In America we have a saying regarding relationships “Friends first never works” but that is not always the case when dating Japanese girls. When one tries to date Japanese girls in the same way that one would a western girl you might get rejected as too eager. Many of us have tried “Friends first” and crashed and burned. Why is this?
Because Japanese women date mostly Japanese men they are used to a less aggressive style of dating. Japanese men in general are less aggressive when asking out a woman, and less aggressive in moving forward physically. This is due to some rules and cultural mores you can find out here: Dating Japanese Girls
As a foreigner you should understand this and take the appropriate action. Of course some women will break this norm, but most will want to be friends first. That’s not to say that a foreigner can’t get a Japanese girlfriend, the style of courting will be a bit different than you are used to.
