The modesty widely viewed as a Japanese trademark was again apparent in a recently released survey on kissing, with only 29 percent of respondents rating their kisses an 8 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10.
The annual romance survey by Harlequin Enterprises Ltd., a Canada-based publisher of romance novels, was conducted on 3,598 people aged 18 and above in 18 countries, with the theme this time being kissing.
Worldwide, 70 percent of those surveyed give their kisses at least an 8, and 24 percent give themselves a 10. However, in Japan, where 200 people were surveyed, only 10 percent of the respondents say their kisses are perfect, with the largest number of people -- 46 percent -- opting for the more "average" marks of 5, 6 and 7.