Do Not Use Direct Speech
When a Westerner talks with their friends, they are often candid. This is expected, as is being blunt when you are talking to a close friend – even if they find the conversation sensitive or uncomfortable is “normal.” In other parts of the world, this is not ok.
And they mix things up a bit, enter Japan, which is a usual approach in this situation to use indirect speech to avoid confrontation. As a foreigner – you might find it difficult to leverage this approach, but you will pick up the subtext as breadcrumbs get dropped throughout a conversation, making things quite clear.