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This post maybe interesting for anybody willing to work in Japan or for a Japanese company.
4 days ago I was in the office and I always begin the morning with a cup of coffee. I noticed someone already had made coffee, even though nobody at my department (me and four guys) drinks coffee or even know how to make it. Didn't think anything of it at the time.
I walked to my desk and smelled a strange odour.
When I tried to take a sip I smelled it again.
It smelled like bleach. I went to the small kitchen in my department and found a bottle of bleach in the kitchen cabinet smelled it and I was right. The whole coffee machine smelled like bleach.
I immediately called a management meeting and showed them the coffee. They couldn't believe it.
They suspected my guys (I'm head of the department and I treat them well) but I told them they would not even know how to make coffee and I was the first in the office, always at 7:40.
I wanted to check surveillance footage, but typical corporate bureaucracy, it would take forms and other shit to get to see the videos, which takes time.
So I said well can I see who checked in first today. That was ok, one girl, one guy, the girl clocked in at 07:30 but the guy was already here at 06:20, while he is normally here at exactly 08:00.
So we called him in at a meeting. It did not took long to crack him and to admit to the bleaching of the coffee. The reason why: He said I slept with his girlfriend. I went berserk, screamed in both Japanese and English, lost my cool completely. Told him I don't know him, do not give a fuck about him let alone about his girlfriend.
He then said a name. Instead of denying that I do not know who she is I said. "ohhh she."
That girls does not work at our office any more, left about 4 years ago. 5 years ago, when she joined the company she was terribly homesick, missing Kyushu and we kind of bonded, nothing more, but yeah we ended up in bed together, I believe two times, maybe more can't remember. She was not exactly my type of girl but I felt sorry for her and knew she had difficulty fitting in, so I don't want to call it sympathy sex but we liked talking and could confide in each other.
After a year something gruesome happened to her and she left the company. Did not have any contact any more only heard from others that she got married and divorced in one year.
For those who have studied in Japan or work for a Japanese company might know, that when there is a fight, always both parties get the blame and punishment.
He was fired on the spot, but I wanted to go to the police and file a report. Management asked me not to do this, because I did not get poisoned yet.
However at the end of the day my punishment came.
I was to be relocated to another office in another city. I could not believe it, I was actually devastated. I said "wow isn't this harsh. Why?".
They said yeah the whole me too movement, we also have to modernise. I replied, "that is nonsense know one here cares about that, just like me, you guys had sex with all the girls here, this is bs."
Just to put in context what I mean: We (all staff) have down times, drink, go eating, karaoke of drink more and go to love hotels together. These things just happen. When there are no girls with us, the guys all go to the hookers, these thing just happen. I would almost call this a Japanese tradition, but this also happens in China and probably also in South Korea (even though there the metoo movement is starting to have affect).
I maybe said it before in prior post, but I never corrupted, blackmailed or forced a girl to do anything. I am in no position to promise them anything. The girls always worked at a different department, wanted to go out with my department or with the management just to have fun. I know that some girls want to get higher up or just wan to be favoured, but it is what it is or better said, it was.
I wanted to resigned that night. I just do not want to move. Even though the location where I am living now is a backwards town, really crappy and far from work, I have already spent 12.5 years here, kind of gotten used to it.
Then at home I got another fight with my SO because I did not run the whole thing by her. Eventually she sided with me and said that it was time for change. I did not yet hand in my resignation and wanted to do so at the end of the week.
Two days the Japanese management ignored me like I did not exist, but suddenly I was called into a meeting with the two top guys. They started making small talk to me and also made jokes. Suddenly offered me a bonus offer. I said "why?"
The want me to help them relocate the whole office within five months. I am then free to decide to move with them or leave the company.
It was already in the planning for a year now, but kept being postponed to move some departments but not all, due to running contracts ending. Also my mother company has too many offices and the Japanese Tax office had asked to decrease this so it would be easier to follow the money. I told them a year ago that if they prepare the staff involved immediately the blow would be softer and everybody can prepare better on the inevitable. However they never listen to an outsider like me and rather screw up the situations to come.
I did not want to wait and told my staff what was going on. They were not happy, but had already seen an illegally obtained print, with some kind of plants a few months ago. They hoped it was all just an idea not an actual plan. We talked for an hour and I asked if they wanted to go drinking. One guy opened his drawer, got whiskey and said Let's drink now.
