Country Information: Japan

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The Japanese Mindset Characteristics of Society Lifestyle & Aspirations The Essentials (10 Key Tips) Working with the Japanese Making a Good Impression Business Etiquette Business Meeting Culture Motivating Others Effective Presentations Managing Relationships

The Japanese Mindset

Culture, tradition and conformity traditionally make up the Japanese mindset, although things are changing among the younger generation, particularly as the 'job for life' concept slowly fades. Nonetheless, the Japanese mind is ruled by a desire for harmony, for saving of public 'face', and for consensus. Japanese society is strictly governed by protocol. People lead ordered lives, taking little holiday, working hard, and joining a company for life. The success of the company is more

important than the individual. Everything from office life to meetings to after-work drinking is governed by formal etiquette and visitors must be aware of this. Japanese people express humility and politeness at all times. Japanese people focus on the long-term, from staying with the same company for many years, to accepting debt that may even be passed on to the next generation.
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Characteristics of Society
Japan has an ageing population, comprising 99.3% Japanese people. Other cultures have had little impact on Japanese lifestyle and while Japan is an open, tolerant country, society cannot be described as multicultural, certainly outside the big cities. Japanese society consists mainly of a homogenous middle class, with a long life expectancy, low infant mortality rate, high literacy and little poverty. The country is relatively small, with a high population density, and people are accustomed to having little personal space or privacy; 'privacy' is, in fact, an imported word into the Japanese language.

There are few natural resources and nearly half of all food is imported. Japanese people are also used to living 'on the edge', having to live with threats of Nature. Three major fault lines run through the country and earthquakes are not uncommon; the devastating Kobe earthquake of 1995 killed 5,500 and left hundreds of thousands homeless.
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Lifestyle & Aspirations

The Japanese work hard, and the men (and some women in business) play hard, too. Living to work is normal here, and people aspire for the good of their company (an extended family) as well as themselves. The biggest calendar event for the Japanese is the New Year's Festival. The period of

celebration is called Shogatsu, which refers to the first month of the year. On the first of January, families gather to drink a particular type of sake that is supposed to ensure a long life, and wipe away any bitter memories remaining from the previous year. Families decorate the entrances to their homes with branches of pine and straw, which symbolically prevent the entrance of impurities. It is also the custom to visit shrines and pray for good fortune in the New Year. Recently, many children spend the day playing video games, but there are still a number who entertain themselves with the traditional New Year's amusements such as kites, battledore, and sugoroku, a Japanese version of Parcheesi. Along with celebrations for Constitution Day, March 3 also brings with it the festivities of the Doll festival, or hina matsuri. On this day, families with girls display a set of dolls representing the ancient imperial court and celebrate by drinking a special kind of sweetened white sake. There is a similar celebration for boys on the fifth of May, Tango no Sekku. Families with boys hang streamers depicting carp outside their homes as symbols of strength, display miniature samurai dolls and armour inside the house, and celebrate with special rice cakes. On the two days out of the year which mark the passing of the vernal and autumnal equinox, it is a commonly practiced Buddhist tradition for people to pay respect to their passed relatives at their gravesites. While women in Japan engage in, on average, three hours and nineteen minutes more housework a day than men, both men and women enjoy a relatively equal amount of time per day for tertiary activities such as hobbies and amusements. The following list catalogues the most popular recreational activities in Japan: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Eating out Driving (to cooler or warmer locations; hot springs, etc.) Travel within Japan Karaoke Watching videos Listening to music Zoos, botanical gardens, aquariums, or museums Bars, pubs and other drinking spots Gardening Movies

For men, golf is part of the job. Golf courses are often busier during business hours than at weekends.
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The Essentials (10 Key Tips)

1. Saving 'face' - your counterpart's and your own - is a key part of interpersonal communication. Take care not to criticise your Japanese contact in front of others. 2. Continuity, predictability and stability are important to Japanese managers. 3. Many Japanese adopt a conciliatory, accommodating style when it comes to managing conflict. 4. Everyone has a distinct place in the hierarchy, whether that is company department, family or social situations. 5. Ensure your business cards show your job title so the Japanese will know your status in your organisation. 6. Many Japanese find it difficult to say a direct "No" so it is important to pay attention to their non-verbal, body language, and indirect signals. 7. Personal relationships and face-face contact are very important while building trust with the Japanese, as is a reliable third party introduction when making new contacts. 8. Arrive on time for meetings - punctuality is very important for the Japanese. 9. Meetings are formal and decision-making can be time-consuming as consensus of opinions is sought. It is important to remain patient and adjust your expectations of response times and decisions accordingly. 10. Harmony is the key value in Japanese society.
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Working with the Japanese

