Foreign Student (hereinafter, FS): The Japanese bow anytime and anywhere. When should one bow? Teacher (hereinafter, T): The first reason is to exchange greetings. People greeting one another bow slightly (lower your head around 15 degrees). In shops or restaurants, staff greet customers entering the business with an “irasshaimase” (welcome) and a bow. Besides this, when customers leave, they bow, saying “arigatou gozaimashita” (thank you very much). As this is a custom, customers aren’t expected to bow. FS: Does a bow also mean you’re giving thanks? T: You could say so. When you’re thanking someone from the bottom of your heart, you should bow a little more deeply (at an angle of around 30 degrees). When bowing politely, you should bow deeply (at an angle of around 45 degrees). FS: I believe Japanese people also bow when they apologize. Are there any rules regarding the angle of the bow for apologies? T: There are no fixed rules, but generally when you apologize, you bow very deeply (at an angle of about 90 degrees). When you’ve committed a grave error, you should touch your knees and your forehead to the ground; this is the ultimate form of apology and is called “dogeza” (prostration). This shows that you are apologizing from the bottom of your heart, and beg that person’s forgiveness. FS: Besides greetings, bowing is done to express thanks as well as an apology. T: That’s right. The phrase “sumimasenn” is often used with a bow. This is a useful phrase that can be used for expressing both gratitude and an apology. In Japan, bowing is an extremely important way to ensure that communication between parties goes smoothly. By bowing, you are demonstrating a respectful attitude to the person you’re dealing with. FS: If that person understands your intention, will their attitude towards you change? T: For instance, if somebody makes a mistake, in many countries there’s a tendency to avoid responsibility by giving an excuse. This is because if they take responsibility and apologize, they’ll be taking the blame leaving them open to claims for compensation. FS：Is it different in Japan? T: Generally Japanese people do not make excuses, they apologize for any problems from the start. If you apologize sincerely for your mistake, bowing deeply, the other person’s anger will gradually subside. Conversely, if you make repeated excuses, the other person’s anger will only increase, and you will be asked to pay more compensation. Instead of taking legal action, Japanese people are apt to settle matters by avoiding conflict with a sincere apology. It is said that Japan has fewer lawsuits than other countries.