Culture

In ball sports, it's common for an errant ball to hit a target an athlete didn't mean to hit. If that unintended target happens to be a person, the athlete will usually apologize for the accident. And if that athlete is Japanese volleyball player Yuji Nishida, the apology will be one for the ages.

Nishida was serving in an all-star volleyball tournament in Kobe, Japan, when his serve went awry and hit a courtside judge in the back, according to The Guardian. Before the judge even had time to react, Nishida sprinted across the court, dove under the net, and slid headfirst on his belly to her feet. He remained outstretched on the court, his forehead and nose pressed to the floor, before standing up and bowing deeply and repeatedly to the smiling judge. She laughed and bowed in return, letting him know it was all good.

Nishida's over-the-top apology appears to be a comically dramatic version of a "dogeza," a formal apology in Japan that is reserved for the most egregious offenses. A dogeza involves prostrating yourself in front of the person you are apologizing to, with your hands and forehead on the ground to indicate deep contrition. Companies in Japan have even been known to require employees to perform dogeza apologies to customers, sometimes surprisingly often.

Though it is used seriously in Japan, the dogeza has also inspired comedy skits, such as the viral "Apology Olympics," which may have served as inspiration for Nishida's running belly slide:

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Japan's culture of apology is about courtesy, respect, and social cohesion

One of the first phrases people learn when studying Japanese is "sumimasen," which translates to a mix of "excuse me" and "I'm sorry." It is also an indispensable phrase to know if you ever plan to visit Japan, since it is used by nearly everyone, all the time, as a way to show humility and respect. Japanese culture places a high value on courtesy, which includes apologizing for both minor inconveniences and major offenses.

There are multiple ways to apologize in Japan, and as Japan Intercultural Consulting points out, apologies there carry a different connotation than they do in the United States:

"In the United States, an apology often determines fault and liability, so we are reluctant to apologize. In the Japanese context, an apology is less of an admission of guilt than as a mature acknowledgement that errors were made, and an interest in working to make things right. It shows a 'kaizen mind' that reflects on errors and works to prevent recurrences. An apology clears the air and repairs what was broken. Apologies permit all parties to let go of the past and move forward. Apologize, regardless of who is at fault. If you really cannot make yourself do this if you are not at fault, you can say, 'I’m really sorry this happened.'"

The general rule in Japan when something goes wrong is this: don't make excuses or place blame, just apologize.

A person performs a dogeza-like bow in front of another person.Photo credit: Canva

Is it possible to apologize too much in Japanese culture?

There is more risk of under-apologizing than over-apologizing in Japan, according to Japan Consulting Office: "It is better to give too many apologies rather than even one too few. Remember you are not taking any real responsibility here but are simply defusing the situation by saying, 'I too want to help solve the issue.'"

Apologizing is a way to clear the air and move forward, not to admit fault or take responsibility.

Understanding the expectations and norms of one another's cultures can help prevent awkward misunderstandings and unintentional offense. While no one would expect a sliding dogeza apology like Nishida's, his repeated bowing after the accident is a clear reflection of how highly Japanese culture values a solid apology, regardless of intent. The fact that his apology was also entertaining is just icing on the cake.