一个要当日本人的本地三语精英
（2008-06-26）

● 文／梁秉亮
　　最近到日本旅游，在回程的机上遇到一名年轻人，和他的交谈后，令我思潮起伏，久久不能平息。

　　这名年轻人和日航空姐对答时口操日语，我和女儿起身让他进去靠窗座位时，他以华语向我们道谢；见我阅读机上购物目录时，亲切友善地用英语问我可否需要协助，他可充当翻译。像他这样通晓三种语文的“日本”年轻人还真不多见，我于是和他攀谈了起来。

他是爱国的日本人？

　　我用华语问他这趟到新加坡的目的。他说要回学校念书。我不禁称赞本地的日本人学校，能培养出通晓三种语言的学生。不料，他却说自己是本地某著名学府的高二生。从祖父辈到他，已是第三代移民。看他一副自豪的样子，我又为我国的教育制度深感欣慰，因为这所数一数二的学府曾培养出我国许多杰出的政治领导人。

　　我问他既是高二生，年底就要参加会考了，他怎么还坚持回日本探亲？年轻人自信地说：“以我的成绩，要考上英美著名大学根本不成问题，但‘A’水准考试对我来说，是没有意义的，因为我的理想是考上东京大学，然后留在‘祖国’，为‘祖国’作出贡献！”

　　看他一脸“报国”的壮志，我不禁暗暗佩服日本人的爱国精神。

　　他还说，虽然这是第一次踏上他天天朝思暮想的日本国土，然而一踏上这块土地，却让他感到无比亲切，有回家的感觉。

他是爱日本的新加坡人！

　　我再问他祖籍何处？他道：“其实我的祖父是从中国南来的移民。”“从中国南来的移民？那你岂不是土生土长的新加坡公民？”套句洋人的熟语，我这时“差点从椅子上摔下来！”

看着年轻人自我陶醉的样子，我知道此时再向他进行什么大义凛然的“国民教育”也是枉然。我于是问他为什么那么热爱日本？高材生沉默了半晌，似乎说不出一个所以然来。“那新加坡不好吗？”我接着问。

　　“新加坡？新加坡政府漠视人权，强迫我们服兵役！新加坡的繁荣是建立在对人民的剥削上的！即使是发奖学金，也要附带条件，不像日本政府，只要我能考进日本公立大学，他们不但会帮我付学费，每个月还会给我生活费！所以即使没有任何附带条件，我也会一生一世留在日本，为日本政府做牛做马！”

他代日本人道歉!?

　　我告诉他，我到过许多国家，如澳大利亚、纽西兰甚至日本，都能感受到他们对华人的歧视。就说这次到日本的清水寺的路上，一间店的店员看到我们一家人口操华语走进她的小店，就故意把样品收起来。

　　高材生听了我的叙述，居然对我说：“很抱歉，让我代他们向你道歉。”我生气地回答：“你不需要代他们道歉，你不是日本人，你和我一样，都是新加坡人！”

　　“可是，我已经做了决定，当我做了两年‘奴隶’后，我的意思是服完兵役后，我就会到日本念书，然后留在那里结婚生子，那我的下一代，下下一代就是日本人了。”

　　“年轻人，别忘了你可是流着华人的血液，这是抹杀不了的事实。再说，你的姓氏也是改变不了的事实啊！“

　　“没关系，有些人到日本工作，为了方便也改了日本姓名。”

　　望着这个虽然通晓三种语言，但自身文化底蕴薄弱的高材生，我的内心交织着悲哀、担忧、失望的情绪。然而，怀抱着一线的希望，我问这个高材生，在他那所初院里，像他那样怀有“特别志向”的同学多不多。

　　他说：“像我那样热爱日本的同学倒不多，因为他们大多数打算移民到欧美国家去！”

Taken from: http://www.zaobao.com/fk/fk080626_513_1.shtml

As some might have guessed by now, the Japan supporter here most probably belong to a local top school that has made a name for manufacturing bottled elitism grooming responsible (apologising on behalf of a represented party, for example) leaders.

Firstly I thank Yimeng for his recommendation because I was just about to start rounding up an entry about my last trip to Hokkaido but wanted to complete the Vietnam account first before moving to the next. This article being brought to my notice has opened up the chance for me to share some points I have gathered.

Secondly, at first glance, this article struck me very positively to know that there are trilingual personalities who are deeply patriotic too. But of course, patriotism can become subjective when loyalties diverge. In any case, the last line tickled me so much... To moral watchdogs it might be another juicy bone to jump at, but I can't help applauding the earnest and fothcoming nature of the protagonist. After all, some things exist and pretending they don't or merely critcising their existence won't exorcise them, much less change anything. Raising public awareness to such an occurrence is however, good for self-reflection.

Thirdly, from what the tour guide, a Canadian citizen who had lived in Japan for more than 20 years said, Japanese do view foreigners differently. And there are many steps one has to take in order to become a Japanese citizen. 1) He/she must graduate from a Japanese University in order to certify his/her proficiency in the Japanese language. 2) Even after that, Japanese might still be dubious about one's background and whether one really understands their Japanese way of doing things that some Japanese will see as only possible if a person is brought up in Japan from birth. 3) If I am not mistaken, he/she will have to work and pay tax for at least 3 years so he/she will need a minimum of 6 years (maybe more) before he/she can be qualified to apply for citizenship. 4) Now here comes the hard part (or probably easy part to some people.. the difficulty really depends): one must forsake his/her surname and instead the Japanese Immigration Officials will choose a Japanese surname for him/her. Examples I heard are like 服部、田中.

So now that there's a basic understanding of the workings in Japan, you can be pretty certain (or if you hadn't been you have my assurance now) that I won't be "flying off to Japan and not coming back" any time.