Christopher Stetson <stetson.christopher@gmail.com> wrote:
>  A good place to start on this subject would be to talk to your male
> Japanese friends about the subject.

Nice to meet you , Christopher. m(_ _)m

A convincing argument! Japanese friends (specifically male friends in
this case) should, of course, be _one_ valuable resource.

One of the reasons why I posted here is that I think those foreigners
who have spent a long time in Japan and who, in the process of becoming
proficient in Japanee may have solved similar problems, might be able to
give some good advice, as well (this is how things have worked for me in
other countriesi in the past).

> Take your time

Good that you say that. Culture cannot be learned overnight. And taking
time has always been my way of doing things, and it has served me very
well ;-)

I appreciate that you understand my wish not to put anything awkward
into existing friendships. Being careful about how I talk to people
means, among other things, that in my life I have lost only one friend
ever.

Al

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