mutual admiration; logrolling
Refers to the act of praising each other within a group, often with a negative connotation of insincere or self-serving flattery. 'Logrolling' captures the political sense of exchanging favors or praise.
I'm fed up with the politicians' mutual back-scratching.
That department is all about logrolling; you can't get a fair evaluation.
Standard kanji spelling.
Mixed kana spelling; less common but still used.
Abbreviated kanji spelling; rarely seen.
Compound of 仲間 (nakama, 'companion, colleague') and 褒め (home, 'praise'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely emerged as a critical term for insincere mutual flattery within groups.