How to know if a Japanese guy likes you?
 

I'm a Malaysian working in Shanghai. I met with a J-guy nearly a year ago during a tour trip in Xi'An. We had a great one day trip together and exchanged contact. We have been keeping in touch through emails and msn on and off since then. We went for another trip in China with one of my friend in August. I went for a tour trip in Japan in Sep and he's a great host, brought me to the places I want to visit and finish work earlier than usual during weekdays to meet up for dinner. Last month, we went to Beijing together for a short trip and we also meet up when he's on business trip to Shanghai.

I am so very confused now whether he just treat me as a friend or travel mate or what? I think I like him since it's quite comfortable to be with him and he's very gentlemen. When I express that I'm having great trips with him, he too replies the same and wish to travel with me again. The thing is, he never really say anything which I can conclude as he likes me. He's very caring and I think able to remember the things I said and what I likes. But I really don't know if that's due to his good nature and politeness or I mean something special to him.

Anyone here who are from Japan or understand Japan culture well, please help! Could he have hinted anything while I still don't get it? I don't quite know how he interact with people daily to assess whether he's treating me somewhat special or just like a normal friend.

We're going for a trip to Vietnam end of this month. If he's probably just treating me as a normal friend, I should adjust myself and stop putting any hope that we might progress further. After all, he's a nice travel mate to go out with.

Really need help here as I'm getting more frustrated and confused as days past if I don't know where I should place myself. Thanks in advanced.

By the way, he's in his early thirties and I'm in my late tweenties.

In most most cases, he will drop trou and urinate upon the ground to mark his territory. The mating dance is something else, too!

Ignore Keaton, he's trying (and failing) to be amusing.

Seems to me he really enjoys you as a travelling companion, but not much beyond that...at the moment. As always, I advise more observation and a buildup of experience in picking up the little signs he may be showing either consciously or subconsciously.

b..but he did amuse meeee >.>

:vsign:

During my short life I've seen way too many "Do J-girls like Americans? Do J-guys date white girls? How do I know if a J-person likes me?"

It's a stupid, overdone, and paints Japanese as a people incapable of showing normal human emotions.

In short, a sophisticated troll.

Thanks Koir, I'm trying to observe, but failed to differentiate whether they mean anything or not. Sometimes my friends said that it could be myself who are a bit dumb though.

I mean, would any guy (especially Japanese guys) help a girl who is just a normal friend to bring towel, get hair dryer, carry bags all the way while travelling together and bring you to all the places you like to go to even if he might need to sacrifice some of the places that he planned to go to? To me, it may be yes or may be no... So I really can't pick up whether those signs means anything or not.

While I visit Japan, he tried to meet me up whenever possible and the same thing when he came to Shanghai. But still, he says nothing which can confirm my guess. When we travel together, sometimes we could look like couples in the others' eyes. But, I'm not sure of that myself. Basically, we never even hold hands before. So, maybe we are just some what a little more than just normal friend? Good friend?

I really don't know about it unless he says it out. Although sometimes I thought he's trying to say something, but that could just be my own assumption.

Many people asked me to just ask him directly, but I'm just afraid to do so.

Knowing each other for a year, but staying in different countries though meeting up several times during this year. I'm not sure it's long enough or still too short. I feel like it's so long already...

GAAAAAHHH,
we're living in the 21st century, if you really like him, TELL HIM.
Then you'll know he likes you.

or you could do it subletly, like if he is in shanghai, say you can't make it and you'll be in hongkong or something and see if he takes the time to see you. If yes, then he probably does like you, flying half way across a country to see you.

I think they are asking these questions merely because they are unsure of what the other party thinks, especially as they are from a different cultural background and etc.

Also, you are in Japan Forum, remember?
Couldn't expect someone who falls in love for an American (for example) to come to a Japan Forum to ask if the other party likes them right?

I couldn't imagine someone asking that question on a forum. I would ask her myself or tell her how I feel. We've got a generation who's almost afraid of real dating and face-to-face interaction in general. Ask him yourself, you know him better than we do.

I wish I have the gut to ask though...