In Japan there is a phrase that goes: “honne to tatemae.” This means “one’s true feelings and outward opinions.” This represents the difference between one’s emotions and one’s public stance. This is said to be an aspect of the Japanese mindset. For instance, as a reflection of World War II, the Japanese constitution states that Japan has no military. However, as this could be interpreted to mean that it is legal to maintain a force to defend the country from invasion, a legitimate standing army exists under the label of a self-defense force. In Japan, while gambling is illegal with exception of things like authorized horse and bicycle races, there are pachinko parlors everywhere – a game which is often called “Japanese style pinball. You can exchange balls won in a pachinko game for prizes displayed in the parlor. The prizes can be exchanged for cash at a prize exchange booth located close to the parlor under the pretext that you are selling them. While thus publicly staying true to the letter of the law, the Japanese have a tendency to tolerate certain practices that exploit loopholes. For this reason non-Japanese people sometimes criticize the Japanese for saying one thing and doing another. However, if you look at this from another angle, “honne to tatemae” is a way of resolving issues without making waves and could be thought of as a kind of wisdom particular to the Japanese. Some people believe that more flexibility in our interpretation of the rules could play an important role in resolving international conflicts.