Post on X: Key cultural aspects of Japan

Post on X: x.com/randomyoko/status/1865430520857006447?s=46

In Japan, we avoid disagreeing with the people we talk to.
In political & business meetings, the groundwork is laid in advance, and meetings are often ceremonial.

Why? So that no one gets hurt. Faces are saved.

We have a culture that values harmony.

Acceptance is also key.

It is also said that having "Omoiyari" is a good deed.
The word omoiyari is made up of two parts: omoi, which means "thought", and yari, which comes from the verb yaru, meaning "to give" or "to send". The word literally translates to "sending one's altruistic feelings to others".

Basically, it means to put yourself in the shoes of others. It would be translated as thoughtfulness, compassion, etc.

Lately, I feel that this concept is fading as our lifestyles are becoming saturated with a materialistic environment.

Nevertheless, it is still considered the ideal attitude when communicating with others.

​Similarly, "sumimasen" is a common expression in Japan.
“Sumimasen” is often used in conjunction with a bow of apology or appreciation. It can be used in a variety of situations, such as “excuse me”, “I'm sorry”, “Thank you”, or getting someone’s attention.

We wouldn't be surprised if a full-time employee says "Sumimasen" dozens of times a day.

Because this is our culture, we frequently apologize for mistakes we did not commit.

The worst case scenario is that our politicians sometimes apologize to other countries as well.
However, as you can tell, this only gives the impression of guilt because of the different cultural backgrounds in other countries.

This is one of the reasons why we have had issues in Asia.

We are in the process of learning how the international community works.