Communication

Verbal

 Indirect Communication: Japanese people are generally indirect

communicators. They may be ambiguous when answering questions as a way to
maintain harmony, prevent a loss of face, or out of politeness. People are often
attentive to non-verbal cues (such as body language, posture, expression and tone
of voice) as a way to draw meaning from a conversation. Disagreements that must
be discussed are usually done so in private and at a later time.
 Refusals: As indirect communicators, Japanese people often
avoid direct refusals or negative responses. When refusing, they may show
hesitation before replying with an ambiguous response. For example, someone may
respond to a request with “Kento-shimasu” meaning ‘I will consider it’, even if the
speaker does not intend to consider the proposal.
 Silence: Interrupting someone who is talking is generally considered impolite.
This means that many Japanese tend to remain silent during a conversation, until
there is an opening to speak. Sometimes, silence is intentional to allow people time
to think about the discussion. Silence is often understood as reflecting politeness and
respect.
 Interjections: Interjections (aizuchi) are very common in Japanese
communication. They are not understood as an interruption, but rather indicate to the
speaker that their counterpart is actively listening. Aizuchi are particularly important
in situations where people cannot see non-verbal cues, such as speaking on the
phone. There are different types of interjections depending on the context of the
conversation. One type of interjection indicates agreement, and includes the sounds
‘un’, ‘ne’ and ‘ee’, and phrases such as “Hai”’ (‘yes’), “Sou desu ne” (‘So it is, isn’t it?’)
and “Sugoi” (used in casual contexts to mean ‘wow’ or ‘amazing’). Interjections of
agreement are usually accompanied by a nod. Another common type of interjection
indicates surprise, and includes the sound “Eeee?’ and the phrase “Honto desu ka?”
(‘Really?’). The phrase “Māji ka?” (‘Seriously?’) is commonly used, but only in casual
contexts.
 Compliments: Humbleness is a common value in Japanese culture. As a result,
there is a general tendency for people to politely deflect compliments. Excessive
complimenting may cause embarrassment.

Respectful Speech (Keigo)

The Japanese language has a thorough grammatical system to express different levels
of politeness, respect and formality. This is known as keigo (‘respectful speech’ or
‘honorific speech’). There are three general categories of respectful speech, each used
in different situations and employ different word choices and ways of communicating.

 Sonkeigo refers to ‘respectful language’ and it is used to demonstrate respect

towards the other person. This type of speech is often used when speaking to
superiors (e.g. an employee speaking to their boss), and tends to include a lot of
drawn-out polite expressions.
 Kensongo refers to ‘humble language’ used to depreciate oneself or other people
in the same group (e.g. business workers talking about their business to customers).
In this kind of speech, people tend to drop honorific titles to show humility.
 Teineigo refers to ‘polite language’, which is more general and can be used to
refer to other people or oneself. This kind of language does not convey any particular
kind of respect or humility to oneself or others. Polite language is also often used
among acquaintances.

Non-verbal

 Physical Contact: Minimal physical contact is preferred. People tend to avoid

touching others unless it is unavoidable, like in a crowded public place. Close friends
or people of the same gender may stand or sit close to one another. Public displays
of physical affection among opposite genders is uncommon. However, affectionate
and friendly contact such as hugging, hand holding or walking arm-in-arm is quite
common among friends of the same gender.
 Personal Space: Attitudes towards space are often based on a distinction
between public and private spaces. For instance, bodies are pressed together
without comment in crowded public spaces, such as a busy mall or public
transportation. Meanwhile, bodily contact is generally kept to a minimum in private
settings. Where possible, people will maintain distance from one another. When
standing next to friends or family, people will usually stand at arms’ length apart. This
distance is further among acquaintances.
 Eye Contact: Eye contact is an important aspect of non-verbal communication in
Japan. Indirect eye contact is the norm as direct eye contact may be interpreted as
intimidating. Indirect eye contact is particularly common when speaking to an elder or
someone higher ranking to demonstrate respect. Usually, people will look at another
part of someone’s face, such as their chin.
 Bowing: Bowing is common throughout Japan and is often used as a gesture to
mark certain emotions, such as showing gratitude, remorse or reverence. The
etiquette of bowing contains many intricate rules that depend on factors such as the
context, social status and age of the person (see Bowing (Ojigi) in Greetings).
 Gesturing: There are a number of other common gestures that may be used
while speaking. For instance, a common gesture used when someone is
embarrassed is to raise one hand and place it behind the back of the head. This
gesture is also sometimes used as a way to indirectly disagree or refuse something.
Another gesture used to indicate a lighthearted disagreement is to wave both hands
in front of the body or face. 
 Beckoning: In Japan, people usually beckon by facing the palm of the hand to
the ground and waving their fingers towards their body. However, it is improper to
beckon someone socially superior in this manner, such as one’s boss.
 Pointing: Pointing with a finger is considered rude. Instead, people in Japan hold
out their hand and gently gesture towards the person, location or object.
 Counting: When counting with their fingers, Japanese usually start with an open
palm and close a finger to symbolise a number. For example, the number one is
represented when the thumb is closed and the other fingers are open. Similarly, a
closed fist represents the number five. However, the opposite style of counting where
the number of fingers held up reflects the number symbolised is becoming more
common.
 Nodding: It is common for people to nod during conversation to indicate they are
listening or as a sign of acknowledgement. Nodding is a gesture of politeness, and
does not necessarily imply agreement.