Thursday 16 May 2019

Why Japan has a problem with politeness | SCMP (Asian Values)


Japan has a problem with politeness. No, not with the impeccable manners of its citizens – bows remain respectfully reverential and taxi drivers' gloves are persistently and implausibly white. Rather, it's the coarse quirks of the island nation's millions of visitors that are an issue, and, in a paradox of absurd proportions, the Japanese are struggling to find ways to inform foreign guests of their offensive habits for fear of causing offence.
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Why Japan has a problem with politeness