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Briefing - Business etiquette in Japan
Business etiquette and practices are important in Japan. The Japanese are extremely polite and place importance on respect and social rank. You will be showered with elaborate compliments while your host remains humble and plays down their achievements. Foreigners who show modesty will be well regarded by Japanese people.
While business meetings during the day can seem to be slow and often skirting key issues, night time drinking and dinners are often the time when more useful information is fed back to you. The Japanese equate being indirect with being polite. Thus being indirect, such as starting a business meeting with ‘small talk’ will help to get the meeting off to a good start. Foreigners can misunderstand this indirectness and interpret it as indecisiveness or non-commitment from the Japanese side. In these situations, it pays to be patient.
English is not widely spoken in business and government, with some exceptions, such as in trading companies. If a meeting is conducted in English, be sure to speak slowly and clearly, and do not use foreign idiomatic expressions or humour. Meetings in English are rare and an interpreter is generally required.
Punctuality is a must in Japan. It is usual to arrive at a meeting at least five minutes before the appointed time. In the event that you are running late, it is polite to call ahead to advise of when approximately you will be arriving. All appointments should be arranged with companies prior to your arrival in Japan.
Partners - it is inappropriate to take friends, spouses, or children to business meetings in Japan. It is also not common for spouses to be invited out for business dinners.
Product brochures and a company profile should be taken with you when you visit a Japanese company for the first time.
Business cards are handled in both hands and laid carefully on the table. You will need to bring at least 100 business cards with you to Japan. Business meetings invariably begin with the exchange of business cards. Don't place the card in your pocket or write on it. If time allows, have your business cards printed with your company name and name in Japanese. Don't have your business address translated to Japanese as this renders it meaningless.
Seating arrangements is used in formal business meetings. The most important guest sits furthest from the door and the host sits closest to the door. If in doubt, wait to be seated or ask where you should sit.
Gifts are not necessary and it is inappropriate to offer expensive gifts, particularly on first meetings. Small gifts, such as company pens, or something small, typical and traditional for the region you come from, etc. can be presented, preferably once business is ready to commence or has commenced. It is generally considered impolite to open gifts in front of the giver.
Resolving conflict – Japanese people also try hard to avoid open conflict and so may answer ambiguously or even agree to an offer that they have no intention of accepting. One productive way of solving this problem is to prepare a brief but clear memo describing the situation and obligations of both parties and present it to the Japanese side as a record of the meeting. This will test the Japanese side’s position on the issue as they will be forced to respond.
While business meetings during the day can seem to be slow and often skirting key issues, night time drinking and dinners are often the time when more useful information is fed back to you. The Japanese equate being indirect with being polite. Thus being indirect, such as starting a business meeting with ‘small talk’ will help to get the meeting off to a good start. Foreigners can misunderstand this indirectness and interpret it as indecisiveness or non-commitment from the Japanese side. In these situations, it pays to be patient.
English is not widely spoken in business and government, with some exceptions, such as in trading companies. If a meeting is conducted in English, be sure to speak slowly and clearly, and do not use foreign idiomatic expressions or humour. Meetings in English are rare and an interpreter is generally required.
Punctuality is a must in Japan. It is usual to arrive at a meeting at least five minutes before the appointed time. In the event that you are running late, it is polite to call ahead to advise of when approximately you will be arriving. All appointments should be arranged with companies prior to your arrival in Japan.
Partners - it is inappropriate to take friends, spouses, or children to business meetings in Japan. It is also not common for spouses to be invited out for business dinners.
Product brochures and a company profile should be taken with you when you visit a Japanese company for the first time.
Business cards are handled in both hands and laid carefully on the table. You will need to bring at least 100 business cards with you to Japan. Business meetings invariably begin with the exchange of business cards. Don't place the card in your pocket or write on it. If time allows, have your business cards printed with your company name and name in Japanese. Don't have your business address translated to Japanese as this renders it meaningless.
Seating arrangements is used in formal business meetings. The most important guest sits furthest from the door and the host sits closest to the door. If in doubt, wait to be seated or ask where you should sit.
Gifts are not necessary and it is inappropriate to offer expensive gifts, particularly on first meetings. Small gifts, such as company pens, or something small, typical and traditional for the region you come from, etc. can be presented, preferably once business is ready to commence or has commenced. It is generally considered impolite to open gifts in front of the giver.
Resolving conflict – Japanese people also try hard to avoid open conflict and so may answer ambiguously or even agree to an offer that they have no intention of accepting. One productive way of solving this problem is to prepare a brief but clear memo describing the situation and obligations of both parties and present it to the Japanese side as a record of the meeting. This will test the Japanese side’s position on the issue as they will be forced to respond.
