Okuni wa dochira desu ka?

As a visitor, you should have heard this question when meeting a Japanese guy. In fact, those who have had a chance to go to Japan know that one of the very first questions is "Okuni wa dochira desu ka?" which means "Where are you from?"
This, in my opinion, is one of the strange habits here. Almost every single Japanese asks about the nationality of the people they meet as his/her first question. Most of them, in fact, want to know if you are an American. So that the question (before introduction) is "America kara desu ka?" meaning "Are you from America?".
The question, though not so important to many people, brings a message to all non-Americans so that many non-Americans introduce themselves as natives of the United States in order to get closer to the society. Do the Japanese really dislike other nationals? Asking my friends (from a variety of countries), some people beleive that Japanese people hate us. Others say that the main problem comes from lack of communication; if you can communicate, you'll be accepted. To me, however, it looks more complex. For sure, these people prefer to stay in touch with themselves rather than foreigners. Problems in speaking English, their personal character (most of them are shy), and the thoughts they grow up with, could be other reasons.

Fortunately, the huge number of programs and activities organized by schools and institutions seems to be helpful in providing a good image of other nationals to the Japanese, especially the young generation.