United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Why the Japanese are sad when they smile
VisitBritain has launched a guide to help everyone from cab drivers to hotel managers to make overseas guests feel welcome during the 2012 Olympics.
VB also wants to avoid any unfortunate misunderstandings that could cause offence.
The guide, Delivering a First Class Welcome, was written by natives of the countries featured who work for VisitBritain.
Britain comes 14th out of 50 in the Nation Brands Index for the quality of welcome would-be visitors believe they will get.
Sandie Dawe, VisitBritain’s chief executive, said, “Overseas visitors spend more than £16billion a year in Britain, contributing massively to our economy and supporting jobs across the country.
“So giving our foreign visitors a friendly welcome is absolutely vital.â€
Some examples from the guide:
HONG KONG
Winking can be considered to be rude rather than friendly or flirtatious.
INDIA
Avoid physical contact when first meeting someone. Be tolerant if Indians at first seem impolite, noisy and impatient. This is partly the result of living in chaotic cities
 and environments.
CHINA
Avoid saying ‘thank you’ to a compliment. Instead, politely deny it to show humility. If you compliment a Chinese person, expect a denial.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Arabs are not used to being told what to do. Visitors from the UAE can take great offence if you appear bossy. They appreciate being looked after by staff who understand Arab culture.
JAPAN
A smiling Japanese person is not necessarily happy. They tend to smile when angry, embarrassed, sad or disappointed.
SOUTH KOREA
When accepting thanks Koreans will typically say ‘No, no’. This means ‘You are welcome’.
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