Tatemae and Honne
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Tatemae (Japanese:建前) and Honne (Japanese:本音) refer to one a facet of Japanese culture; the words refer respectively to one's "public persona" and one's "real feelings".
Tatemae (lit. Facade) is a face that a person shows in public. They may have a specific role due to their social status or position. They behave as they are expected to behave in the specific situation, regardless of their personal opinions about the matter. The core of tatemae is politeness to avoid confrontation.
Honne (lit. True Sound) refers to real feelings and opinions. It is not something one is encouraged to show in public (especially during business dealings and the like). It is something one might show only to one's closest friends (or sometimes when very drunk).
Those with anti-Japanese sentiments have cited this concept as evidence of the untrustworthiness of Japanese people, or even of Asians in general. Yet, enthusiasts of Japan point to this very same concept as evidence of Japanese people's superior social skills and culture.
Therefore, because of the implications of this concept, it is worth considering that Tatemae and Honne may not actually be unique to Japanese culture at all. Many would say it is a universal fact of human nature that we show different faces to different people, and Japanese people are no exception to this rule.