One of the more important aspects of the Japanese is their humility, which is considered an important trait for both individuals and companies to have. Part of this is not being afraid to apologize if you’ve made a mistake or error or if you’ve caused meiwaku (inconvenience) to others, and it’s a common thing to see everyone from politicians to company presidents lowering their heads in apology when it’s called for. Cute actress Aya Ueto was recently hired by NEXCO, the new public company that administers Japan’s freeway system (it stands for Nippon Expressway Company, in case you were wondering). Her job is to serve as the company’s official spokesperson, and much of what she does is appear in TV commercials alerting Japanese drivers as to what areas of the expressway system will be under construction and when, after which she bows her head deeply, apologizing for the inconvenience to commuters. The idea of having a company apologize for frustration they’re causing you (and actually mean it) is quite refreshing and pleasant. Do companies do things like post polite construction signs that bow in apology to you in your country?
Apologizing for inconveniencing others is important in Japan.
