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Why Japanese People Apologize When They Should Say Thank You
You just gave up your seat on a crowded Tokyo train for an elderly woman. She looks at you, bows slightly, and says — “Sumimasen.” You probably expected “Arigatou.” You got “Sorry” instead. What just happened? It’s not a mistake. It’s a completely different operating system. In English, “sorry” and “thank you” are opposites. One