I think one reason for the communication gaps between Japanese university students and the foreign instructor facult y is that we instructors believe that preparing students for the reality of the work world is part of our job. That is why we stress the importance of performance standards and meeting deadlines in our classes. In Japan, there is still a lingering belief that the university should function as something of a 4 year vacation for students between the shit they endured in the entrance examination hell and the shit they would have endured as new salarymen, if that system had survived.
It seems pretty obvious to me and many of my colleagues that with the current state of the Japanese economy, these university students probably don't really have the luxury of spending the bulk of their four years here immersed in the depth of membership in a tennis circle and all the bonding and social structuring that provided. Ah the good old days...
The way I see it these kids ought to realize that accountability is a fundamental concept they need to get a grasp of. It's no longer going to be possible to build a career on mediocre skills and the ability to get along well with others.
The future is not bright here. I can't see their vision for the future. I know it will all look different again once I'm back on the outside.