While in Beijing, I saw quite a few interesting signs, all related to campaigns to change manners before/during the Olympics (we'll leave aside the question of whether these changes will remain afterward). First up is a reminder to line up and board the subways courteously. At most stops, there did seem to be a change from the mob action of the past, pressing in from all sides before anyone could even get off the train, everybody trying to cut in front of somebody, etc. My first thought upon seeing this sign was that things have deteriorated in Tokyo and manners seem to be on the slide everywhere, especially regarding trains and subways. With Tokyo mayor Ishihara lobbying hard for a Tokyo Olympics in 2016, I think we'll need a serious manners campaign here in Japan as well.
I will never forget the day in 2006 or 7 when Liu Laoshi, Misters T and N and I were waiting for a train at the station. As it pulled in, Liu Laoshi cautioned us "排队" - paidui, line up for the train. I thought it so curious at the time that a Chinese person was telling us in Japan - the home of good manners - to line up properly to board the train. The images of mass chaos in the streets and at the stations from my time in China in 1999 were too fresh in my mind, my concept had not changed. But now I see these two switching roles, more quickly than I might ever had imagined.
Second picture: Drive in a civil manner. Not much more need be said. This campaign is also needed in Japan (just the past 2-3 years seemed to have undermined all concept of civility, courtesy, and harmony on the streets of this country) and my home country.
Third: This is one of my favorites. A too-literal translation might read "one small step forward for the toilet, one giant leap for culture". Basically, don't dribble on the floor in front of the urinal, guys. Recent years have seen signs like this popping up all over Tokyo, though the reference to elevated culture is eliminated - "take a step closer to the urinal, please".
The last picture isn't related to manners but serves as an excellent example of the difference between public signs in Japan and China. It is, as one can read in English, a subway map. However, absolutely none of the station names are given in English. The picture was taken inside one of the newer subways - inside the car, where you might be looking at the map to see where you were going. Granted, this is an extreme example, but it illustrates how un-foreigner-friendly Japan can be (don't forget 2016....). It is quite common to find train and subway signs with only the major stops given in English (also a perplexing phenomenon), but this one was too much. Why bother to put the words "subway map" in English?
While in Beijing, every subway sign I saw - on the platforms, in the trains, everywhere - was in both Chinese and English, 100%. Of course there was a massive campaign to get Beijing ready for the invasion of foreigners that would accompany the Olympics, but I do think this is emblematic of a long-term approach to welcoming non-Chinese as visitors. Tokyo has already had an Olympics, by the way, back in 1964, so there has been plenty of time to learn about making it easy for foreigners to navigate the city. Ishihara has few friends among the Chinese, but it might behoove him to study how well they carried off the Olympics.
One sign of hope is the private Odakyu train line, which features signs in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and English.
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