Japanese - Ask questions thread

Basically if you have a question about the language, ask it and fellow 4channers might see it and answer it for you.

To start it off. When an animate object (iru) dies, is it considered inanimate(aru)?

When japanese see a white person in japan do they immediately think he's just a traveler who doesn't know Japanese? Like if I was to go there and approach someone, would they be like lolsorrynoengrish before I have a chance to speak Japanese?