The Japanese view themselves as all part of one big group living in a self-sufficient nation with no need for anyone else. Obviously, with the internationalised world, things have changed a bit, but on the whole, that seems to be largely the Japanese mind-set.
The Japanese aren't rude as such, but they seem largley uninterested in associating with foreigners, and make no effort on there part to be social. Of course, when approched by a polite foreigner, they're polite back, but they don't seem interested in having any indepth conversation with a foreigner, or any indepth interaction. They simply answer your question, and carry on, rarely will they instigate a conversation - even if their English is quite good, which is rare in Japan.
Obviously, language barrier is a big factor as few people in Japan speak English to a conversational level, but in other countries I've been to, like ones in Europe, and Egypt and Morcco, although people may not speak English well, they still are willing to interact and are keen to have a conversation through means of the odd broken English sentence and use of body language. Japan is the only Asian nation I've visited but it's the only country I've visited where I've got the feeling "these people are different to me", all the other countries I've visited, I've felt people were all pretty similar behind the barrier of language. However, the Japanese stood out as being a very distinct race culturally, it's almost as if their culture has developed completely isolated to outside influene and thus their culture is entirely unique, where other countries have all invaded eachother and inter-mingled, so there end up being similarities.
I was only in Japan for 2 weeks, but I would imagine it could potentially be very uncomfortable for a foreigner living in Japan, and at times very lonely. The Japanese just don't seem interested in foreigners past superficial niceties. No offence to the Japanese intended, by the way.
Is this also common in other pasts of Asia, or is it largely a Japanese thing.
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