yes I think expat pilots are paid 70-80% of locals
In fact, it's closer to
50% of the Japanese pilots' salary, and extra perks - eg. the 2 bonuses, the laundry allowance, the overnight allowances - and you will be flying around 20% more hours per month, with less "OFF" days.
This has NOTHING to do with the pilots, and everything to do with the recruiting agencies, and the airline schedulers, however the gross inequalities of the aforementioned probably creates an uneasiness between the two pilot groups.
It's not unreasonable to assume that the Japanese pilots look at the contracted foreign pilots as a threat to their conditions - work more for less - just as it is not unreasonable for the contract pilots to assume they are being exploited, as foreigners often are in Asian countries...usually the citizens of third world countries.
And so the tag of "cheap foreign labour" is one that comes to mind.
JapJok mentioned the "Ant mentality" - the "Group think", that runs through the heart of Japanese culture - and it is not difficult to imagine that the attitudes of the Japanese pilots extends through, and permeates the thoughts and feelings of the rest of the nest.
I believe it is up to the agencies to behave more mindfully when negotiating contracts for foreign pilots - I
don't believe that the Japanese are responsible for dictating the (relative) cut throat conditions of the contracts.
The differences in conditions are poles apart at the moment, and it's NOT making for happy campers on BOTH sides!