I used to live in Japan, not just on the Navy base where I was stationed but “on the economy,” as we used to say. However, it didn’t help me understand the culture very well. Remember those three Japanese citizens who were held hostage in Iraq? They are not exactly being lionized in their home country.

TOKYO — Three Japanese who were held hostage for a week in Iraq were billed about $7,000 each to cover their plane tickets home and other expenses, an official said Monday.
The three returned April 15 amid a storm of criticism that they had behaved recklessly by going to a country that Japan had warned civilians to avoid.

More of the “if you’re a nail, you’ll be hammered down” way of life in that country, I guess.