It seems that in America when someone speaks for you, it is often done to push their views on you rather than to show understanding, and when someone expresses a view exactly the same as yours, it often comes as a surprise. In American culture, reading other people's minds somehow has gotten a bad name. Perhaps, it does not sit well with the idea of independence, personal freedom, and privacy. In Japanese culture, responding to subtle cues to read others' minds is what is expected. Actually, we all read other people's minds to some degree, using various forms of nonverbal signals and contextual cues combined with past experiences although we may not be aware of the process.
Nonverbal communication is the only way babies can communicate with the world.
In Japan, rather than abandoning this skill as the children's language develops, it is expected to be refined and fostered. It is much to our advantage to use this skill. After a while, your Japanese guests may find relief in that Americans expect others to read their lips but not their minds. Chances are if anyone tries to read their minds, he or she may be accused of putting words in their mouth. However, it soon becomes painfully clear that the relief is not without price.