False compliments, false modesty, and family

There does not appear to be a significant difference to me in terms of how Japanese and non-Japanese approach compliments in terms of giving and receiving them. In both cases everyone has undoubtedly been put on the spot and forced to give a false compliment (a classic case of the "Does my ass look big in this?"), but I've found that in many cultures people will offer spontaneous and genuine compliments. The notion of offering a false compliment without being prompted or put on the spot is very unusual to me.

However, a far greater emphasis appears to be placed on modesty in Japan in contrast to the West. Whilst not being able to think of any concrete examples at the moment, it seems frequent that, for example, in Japan a practitioner of a particular craft will speak ambivalently of their ability in spite of having been involved with it for a significant length of time. People in the West are more willing to accept compliments and be thankful for them, and in particular circumstances such as job interviews, modesty appears to be often discouraged to the extent that people will exaggerate their abilities in order to succeed.

In regards to family, I would not particularly insulted if a family member made a joke at my expense or insulted me as long as it was done in a light-hearted manner. There is the notion that Australians frequently speak in a self-deprecating manner which extends to family and close friends, and I believe that being able to make light of one's foibles is an important trait.