To be honest, I've been feeling like this for the past couple of years, perhaps due to living here so long… but this year put this feelings into overdrive.
1) Despite speaking Japanese, I feel like there is increasing hostility towards non-Japanese people, including whites which never happened before (there's always been discrimination against Chinese, Koreans, brown people, etc, but now it's whites too which is really strange)
This in turn has lead me take off the rose colored glasses after almost a decade of living here. Like why would I want to live in a country that is openly hostile towards me, ESPECIALLY since my country literally protects Japan from China, and allows Japan to spend it's military budget on infrastructure instead. The reason America doesn't have shinkansens everywhere is because we're defending Japan from China. Maybe America should withdraw it's military protection, as well as economic investment in Japan, and we see how long it takes Japan to become a colony of China.
2) The quality of service and food is getting worse. A LOT worse. I know this because I've been going to some restaurants for over 8 years. The staff just seem shittier, you seem them being lazy, joking around, talking loudly, etc. Behavior that would be unheard of just 3 years ago. There's no "dedication" to their crafts anymore. I get a lot of them aren't Japanese and don't have the same work ethic, but it's lead to a much crappier dining experience at most restaurants.
The shrinkflation is crazy too. Prices haven't risen that much, but the amount of food you get is much less. Much less protein, thinner slices of fish, much crappier quality of fish, etc.
I went to Kura and broke out in hives afterwards. There is SOMETHING in the food they are using there.
3) Wages stagnant, everything else increasing dramatically. Rents are going up, services are going up (like massages, ear cleanings, etc). This doesn't really impact me so much because I have a small business in America, but the reason I don't like it is because it drives down the quality of everything.
People aren't happy if they can't afford to live. If workers aren't happy, the service they provide sucks. If restaurants can't raise prices and must lower food quality, I eat the toxic food and break out in hives.
I was back in the states during the holidays, and yes, it's comically expensive there (zero Japanese people can afford to go to the US right now, it would bankrupt them) when you think in yen…
But the food quality and service is still high. When I eat a hamburger in America, it costs 3000 yen, yes, but I am full afterwards. There is a good amount of beef, not a super thin slice meant for someone who runs on 1400 calories a day.
My question is, do you think the circumstances will improve? I can tolerate this lack in quality and lifestyle if it's temporary, but if we're on a downward trajectory permanently, I don't see how continuing to live here is feasible when I have other options.
by RedMoonLanding