Regarding a recent article on promoting tourism to Japan: It is true that Kyoto is struggling with how to change itself into one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. I think one reason Kyoto is not a popular travel destination is that the quality of people who professionally deal with foreign tourists is not well developed. The saddest thing I've noticed, for example, is that a lot of tour guides for foreign travelers still use the word "gaijin" when referring to foreigners. For some foreigners, that word sounds very offensive and racist.
Some of my friends from overseas who have lived in Japan for a long time have told me of occasions when they were refused service in restaurants or seated at tables in front of the restroom. I don't know the reasons for this; maybe the restaurant people didn't know how to deal with foreign people. In general, many Japanese people are not sensitive to the problems that result when one group of people is differentiated from others. I guess that's because most Japanese people have not been subjected to racism.
During my eight years in the United States, there were a few serious incidents of racism directed against me, but most of the incidents were minor -- such as seating me at a bad table in a restaurant. Although serious acts of racism, such as hate crimes, are the most painful, even minor incidents hurt and made my stay uncomfortable.
Yes, it is important to learn and speak English or other foreign languages to welcome people from overseas. But it is more important for us to know what makes foreigners uncomfortable. And we need to learn more about conditions overseas, such as the economy of India, what kind of relationship Turkey has with Greece, or how Christianity affects American life.