thought needs to go into preparing people for the cultural change before they leave Japan.
She recommends that Japanese overseas maintain their links with Japan in order to keep them “grounded” while living in the West.
She adds that Japanese are more likely to seek a medical solution to their problems rather than addressing the fundamental issues through counseling and psychotherapy, which is still not properly understood in Japan.
Some Japanese residents, interviewed by Kyodo News, shared their experiences of making the cultural change.
Yuki Furukawa, who has lived in Britain for over 20 years, says that when she first arrived here as a language student she suffered communication difficulties and found it hard to meet British people, but as time went on life has become easier.
She said, “One of the things I have difficulty with, now that I have children, is understanding the education system. And as I get older, I do sometimes miss Japan and Japanese culture.”
Takeru Kurihara, who has lived here for over 10 years, said that in many ways British and Japanese cultures are similar. “But sometimes things don’t work. Trains and buses are delayed or stop, deliveries don’t happen at the designated time and customer service can be poor. It’s also difficult to find public toilets and, when you do, they’re not often clean!” he said.
