In Japan, the customer is not merely a party to transaction but an honored recipient deserving of respect and careful attention. This positioning is encoded in language—the term okyakusama literally honors the customer—and enacted through behavior: bowing, attentive service, humble provider language paired with respectful customer language. The customer’s honored position creates the asymmetric structure within which service relationships operate. Providers serve customers as honored recipients; customers receive service as something properly given.
This is not servility but structural relationship—both parties understand and accept their positions. When engaging with Japanese providers, recognize that your honored position reflects genuine cultural logic about service obligation.
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