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I too, have worked with many Japanese executives and engineers (Fuji Heavy Industries, Honda, Mitsubishi). There are many things the fat, dumb and happy American worker does not know about his Japanese masters in these companies:
The Japanese despise us on racial grounds. To them, we are "the big-nosed, ugly, smelly Gaijin. They cannot understand why the Sun God, from whom they descend, gave us the broad fertile lands of Ohio, and them the Islands of Japan, with its limited resources.

Although these companies maintain an amusing charade of "American Control" over American operations, they operate under many corporate veils with all meaningful orders coming straight from Japan. They are at the moment, packing their American operations with hundreds of deadbeat execs and techs from Japan so they won't have to fire them.

Financially, they are giving the American tax system a real hosing, typically charging themselves top dollar for Japanese equipment that is already, in Honda's case, over 10 years old. On the "American Content" rules they bend the game a bit too, in a typical case, to order a cam shaft from Japan for $200, when the same part could be mass-produced here in America for $30. Big parts that cannot be airfreighted economically are far more cheaply made here than they ever could be in Japan.

This is a mixed review, in that they run a clean, orderly workplace with good wages and benefits for full-time employees.
However, they like to run upwards of 30% low-paid, uninsured temps, hired through agencies like Addecco, of which the car companies own 30%, to complete the staff at the factories. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to complete the transition from Temp to "Associate," with a full pay-packet and benefits.

The Japanese are also very down on American minority groups. Their MO is to build factories in areas of high-unemployment where the labor pool is going to be white.

A parting shot for my pals who still labor,(albeit indirectly) for the Emperor. Do not Kow-tow and San to the Japanese. They are tough, in your face, take-no-prisoner dirty fighters who only respect a tough guy who can dish it out as well as take it. Always take Pearl Harbor Day and VJ Day off and let them know why.

Those of you hanging around waiting for some sort of WWII apology from the Japanese had better not hold your breath. The average (!) Japanese of today KNOWS NOTHING about WWII. It is not covered in their schools, it is not discussed. It is not taught.What Rape of Nanking, what Bayonet Drill with Live Prisoners, What Bataan Death march?

The executives you meet in the US have all been through select TQM boot camps that mercilessly weed out the weak. They are trained to reveal nothing. Check out the Honda-Mitsubishi-Toyota TQM website.

Your experiences are very similar to mine in dealing with those "fine asian allies" of ours. My cousin in law is an American contract worker for a Jap firm (Ogihara Steel) here in Michigan. Her experiences echo yours. Thanks for adding the depth to the discussion that you did.

Be careful, our "fine asian allie's" lovers on this site will flame you for having the termerity to give your perspective. In spite of the Jap lovers, I still stand in humble awe of our now old men who were once young warriors, and who kicked fire from the Jap's butts. Although I had to miss the Hillman, Michigan VJ Day celebration this year, I will be there for future celebration and cheer our Vets.