As reported by Dave on his blog “Big in Japan” and later by national papers in Japan - two JET Program English teachers were arrested on June 19th, 2009 in Okinawa on suspicion of importing illegal substances.  The two teachers (Axxxxx Lxxxxxxx, 22, and Kxxxxxx Zxxxxx, 23) claimed they had bought the substance online and were unaware it was illegal in Japan.  Some reports allege the substance in question to be “party pills,” containing benzylpierazine - a banned substance in many countries, including Japan and the USA.  44 pills were purchased from an online British company in April and seized in Tokyo upon their arrival to Japan.
 

This incident will no doubt have an ill effect on the reputation of foreign educators in Japan.
If you are going to teach in a foreign country, know and obey their laws. Check the government websites of the country you are teaching in before you travel. It is immature and often risky to remain ignorant of laws that govern your rights as a foreign national in another country. This is one of the many responsibilities an ESL teacher has to themselves and to others while working abroad. Very often the damage done from drug and/or sex offences perpetrated by ESL teachers, other than the risk and damage to themselves, in foreign countries has an ill effect on the whole community of foreign educators in that country. This isn’t to sound ‘preachy,’ but using the excuse of “I didn’t know,” isn’t simply ignorant, it’s aggravating. It’s aggravating that these teachers couldn’t stay home to get the ‘rave’ out of their system or simply go down to the Lawson’s and enjoy a bottle or can of a delicious Kirin beer, instead of ordering an illegal drug over the Internet from England.

Japanese society places a premium on reputation and unfortunately a case like this will only sully the reputation of the foreign teacher there. Japan is one of the few countries left in Asia that does not require a criminal background check or a series of drug and medical tests to be eligible to receive a teaching visa. Hopefully, the ministry of education and the Tokyo government will not overreact and introduce new visa regulations, but they would not be alone in such a reaction to a drug case, and one could say they would even be justified.

By Sean McCall

Sources:
Foreign Teacher Arrest Update

Foreign Teachers Arrested in Okinawa for Importing Illegal Substances