Regarding the Sept. 27 article "Tourism minister apologizes for gaffes" -- about Nariaki Nakayama's remarks on the lack of self-sacrifice by Japanese in "opening the country to foreign tourists": I wish to state that I have not found another country whose people are as tolerant as the average Japanese in keeping a neutral, open attitude toward the swarms of foreign tourists who sometimes march tanklike across private property and fenced-in areas and drop their garbage where they like. And I've lived a long time in Australia and on the U.S. West Coast, grown up in Germany and worked in France.

I had the luck and savings to travel this year to the Chugoku and Kinki regions. Everywhere, people were extremely polite and helpful when approached. Japan's airports are fit for getting foreign tourists into the country. The train system is crowded but so quick that it is the envy of Europe.

If foreign tourists were served in the way that some companies would prefer, Japan would be a copy of every other tourist area in the world. International fast-food names are already there. What's next? Romaji street signs five times bigger than they are now for nearsighted tourists, followed by Octoberfest in Tokyo?

Look at the places of a religious nature. Foreign tourists often don't respect requests to refrain from taking photos. Nor do they cooperate as they should with efforts to preserve world heritage sites. They toss snack food into ponds to feed carp and do not show respect when wedding ceremonies are in progress.

Then many still complain about entry/use fees being too expensive; hence some temples are abandoned, parks are full of garbage and the deer at Miyajima must be fed.

Does Japan really want to become a copy of Hawaii? It is my hope that the Japanese people opt for a viable solution with regard to tourism and not throw their culture away just because of pressure from some people with a "casino" mind-set.

unkai benzing