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Another area in which differences between Japanese and American speakers are noticeable, to both groups of speakers, is in the use of 'back-channel' signals and the use of body movements during speech, such as bowing. Back-channel signals are things like "um," "un-hunh," "okay," and "yeah" that listeners say without interrupting a speaker, to signal that they are continuing to understand and follow what the speaker is saying. American speakers do this, and also nod their heads, watch the speaker, and use body postures to help speakers in this way. Japanese do it even more, perhaps. And of course, the syllables they use are different: "sō", "sō desu", "un", "hai", and "sō nee" are very popular. From their first months, when Japanese mothers say "thank you" on behalf of their babies and push the baby's head down while they say it, or the baby riding on its mother's back feels the mother bowing as she says thank you or exchanges greetings with other people, Japanese speakers learn to use this form of non-linguistic signaling as part and parcel of talking, especially in formal settings, and with people not of the same in-group. Japanese people make fun of themselves, about bowing to the other party even in telephone conversations. It just seems to go along with talking. And it's a difference that's easy to notice, whether it means anything or not about the two cultures or societies.
Still other non-verbal behavior patterns that differ between the two countries, and that people don't think consciously about in either country, can lead to discomfort or puzzlement. Patterns of touching, for instance, seem to differ, not absolutely, but still noticeably. Americans are likely to notice that Japanese acquaintances seem to touch less than Americans, in some ways. Greetings, for instance, always included bowing, with no body contact, and with eyes not meeting, instead of hand shakes with eye contact, or shoulder touching, or 'air kisses' or embraces and cheek kisses. Even Japanese parents greeting their young children, picking them up from day care, for instance, do not usually embrace and kiss them. Goodbyes and greetings associated with long or important journeys often seem unnaturally restrained and non-physical to Americans (conversely, of course, Americans can seem too physically intimate in public to Japanese.) If people do touch each other, say holding hands, it's more likely to involve same sex pairs than opposite sex ones.
On the other hand, Japanese seem to Americans to be much more tolerant of other people, even "strangers" in their space or close proximity in crowded, public situations. In a crowded subway, for instance, where Americans would be inclined to hold their bodies tightly and at least pretend they weren't touching any one else, Japanese strangers seem to relax into close body contact. The American tactic doesn't keep you from touching people in this very crowded situation, anyway. And Japanese people seem not to mind being touched or hit by other people's bags or briefcases as much as Americans either.
The general tolerance for close proximity of people who aren't interacting also extends to sidewalk and street behavior, where pedestrians and bicyclists come closer to each other, and often cars and pedestrians, than is comfortable to Americans. Streets in Japanese cities seem to be thought of as ways for any kind of vehicle to get from one place to another, and not divided into distinct zones for automobiles, bicycles, and pedestrians. (Usually, they're too small for any such division into exclusive areas.) But going along with the sharing is a 'rule' that the smallest vehicle has priority over larger ones--cars over trucks, bicycles over cars, and pedestrians over everything else. I don't advise putting this to the ultimate test, but still there is a general presumption that the rule will work, and people proceed accordingly.
Gail R. Benjamin
Hiroshi Nara
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