A Malaysian calls out Japan’s “tatemae” culture after tourists are criticised online for blocking space on public transport.
AS increasing numbers of tourists flock to Japan, its citizens have in recent years taken to social media to share their grievances about visitors who they say behave disrespectfully or break local laws.
While it is common sense to research a country before travelling there in order to avoid trouble, one Malaysian user on Threads offered another perspective, criticising Japanese netizens for not speaking up directly when such issues occur.
“They do not speak up directly but stay silent and complain behind people’s backs,” the post read.
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The discussion emerged after a Japanese user on Threads voiced frustration about tourists — believed to be Malaysians — who allegedly left a stroller in the middle of a bus, blocking other commuters, and placed a bag on an empty seat.
As the post calling out the tourists gained widespread attention, netizens were divided. Many defended the tourists, while others agreed that such behaviour should indeed be called out.
While the Malaysian user agreed that the tourists should have been more mindful about where to place their stroller, they expressed frustration over ‘tatemae’—the Japanese concept of maintaining a polite public façade—suggesting that it contributed to the incident not being addressed directly.
Netizens shared their thoughts, with many Malaysians agreeing that the tourists should have been told off for obstructing the bus aisle.
“If you want to travel to a particular country, you need to learn the do’s and don’ts of that country,” one user said.
“Such a simple thing. When you enter the train, fold the stroller — the seats are not for your bags. Don’t even talk about Japan; I would be annoyed if I saw this in Malaysia,” another commented.
