Bryce wrote:

> No, I disagree. Fluency in the language and culture.. which you need 100% of
> the latter to fully understand the first,... it's rare. I've heard that
> there are less than 20 foreigners that are truly fluent in Japanese.

You mean, that weren't born or raised in the country? And what of Japanese,
particularly the young ones, who don't understand their own culture or proper
use of their own language?

> I never tell anyone that I'm fluent in Japanese.

Me neither. I simply see how long it takes Japanese to find out I am not one of
them without being told, or shown my ID. The last time I was asked whether I
was foreign, was in early July, by the assistant in the barber shop I have been
to exclusively, for years. There was also the person at airport Immigration who
wanted to know if I was in the correct line, but that doesn't count.

> I'd be telling a lie.