I'm sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately in Japanese culture it can considered acceptable (and even friendly) to laugh at people in this way. If you hang

I'm sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately in Japanese culture it can considered acceptable (and even friendly) to laugh at people in this way. If you hang out with people who understand the pain of language learning (English learners, people with an interest in foreign culture) it's less likely to happen and you'll get empathy instead. I hope it doesn't discourage you because learning Japanese (or any language) pays off for a lifetime. There is still time to start again.