^^I still feel that the Japanese are indirect even for Asian standards. Another reason the Chinese and Koreans you find in Japan will describe themselves as oh-so upfront and direct and honest is that in these cases Japan and China are the only two countries they've ever been to, so their point of reference is very different from ours. Chinese who live or have lived in the west will describe themselves as super indirect, while Chinese who live in Japan will describe themselves as open books.
Even with the common face-saving culture, I still feel that the Chinese as a whole are a far more blunt people than the Japanese. The latter will constantly sugarcoat their speech with fake niceties and etiquette, while the former makes almost no such effort. There is far more avoidance of confrontation in Japan than in China, as well.
Even with the common face-saving culture, I still feel that the Chinese as a whole are a far more blunt people than the Japanese. The latter will constantly sugarcoat their speech with fake niceties and etiquette, while the former makes almost no such effort. There is far more avoidance of confrontation in Japan than in China, as well.