[MMM]

This is an fascinating conversation. It is interesting to see what different cultures regard as requirements for a friendship.

I can't speak for younger people, or for women, but it seems like often times my friendships with male friends in Japan require much less maintenance than my male friends in the US. Even in my 30s I see people my age, or even older in the US being much more needy in terms of validation of the friendship.

With some of my friends in Japan I only contact them if I am coming. Others I send notes online to maybe once every month or two.

Some of my friends in America tell me that I couldn't possibly consider these people good friends, as we don't have constant contact and I don't keep up with their personal lives on a constant basis.

However, it feels very comfortable to me to be able to see these friends in Japan once a year or so and pick up right where we left off. It seems like this is less probable in the West.