This might be a cultural/linguistic barrier you went up against. It might also not be related to what happened to you, but it feels like it is. Japanese use a

This might be a cultural/linguistic barrier you went up against. It might also not be related to what happened to you, but it feels like it is. Japanese use a lot of back-channel chatter when they talk to indicate that they are actively listening (Auzuchi). This includes saying "Yes" to indicate "Yes, I understand what you are saying" instead of "Yes, I agree that we should do as you are suggesting". They may not always indicate disagreement by saying "No" either, but simply by not committing to your suggestion when its their turn to talk (or some other, subtler expression than "No", such as a head tilt and an intake of breath) This active listening behavior has apparently led to similar misunderstandings before. Of course, if you made sure you actually came to a clear agreement with the execs, it's an entirely different story.