It's not true about Italy and Mediterranean.The common thing there is hug someone that u coldnt see for a long time or kiss on the cheek
I don't know about those places, but on Cuba it's pretty normal to kiss people you just been introduced on the cheek
In France, in certain regions, they kiss on cheeks. But not so far as to kiss on the mouth.
I think it's cultural ignorance. Or an exaggeration of how brazen and forceful americans can be when going for romance. As an american woman i can tell you how forceful the guys can be is shocking. Or it could be that they really like the kissy drunk person a lot.
I'm an American. We are more touchy feely than the Japanese, but, at best, we shake hands with a complete stranger. Kissing will get you arrested for sexual assault! LMAO We do hug friends or those we wish to comfort. We will even hug total strangers in the right circumstance, but it is not usually a "full body" hug. We keep our hips apart from each other and lean our upper body towards each other. Kissing requires a prior relationship, like close friends and family. Even then, it is rarely on the mouth.
I have to ask... if I were to go to Japan, could I get away with kissing strangers and use being American as an excuse?? It's not a life plan or anything, I'm just curious about the reception that behavior would get someone.
I've noted that a lot of books say that American's do this too, and so being curious I researched it. I know that in most American culture it's not something we do, but it said that places like Italy and the Mediterranean it was a common thing to do. I don't know how true it is, but that's what I got from it all.