Decoding Japan: Understanding Japanese Users series

This series explores behaviors and tendencies unique to Japanese users, framed through the lens of cultural context. Our goal: uncover UX design insights rooted in deep understanding.

The first installment dives into the theme of “The Japanese who can’t choose.” Why do many Japanese users hesitate or avoid decision-making? We’ll explore this question through cultural analysis and my own experiences living abroad, particularly in the Netherlands.

Are Japanese People Unable to Choose?

Have you ever spent far too long at a restaurant trying to decide what to order? Many Japanese users feel stress rather than freedom when faced with too many options.

While UX theory often promotes offering users choices to increase engagement and conversion, in Japan, too much choice can backfire.

A cross-cultural study comparing Japanese and Australian university students found that Japanese students experience significantly higher “decision-making stress.”

Refer to: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0022022193243002

Cultural Context Behind the Hesitation

Japanese users’ aversion to choosing is deeply rooted in cultural norms.

Conformity as Comfort

In Japan, there’s a strong sense that “being the same as others” is safe. Many people prefer to go with the crowd rather than rely on personal preferences.

By contrast, in the Netherlands where I live, people often value being different — individualism is a virtue.

A Culture of Avoiding Mistakes

Japanese society emphasizes avoiding failure — both in school and at work.

Unlike Western systems where mistakes are part of growth, Japan’s “deduction-based” culture creates an environment where one misstep can feel catastrophic.

Discomfort with Changing Opinions

Consistency is often valued over flexibility. People may feel ashamed to say “I’ve changed my mind,” which makes the act of choosing feel final and heavy.

As a result, “choosing” itself becomes a cautious process, and it is difficult to take the first step.

Consensus Over Originality

In team settings, individual ideas are often modified until no one can claim ownership.

What matters most is that “everyone agrees,” not necessarily what’s best or most original.

Failure-Avoidant Education

From school to career, the idea of “choosing to avoid failure” is reinforced.

When too many options are available, the fear of choosing wrong one paralyzes decision-making.

Fixation on the Right Answer

Japan’s decision-making framework leans toward finding “the correct” or “least risky” option, making subjective choice feel dangerous.

Imitation and Group Behavior

Research shows that Japanese people are highly influenced by others’ behavior — even more so than other cultures — and tend to avoid deviating from the norm.

What I Observed Living Abroad

The pressure: to choose = to make the final decision.

In the Netherlands and the UK, I was struck by how lightly people make and revise choices. Projects often shift course dramatically — and that’s seen as normal.

Changing opinions, failing, and pivoting are accepted as natural. Choosing is not about getting the “right” answer — it’s about trying.

By contrast, in Japan, people often avoid the decision-making process altogether, preferring to simply go with a recommendation. There’s also a sense that once something is decided, it must not be changed — creating unnecessary emotional weight around choices.

How Education Shapes Decision-Making

The following table summarizes the differences in education between the Netherlands and Japan.

These educational structures significantly influence how people handle choice-related stress as adults.

According to the OECD PISA “Creative Problem Solving” scores, Dutch students show higher collaborative trial activity than Japanese peers.

Refer to:
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/pisa-results-2022-volume-iii-factsheets_041a90f1-en/netherlands_dfeb9e23-en.html
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/pisa-2022-results-volume-i-and-ii-country-notes_ed6fbcc5-en/japan_f7d7daad-en.html

In TIMSS 2019, 78% of European teachers said students should feel free to change their minds. In Japan, only 46% agreed.

Refer to: https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/questionnaires/pdf/T19_TQS_8.pdf

Japan vs. The Netherlands: Key Cultural Contrasts

We compared Japan and the Netherlands with reference to academic research and other sources.

Individualism vs. Collectivism

According to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions:

In the Netherlands, “being different” is often praised, while in Japan, “fitting in” is a source of psychological comfort.

Style of Decision-Making

Japan values consensus (“let’s decide together”) — a group-driven culture. The Netherlands encourages individual-led choices — even at the cost of group cohesion.

Refer to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-cultural_differences_in_decision-making

Flexibility of Thought

Japanese users are less likely to adopt a “compensatory” mindset — one flaw may ruin the whole option.

In the Netherlands, flexibility and non-compensatory thinking are more common.

Communication Style

Japan: High-context — implicit, indirect communication.
Netherlands: Low-context — explicit, direct, transparent. In Dutch culture, even physical transparency (e.g., open windows in houses) is seen as a virtue.

Summary Table

UX Pitfalls: Why Western UI Doesn’t Translate

In Western UX, choice is freedom. In Japan, too much choice creates anxiety. Japanese UX design often succeeds when it reduces choice friction — for example, by offering recommendations, showing what’s popular, or using guided flows.

Designing UX for Choice-Averse Cultures

UX design for Japanese users should reflect cultural sensitivity to uncertainty and failure.

Japanese users often respond positively to:

“No Need to Choose” UX

Provide well-considered defaults that allow users to proceed without making decisions.

Clear Prioritization of Options

Don’t show everything at once. Use popularity tags or “recommended” labels to help guide choices.

Smart Defaults & Presets

Make it easy to accept the current state with confidence: “This setting is OK.”

Reversible Choices

Let users know choices aren’t final. Labels like “You can change this later” reduce anxiety.

Social Proof and Collective Trends

Show what others have chosen: reviews, star ratings, and popularity indicators matter greatly in Japan.

Conclusion

Japanese users’ hesitation to choose isn’t about indecisiveness — it’s about cultural logic. As UX designers, we need to design not just for usability, but for emotional safety.
UX for Japanese users must reduce fear, support reversibility, and normalize not having to choose at all.
In a society where choice is seen as a risk, the most effective UX might be one where you don’t have to make a choice at all.
Designs that communicate: “It’s okay to fail” and “It’s okay to change your mind” go a long way in making users feel safe — and engaged.