To say "I'm sorry" has different meanings depending on context and culture. A core issue is how culpability is assessed. An apology might be seen as an admission of wrongdoing, or it could be seen as an expression of eagerness to repair a damaged relationship without implying culpability. What do you mean when you say "I'm sorry"?
You might mean, "I'm the one responsible, and I accept blame". Or you could mean, "it's unfortunate that this has happened". In a survey of US and Japanese undergraduates, the Japanese students recalled issuing an average of 11.05 apologies the previous week, whereas the US students recalled just 4.51.
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