One of the managers wanted to go home but stopped by my department and saw us drinking. He asked if I told them everything, I said yes.
He walks away in a hurry, I'm thinking "am I in more trouble".
A few moments later he comes back with our acting president and asked me to come to a meeting room. They asked me if I could tell the rest of the staff, what is about to happen. I told them I'm not HR, president or director, however they told me they see it as doing back a favour regarding the metoo stuff, which was ridiculous, uncalled for and I found it total nonsense. Then they told me it was better that it came from a foreigner, I could soften the blow. I was also the longest there. I finally agreed.
At 17:00 I had send an email to all staff still in the office asking to meet me at the largest department floor, Operations. I told my department that they do not need to come.
It was not easy. I try to hold composure.
There were of course many questions and I tried to answer them all with the knowledge I had. Of course the rest of managers already fled.
One guy said to me thank you for ruining my Friday night. I told him that if management had done this a year ago we would not be here like this today. Of course I gotten thrown at my head, that I was management, and I replied that is correct and that is why I'm telling you this, however guess who is not here to confront you.
I went back to my department, three guys were still drinking, one left in anger. A few staff came by seeing that they were not happy but did not blame me or knew I was not behind the decision making. Which helped me a bit.
At around 19:00 we were out of Whiskey and started drinking Sake, a few staff members asked if we can go drinking. I told them angry drinking will not solve anything and pointed to my three drunken colleagues. Then I realised I need to get some food in these guys before the walk under a train.
I called my boss and asked if I could rent out on of our restaurants (yes we have our own restaurant, which is from 19:00 only available for high management). He did not understand, but I had asked him to trust me. He allowed it, I had the restaurant until 23:30.
I asked everybody who was still in the office if they wanted to join, to drink and eat, they can ask me anything, we can talk about the future about the past when can give each other advice or support each other. I called the restaurant and informed them that 35 employees are coming to drink and eat everything and that he should get rid off all management currently there. He had already heard from my boss and said that they will be gone within 20 minutes.
Well this has already been a long post. If you guys are interested I can tell you about Friday night in a different post or if you have questions I'm willing to answer them.
4 days ago I was in the office and I always begin the morning with a cup of coffee. I noticed someone already had made coffee, even though nobody at my department (me and four guys) drinks coffee or even know how to make it. Didn't think anything of it at the time.
I walked to my desk and smelled a strange odour.
When I tried to take a sip I smelled it again.
It smelled like bleach. I went to the small kitchen in my department and found a bottle of bleach in the kitchen cabinet smelled it and I was right. The whole coffee machine smelled like bleach.
I immediately called a management meeting and showed them the coffee. They couldn't believe it.
They suspected my guys (I'm head of the department and I treat them well) but I told them they would not even know how to make coffee and I was the first in the office, always at 7:40.
I wanted to check surveillance footage, but typical corporate bureaucracy, it would take forms and other shit to get to see the videos, which takes time.
So I said well can I see who checked in first today. That was ok, one girl, one guy, the girl clocked in at 07:30 but the guy was already here at 06:20, while he is normally here at exactly 08:00.
So we called him in at a meeting. It did not took long to crack him and to admit to the bleaching of the coffee. The reason why: He said I slept with his girlfriend. I went berserk, screamed in both Japanese and English, lost my cool completely. Told him I don't know him, do not give a fuck about him let alone about his girlfriend.
He then said a name. Instead of denying that I do not know who she is I said. "ohhh she."
That girls does not work at our office any more, left about 4 years ago. 5 years ago, when she joined the company she was terribly homesick, missing Kyushu and we kind of bonded, nothing more, but yeah we ended up in bed together, I believe two times, maybe more can't remember. She was not exactly my type of girl but I felt sorry for her and knew she had difficulty fitting in, so I don't want to call it sympathy sex but we liked talking and could confide in each other.
After a year something gruesome happened to her and she left the company. Did not have any contact any more only heard from others that she got married and divorced in one year.
For those who have studied in Japan or work for a Japanese company might know, that when there is a fight, always both parties get the blame and punishment.
He was fired on the spot, but I wanted to go to the police and file a report. Management asked me not to do this, because I did not get poisoned yet.
However at the end of the day my punishment came.
