I was an expat in Japan for years and I was there from the beginning of the 80's to the early 1990's and I can tell that ppl were so polite even the very young ones were respectful. For that reason alone I adapted their customary and the way they treat ppl w/ much respect that up to this day other ppl find weird and funny when I bowed when a car stop and let me pass by as a thank you for the gesture.I still am bowing when someone introduced to me or handed me food in every situations and places. I am proud that I lived the era when the country was 99.9% safe, politeness and honesty were in all corners, the genuine friendliness and the peace that the country was enjoying. Japan is in total opposite after they'd been fluctuated by all kinds of nationalities.