Positive Feedback Is Restrained and Moderate Rather Than Effusive

Japanese positive feedback tends toward restraint rather than effusive praise. Excessive praise may produce arrogance, embarrass recipients, disrupt group harmony, or seem insincere. When positive feedback occurs, it often emphasizes effort rather than inherent ability, acknowledges improvement rather than declaring excellence. Actions may signal approval—assignment to important projects, expanded responsibilities—where words might not.

Recipients typically deflect compliments modestly rather than accepting directly. When giving positive feedback in Japanese contexts, consider moderate expression. When receiving it, understand that restrained praise carries genuine weight precisely because it is not inflated.