Narrative:

On departure, the narita departure controller on 124.2 refused to use clear call signs. One of our flts was called 'nosuesix,' and we were called 'noseuestuh.' another indecipherable call sign was addressed to another one of our flts. Thus, it became necessary to request directions (vectors and altitudes) to be repeated 2, 3, even 4 times. (I have flown regularly in and out of japan since 1962, and can speak japanese fairly well, as well as understand japanese accented english.) in one case, we accepted and read back a radar vector and altitude assignment meant for someone else. We asked the controller specifically if this was meant for us, and he gave an unintelligible reply. We followed the clearance (a left turn to 090 degrees, climb to 11000 ft) and were subsequently given a right turn to 180 degrees and 9000 ft altitude assignment. At one point, I directly asked the controller to be more clear in using the airline name and flight number. He would not do so, despite my call. His unintelligible reply sounded like a refusal to do so. His calls to competitor flts were clear. I believe that he intentionally slurred our flight number calls for arcane reasons of his own. This incident calls into question the practices and training of japan ATC. I question whether some personnel should be working in such an environment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RESPONSE TO WRONG CALL SIGN AND LATER PROBS WITH CLRNC INTERP LEAD TO ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT EXCURSION AND HDG TRACK DEVS. RPR CITES INTENTIONAL SLURRING OF ACFT CALL SIGNS THAT WERE DIRECTED TO ONE PARTICULAR AIRLINE.

Narrative: ON DEP, THE NARITA DEP CTLR ON 124.2 REFUSED TO USE CLR CALL SIGNS. ONE OF OUR FLTS WAS CALLED 'NOSUESIX,' AND WE WERE CALLED 'NOSEUESTUH.' ANOTHER INDECIPHERABLE CALL SIGN WAS ADDRESSED TO ANOTHER ONE OF OUR FLTS. THUS, IT BECAME NECESSARY TO REQUEST DIRECTIONS (VECTORS AND ALTS) TO BE REPEATED 2, 3, EVEN 4 TIMES. (I HAVE FLOWN REGULARLY IN AND OUT OF JAPAN SINCE 1962, AND CAN SPEAK JAPANESE FAIRLY WELL, AS WELL AS UNDERSTAND JAPANESE ACCENTED ENGLISH.) IN ONE CASE, WE ACCEPTED AND READ BACK A RADAR VECTOR AND ALT ASSIGNMENT MEANT FOR SOMEONE ELSE. WE ASKED THE CTLR SPECIFICALLY IF THIS WAS MEANT FOR US, AND HE GAVE AN UNINTELLIGIBLE REPLY. WE FOLLOWED THE CLRNC (A L TURN TO 090 DEGS, CLB TO 11000 FT) AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN A R TURN TO 180 DEGS AND 9000 FT ALT ASSIGNMENT. AT ONE POINT, I DIRECTLY ASKED THE CTLR TO BE MORE CLR IN USING THE AIRLINE NAME AND FLT NUMBER. HE WOULD NOT DO SO, DESPITE MY CALL. HIS UNINTELLIGIBLE REPLY SOUNDED LIKE A REFUSAL TO DO SO. HIS CALLS TO COMPETITOR FLTS WERE CLR. I BELIEVE THAT HE INTENTIONALLY SLURRED OUR FLT NUMBER CALLS FOR ARCANE REASONS OF HIS OWN. THIS INCIDENT CALLS INTO QUESTION THE PRACTICES AND TRAINING OF JAPAN ATC. I QUESTION WHETHER SOME PERSONNEL SHOULD BE WORKING IN SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.