Friday, February 27, 2015

My Trips And Experience to Japan (Tokyo And Osaka), lately

I have not written this yet, due to my busy schedule, but I just want to record it down, my own experience.
All of us are aware that presently, we do not need Visa to visit Japan, and on surface, it looks like we are "welcome or having a little bit improved status" but I think it is not the actual case, from my own experience.

The first time was in November last year, I think, on my way back from Mexico city, and as I was using Singapore Airlines, I made a stop at Tokyo Narita airport.
Upon landing, the passed through the immigration easily without much question.

Then when I was about to pass through the custom, when they saw my Malaysian passport, then things started. First, they asked me why I flew from Mexico, and secondly, when I stopped at Tokyo. Sometimes, I can understand they do not really know, in this world there are genuine travellers, they are people who can love another country a lot, and for myself, I have great affinity to Japan, since my first trip there in year 1998...and ever since, it has become one of my favorite countries.
Back to the story, then they officers asked me to go to another room, as they would like to check on my luggage and search my body...they asked if I have any form of drugs with me...finally of course, I was cleared and they apologised and say thank you to me for the cooperation. This I can understand, perhaps I was picked randomly.

The second incident happened recently, when I was there for my business trip, on 8th February, and I was flying to Kansai airport from Shanghai. Again, Immigration, I have no problem, once at custom they started asking questions.
Where are you from? I said Shanghai, and why are you here, I told them for business, Then they asked me to open my bags, and I showed them the PC sheet samples. Then in Japanese they talked, Shanghai Kara, Malaisia passporto....(from Shanghai, Malaysian passport). Then they said for two days, it is too short, and you brought too big luggage and we would like to search on you. I said please... Then again they brought me to the room....
Then they asked me if I brought any drugs, and they wanted to search my bags and my body,...I oblige....and they even said my purse look full and big, I said, by all means, please check. Of course I came clean...

But the questions I have are:
why picked only on Malaysians....None chinese were picked up
If Malaysians were their worries, then revert to the Visa application method
And there are people like me, true tourist, true professionals, and true shoppers....everytime I came I spent money, I shopped, I obeyed laws and rules in Japan, and most importantly, I create a lot of business opportunities with companies and friends in Japan...Please check my records....
It upsets me, and it will be more if I find out that they purposely picked me just because I am Malaysian working overseas.

At the same time, I hope Malaysians abroad must help to improve our own image...our reputation....to minimiser this form of perception.

This is just my personal record, a kind of my traveling experience.

Thanks.

Choong
Hongkong Feb 28th. 2015.

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