Verbal contracts in Japan remain widespread because Japanese men continue to value their public reputations (their face) as men of honor. For instance, the Japanese will conduct million dollar transactions based on no more than oral agreements. The traditional attitude towards the written document has been that it is only a tangible acknowledgement of the existence of a relationship between 2 parties, rather than a precise instrument that establishes and defines the relationship. In practice this means that the Japanese believe the specific items of a contract are always, even after signing, open to re-negotiation, if the circumstances change.