The use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) is widespread in the United Kingdom, Australia, and to some extent in the United States and Canada. However, this potentially learning enhancing technology has been adopted very little in Japan at any level of education, apart from some international schools. Furthermore, one of the world's two leading IWB manufacturers has recently closed their Japan office. This paper examines cultural issues and reports of fieldwork mainly from within Japan, but also from Australia, and Thailand. The overall conclusion is that the main factor is the very different philosophy of education. [For full proceedings, see ED565044.]