It has to do with the fact that gaijin are still a novelty in Japan. It’s normal for kids on the street to start calling out when they see a Caucasian. “gaijin da. haroo. haroo. zisu izu a pen.” It’s a gaijin. Hello. Hello. This is a pen. The last is the first full sentence they learn at school, and it’s not uncommon for adults to respond with this if you ask them if they speak English. We’d both been the centre of attention at school, and Damion described his treatment as somewhere between hospitality and being a new pet. The same thing happened when he moved to work in Japan.