edited because I did not mean my message for Misa Misa. again my apologies.

I don't understand why you are reacting to Miss Misa's post this way. She is saying saying dating DOESN'T automatically mean a couple are sleeping together.

And can a woman not use a man for sex, too?

Now we have a British teenager, Japanese middle age man, and a British woman in her 70's, talking about Japanese views on dating (sorry other people I don't know or forgot where you are from). Who thought this would happen 10 years ago? Internet is great. I really mean it.

I think it's STD's, dogsbody70 ;)

The US is so massive that it's really regional, when it comes to some of that sort of thing. I'm from the Midwest, wich is more "Folksy" than the urban areas or the coasts, though not as "conservative" as the Deep South. Course I'm ex army, so that may have altered how I view things a tad.

I was married before coming to Japan so I have no direct experience of dating Japanese girls myself but I have plenty of single friends. One of the things I found a bit different here is that it seems to be considered boyfriend and girlfriend one has to ask "will you be my boyfriend/girlfriend?". Until this question has been asked and accepted it's not really considered they are together and it would be acceptable for them to see other partners. They may well be having sex but without actually asking the question it's not really considered a close, monogamous relationship.
In Australia we really wouldn't actually ask that question anymore. It would generally be considered a little juvenile, school yard sort of thing. If you're dating and sleeping with someone it's just a given that you are together without explicity having to ask such a question.

Haha, I've got this from my girl friends before.
It means they are asking if you are OK if she announce that she and you are going out and should be considered as a couple in a social setting.

whoah, nice briefing

I personally admire your principles.:vsign:

Eh? I didn't even say anything... I said the exact opposite.

I said, just because someone is dating, doesn't mean they are having sex. Didn't say anything about sleeping around or anything, don't know where you got that from.

sorry about that-- my mistake I should have taken a quote from the person I was responding to. Please forgive me. it definitely wasn't YOu.

sorrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeee I am just useless at taking separate quotes