What is the most important influence on Japanese decision-making? The answer is “air”. “Air” is the most important factor in Japanese decisions and judgments, yet no one talks about it outwardly. The person making the decision may think he or she has arrived at that conclusion as a result of rational and logical thought, but in reality, the decision is heavily influenced by air. That complicates the issue.
One of the most annoying things about conversing and working with Japanese people is that they do not express their opinions and views clearly. This is also related to “air”. In Japan, people are often put at a disadvantage in a group if they are perceived to have an opinion that is contrary to the “air”. For this reason, they try their best to avoid having their opinions known. In Japan, “guessing what others think” is highly valued. A person who is good at this is considered to be a mature person in Japan.
Many people in Japan still do not take off their masks. Although masks have no rationale as an infection control measure, almost all Japanese people do not remove their masks because they are “concerned about the way people look at them”.These Japanese characteristics may irritate you at times, but even among Japanese people, people who are too Japanese are disliked. This was especially true during the pandemic.
Japanese food, products, culture and nature may appeal to you, but what about the Japanese people you actually associate with?