I was to be relocated to another office in another city. I could not believe it, I was actually devastated. I said "wow isn't this harsh. Why?".
They said yeah the whole me too movement, we also have to modernise. I replied, "that is nonsense know one here cares about that, just like me, you guys had sex with all the girls here, this is bs."
Just to put in context what I mean: We (all staff) have down times, drink, go eating, karaoke of drink more and go to love hotels together. These things just happen. When there are no girls with us, the guys all go to the hookers, these thing just happen. I would almost call this a Japanese tradition, but this also happens in China and probably also in South Korea (even though there the metoo movement is starting to have affect).
I maybe said it before in prior post, but I never corrupted, blackmailed or forced a girl to do anything. I am in no position to promise them anything. The girls always worked at a different department, wanted to go out with my department or with the management just to have fun. I know that some girls want to get higher up or just wan to be favoured, but it is what it is or better said, it was.
I wanted to resigned that night. I just do not want to move. Even though the location where I am living now is a backwards town, really crappy and far from work, I have already spent 12.5 years here, kind of gotten used to it.
Then at home I got another fight with my SO because I did not run the whole thing by her. Eventually she sided with me and said that it was time for change. I did not yet hand in my resignation and wanted to do so at the end of the week.
Two days the Japanese management ignored me like I did not exist, but suddenly I was called into a meeting with the two top guys. They started making small talk to me and also made jokes. Suddenly offered me a bonus offer. I said "why?"
The want me to help them relocate the whole office within five months. I am then free to decide to move with them or leave the company.
It was already in the planning for a year now, but kept being postponed to move some departments but not all, due to running contracts ending. Also my mother company has too many offices and the Japanese Tax office had asked to decrease this so it would be easier to follow the money. I told them a year ago that if they prepare the staff involved immediately the blow would be softer and everybody can prepare better on the inevitable. However they never listen to an outsider like me and rather screw up the situations to come.
I did not want to wait and told my staff what was going on. They were not happy, but had already seen an illegally obtained print, with some kind of plants a few months ago. They hoped it was all just an idea not an actual plan. We talked for an hour and I asked if they wanted to go drinking. One guy opened his drawer, got whiskey and said Let's drink now.
One of the managers wanted to go home but stopped by my department and saw us drinking. He asked if I told them everything, I said yes.
He walks away in a hurry, I'm thinking "am I in more trouble".
A few moments later he comes back with our acting president and asked me to come to a meeting room. They asked me if I could tell the rest of the staff, what is about to happen. I told them I'm not HR, president or director, however they told me they see it as doing back a favour regarding the metoo stuff, which was ridiculous, uncalled for and I found it total nonsense. Then they told me it was better that it came from a foreigner, I could soften the blow. I was also the longest there. I finally agreed.
At 17:00 I had send an email to all staff still in the office asking to meet me at the largest department floor, Operations. I told my department that they do not need to come.
It was not easy. I try to hold composure.
There were of course many questions and I tried to answer them all with the knowledge I had. Of course the rest of managers already fled.
One guy said to me thank you for ruining my Friday night. I told him that if management had done this a year ago we would not be here like this today. Of course I gotten thrown at my head, that I was management, and I replied that is correct and that is why I'm telling you this, however guess who is not here to confront you.
I went back to my department, three guys were still drinking, one left in anger. A few staff came by seeing that they were not happy but did not blame me or knew I was not behind the decision making. Which helped me a bit.
At around 19:00 we were out of Whiskey and started drinking Sake, a few staff members asked if we can go drinking. I told them angry drinking will not solve anything and pointed to my three drunken colleagues. Then I realised I need to get some food in these guys before the walk under a train.
I called my boss and asked if I could rent out on of our restaurants (yes we have our own restaurant, which is from 19:00 only available for high management). He did not understand, but I had asked him to trust me. He allowed it, I had the restaurant until 23:30.
I asked everybody who was still in the office if they wanted to join, to drink and eat, they can ask me anything, we can talk about the future about the past when can give each other advice or support each other. I called the restaurant and informed them that 35 employees are coming to drink and eat everything and that he should get rid off all management currently there. He had already heard from my boss and said that they will be gone within 20 minutes.
Well this has already been a long post. If you guys are interested I can tell you about Friday night in a different post or if you have questions I'm willing to answer them.