What does the thumbs up mean in Japan?

The thumbs-up gesture has become common in Japan as a sign of good, partly due to the spread of Facebook (although it was actually common a little earlier than that). In a drama broadcast in 2000, the main character is usually depicted as doing this action as his favorite gesture.



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Other gestures are used elsewhere in the world but without having the same meaning. This is the case for the victory (or peace) sign: the two raised fingers making the V sign. This gesture became world famous after World War II, and can be seen in almost all casual Japanese photos.

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Tradition, form and protocol are highly valued. Japanese customarily bow to each other rather than shake hands upon meeting. However, most Japanese accustomed to dealing with foreigners expect to shake hands with them and are rarely embarrassed when a foreigner offers his hand.

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