Working with the Japanese is an exercise in diplomacy and it can take many years to get it right. The Japanese are very sensitive and saying the wrong thing, even in innocence, can damage a relationship forever. It is serious breach of etiquette in Japan to criticise someone directly in public, even when the relationship is superiorsubordinate; just as it has traditionally been wrong to disagree with people in public or to be right when they are in error. Communicating with the Japanese is a matter of understanding their thinking as well as their words, as many things are left unsaid. This can make negotiating particularly challenging. Showing with your words and actions that you are keen to invest in the relationship as well as the deal or project will often lead to very productive and long-standing partnerships.
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Making a Good Impression

Do your homework on Japanese etiquette, and the structure of the business world. It may

take years to understand Japanese culture, but you should at least start with a basic understanding of what is expected of you. Society is governed by strict protocols and these must be respected, particularly understanding seniority, respecting age, enabling the Japanese to save face at all times and reading between the lines of what people say, which is not always what they mean. On a more basic level, arrive in Japan armed with appropriate gifts, carefully-prepared presentations and a large pile of business cards . Stay in a reputable hotel and dress smartly but conservatively. Act with modesty and humility at all times.
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Business Etiquette
This is one area in which you must do your homework, as all business transactions are governed by strict protocol. You must avoid embarrassing your hosts or yourself (except in the bar, where more relaxed behaviour is acceptable). Business cards, meeting arrangements, presentations, gift-giving and the process of negotiating are all governed by strict rules, and foreign visitors will get on far better if they make an effort to understand this.

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Business Meeting Culture

Meetings, like every other aspect of Japanese culture, are governed by strict protocol which must be observed if the proposition is even to stand a chance.

Planning a meeting It is considered inappropriate to bring more people to a meeting than was previously discussed. The Japanese like to equate their staff to that of the foreign team in order to ensure a balanced environment. Your team should be identical to the biographical list you sent prior to your arrival. If extenuating circumstances make this impossible, inform the Japanese team, or at least bring the same number of people. Prior to the meeting itself, it is best to send your Japanese counterparts a hierarchical list with brief biographical information of your team. Also send any information (preferably translated into Japanese) that you intend to cover in the meeting. This helps them prepare a team comparable and well-matched to your own. During a meeting The Japanese team will generally arrive a few minutes early, you should do likewise. Punctuality is highly valued in Japanese business culture. The suffix 'san' has the English meaning of Mr and Mrs. Mr. Kawase would become Kawasesan. Mr. Kawase-san would be redundant. It should be noted that a superior does not use this form of address to his subordinates. If the leader of a Japanese team is not using it, this does not mean you should not either. Remember 'san' cannot be used about yourself. As a guest, you should sit on the seat furthest from the door (seat of honour). You may have expected a one-on-one meeting with your counterpart, but one-on-one meetings are rare. The practice is to have groups facing each other. Don't try to break up the ranks of the Japanese. The leader of the Japanese group must be shown great respect. The leader may do little talking in the meeting (talking will be done by assistants). Subordinates are likely to dominate planning discussions until it is time for a decision. It is important to develop a friendly relationship from the very beginning of the encounter. Do not complain about the weather, hotel, or trip from the West. Say only positive things, and provide personal anecdotes when possible. Do not rush. Let them initiate the business discussion when they see fit. Also bear in mind that silence is not only OK, it is valued. If there is an awkward silent pause, let them break it. The Japanese do not like the hard sell. They tend to meet force with great intransigence. Treated with respect, they are often willing to be very flexible. You first need to adjust your expectations. Most meetings in Japan are for stating positions, gathering information, or expressing agreement to decisions already made behind the scenes. The Japanese look at issues in clusters rather than one at a time. They will look at the whole and the interrelationships between factors rather than each piece sequentially. This can be time consuming, so be patient.

