>>83243274they are genuinely impressed
people always forget japan is not diverse like america or interconnected like europe, it's a bunch of people in an island all looking the same and speaking one language
they are also aware that their english is shit and it embarrasses them how bad english education is in japan and how japanese people speaking english are terrible at it, "how are you im fine thank you and you?" is a meme THEY created to parody themselves
even if some american foreigner shows up all "OHAYOU konnichiwwaa kyou wa dou desuu ka, saki gohan tabeta desss" it impresses them much more than those foreigners (who are mid-study and judging themselves) would expect, potentially even mindblowing to them; also flattering because they think "wow foreigners are interested in our culture huh, eee sugoi"
