I have Japanese speaking friends in multiple time zones, some not yet in the new year.
I have been told you only say akemashite after midnight of jan 1, not in anticipation of it or as a general new years’ greeting. But how about if your friend is an hour behind?
Do you say it at your midnight and expect them to say it back at their midnight (or the next day when they wake up and see your message) but no sooner?
Would they generally consider it close enough since 1 party is over the new year line, to reply in kind?
Or would you simply wait to say it until you were both in the new year?
