First of all, glad to have you aboard. My question isn't so much about rules as about the culture of officiating in Japan. My understanding is that Americans -- all non-Japanese, for that matter -- are held in extremely low regard. The word, I think, is "gaijin" ("foreignor"), and has a very negative connotation.
Do you find that this attitude is directed at you in your everyday life? Do you find that it's harder for you to get respect from the players and coaches b/c you're American? How about respect from Japanese officials? Do they accept you as part of the team?
I'm just curious how they respond to an American official in a place that has a reputation for being notoriously unwelcoming to Americans.
Chuck
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