Keigo 敬語 けいご
"Honorific Japanese / Respectful language"

This is a real Western / Japanese divide that I think will never end mutually. As international business develops, one of these two powers is going to outplay the other, and from a biased Englishman point of view: Western will prevail.

Put simply, reducing yourself to the size of a fly and praising the people above you for being better in every way is not something Westerners do well. Some do, most dont... I for one just cannot. I even feel embarrassed watching visitors to the school come and introduce themselves, almost purposely appearing nervous wrecks in front of the staff they are meeting (even to me on some occassions) as they offer their services.

Rather than being impressed by them for showing respect and trying to offer their business in an honorific way, my first impression is negative and I lose all respect I might have had for them for degrading themselves so openly.