Meetings tend to reinforce the achievement of consensus rather than seek to develop it. Of 300 Western business people surveyed, 37.3% said that the aspect of Japanese business they find hardest to understand is the fact that many meetings never reach a final conclusion. During meetings, take extensive and clear notes giving a general outline of the decisions reached thus far. This is so you can periodically present them your Japanese counterpart and ensure both sides have a good understanding of one another. The Japanese are likely to make detailed notes (they want to maximise their time in the meeting and capture data). Do not criticise your own company in the presence of the Japanese. They will assume you lack integrity - you are your company. Don't introduce topics or information that will be a surprise. Following a meeting If you are waiting for a decision to be made by your Japanese colleagues, be prepared to wait a longer time than you would in the West. Consensus will have to be achieved among the Japanese. It is best to write a thank-you note for their consideration and hospitality while you await their response. Thank-you notes are highly valued in Japan and ensure cordial relations.
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Motivating Others
The primary motivation of the Japanese is avoidance of social embarrassment by fulfilling the expectations of others. The need is to avoid the appearance of inferiority. This is what is meant by 'face saving'. The system of slow promotion and seniority helps prevent older employees working for younger bosses. Job titles are important and great motivators. Many companies have layers of hierarchical positions to keep employees who won't make it to the very top motivated. The desire to avoid embarrassment can be seen in the Japanese pre-emptive apology. Before making a presentation, the Japanese will apologise for their lack of skill and preparation. This helps reduce the possibility that the presenter will fail to meet audience expectations. The Japanese will also apologise before giving a gift. The emphasis on process rather than outcomes also protects managers from looking foolish. If the correct process was followed, the manager is protected from personal blame. A stress on relatively long-term goals also deflects the possibility of failure and embarrassment.
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Effective Presentations
Presenting to a Japanese team is never easy because of the language barrier. Qualitative analysis, a clear, logical presentation of ideas, simple language and plenty of backup material will please your Japanese counterpart. Illustrate points with facts and examples; while you are expected to promote the benefits of your company, humility is essential. A hard sell does not work in Japan. Nor do passionate pleas, or distracting physical gestures. Present in a calm, well-prepared manner. Presentation Essentials The Japanese place a lot of emphasis on qualitative analysis. They do rely on numbers and measures but are very distrustful of projections. Great precision is used to describe what has happened and what is happening now. Be calm and humble throughout your presentation. The 'hard sell' is not appropriate in Japan. The Japanese appreciate a speaker whose views are presented clearly, logically, and firmly. It is expected that a speaker will mention his or her competitors, but not criticise them - simply make comparisons in terms of specifications and performance. Also, don't criticise your own company. When discussing long-term goals and plans, keep in mind that Japanese firms and their workers have been used to having lifetime aspirations, not just fiscal-quarter profit goals . But this trend is changing now in modern Japan. Your presentation should reflect this deeprooted Japanese thinking. The Japanese try to maintain their business relations indefinitely, and develop mutual, long-term benefits; thus, try to emphasise the benefits to all parties involved. Use specific examples to illustrate your company's continued dedication to reliability, quality and performance. Sentences should be short and uncomplicated. Any portions of your speech which can be understood without the help of a translator will please the Japanese team. Prepare written versions of all slides, overheads, and visual materials. This will demonstrate a commitment to trust and openness. Use specific examples to illustrate your company's continued dedication to reliability, quality and performance.

Audience Expectations The Japanese are restrained in their gesturing and non-projecting in their speaking style. It is best to be calm and humble throughout your presentation. The 'hard-sell' is not popular or tolerated in Japan. That does not mean the Japanese do not tolerate any attempts at persuasion. They appreciate a speaker whose views are presented clearly, logically, and firmly.
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Managing Relationships
Like all aspects of Japanese culture, there is a formal way in which relationships are managed, from the widely-accepted mentoring system to evaluation and giving feedback. Saving face plays a big part in this, and communication may often be roundabout and indirect to avoid anybody's loss of face, which makes giving feedback a challenge, particularly if you have something negative to say. Successful managing of relationships is very important, as one's ability to get on with others is key to getting results. The right spirit and sense of harmony is more important than the result itself in many cases. Many of the Japanese management practices are, however, very useful and positive, for example, the highly developed mentoring system.
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