It's not that the Japanese couldn't communicate in English. It's the fact the Japanese felt, like Asians generally do, they shouldn't disrespect their partner

It's not that the Japanese couldn't communicate in English. It's the fact the Japanese felt, like Asians generally do, they shouldn't disrespect their partner by saying what the partner said seemed liked gobledycook to them. So the Japanese internalized the failure to understand and eventually did things the way the knew...