This story is part of Gen J, a new BBC Worklife series that spotlights Japan as the country heads into 2020. This is the third story in that series, looking at a societal expectation that even the youngest generation must be prepared to manage.



When you step on an escalator, do you stand to one side to let others pass? When someone in the room says it’s hot, do you open a window? If you ask someone on a date and they stare at you blankly, do you withdraw the invitation?

If you don’t do any of these things, some unfortunate news: you cannot “read the air”.

Knowing the unspoken rules governing social life requires comprehensive understanding of your environment, whatever the setting. It’s a skill that’s valuable anywhere in the world – but in Japan, where communication tends to be indirect, it is elevated to another level. Reading the air – kuuki o yomu in Japanese – is a constant exercise, and misreading the air can blow business deals or ruin relationships.

In Japan, kuuki o yomu is grappled with in everything from facial recognition technology to video games, showing how ingrained it is in daily life.