If you ever have met a Japanese person who hasn’t spent a significant amount of time outside of Japan, you may have noticed that they have a problem giving definite answers to questions. This problem often translates into English, as well. It is not as much a difficulty with saying “yes,” but a very large problem when saying “no.” Instead of “no,” the Japanese will often say “not really” – which is about as negative an answer as you will get out of them. This becomes somewhat of an issue if you invite a Japanese person to something (this is more common actually in Japan). When you say “Will you come?” and they say “Well, maybe,” the Japanese know that this is practically a “no.” However, it can be a source of frustration if you are expecting someone to attend a function and they don’t.

This ambiguity problem is the same for opinions. When you ask a Japanese his/her opinion about something, they will often trail off or say something that could be taken as either a “yes” or “no” opinion. This doesn’t mean that they don’t have an opinion on the subject at hand, it means that they are not willing to voice it because it would force them to take a side on an issue. It is, also, a cultural aspect of the Japanese that is difficult for foreigners to understand. If you ask a potential employer, for example, “Will you hire me?” and they reply “Ya, muzukashii desu ne,” literally this would mean “Hm.. well it is difficult, I think,” which makes very little sense at all. However, a Japanese would be able to tell you that this is in fact a definite answer –- no. It is these kind of answers, especially in business, that can make figuring out where you stand with a Japanese very difficult. If you are making a business deal, it is important to study up on a number of phrases to make life easier for you. There are several basic ones, all suitably indefinite, that can mean anything from “no” to “probably” –- without giving you any sense of which it could be from the literal definition.

Anyone ever experienced these problems while talking to a Japanese?