 The Sempai/Kohai relationship is touched upon during the movie,  however there were a couple of problems. In Japan, "Sempai" is often  used as an address and as a show of respect to ones superior.  "Kohai", on the other hand, can be considered offensive when used to  address someone directly, as it is "putting someone in their place."  Hence Sean Connery (qv)s character effectively insults  Wesley Snipes (qv) character throughout the movie. Given that  Connerys character is supposed to be well versed in Japanese  customs, this action should be taken very seriously. "Kohai" is  normally used as a reference, not an address. For example: Wesley is  the Kohai of Sean.