Doing Business In Japan

A Promising Market

There is a fascinating sense of opposites about Japan - on the one hand it is an ancient culture steeped in long held traditions, and on the other it is a hub of excitement that welcomes the new and exotic, leading the way for many Western countries to follow. Japan itself is a promising market, and one that listens to its very forthcoming consumers; the Japanese know exactly what they want and aren`t afraid to make their points clear - getting it right isn`t always easy, but by understanding just a few points about their culture will at least give you an advantage.

Hierarchy And Harmony

The sense of hierarchy is much more pronounced in Japan that it is the West. Determined by social position, distinguishing factors include age, employment and family background; higher respect is naturally afforded to the higher up the social ladder and those doing business with Japan should be knowledgeable about how to address their peers.

The most important principal in Japan is the concept of `Wa` or harmony. Showing respect to others acts as a natural way of maintain peace and harmony in Japan - this tradition is part of its ancient culture and the Japanese are still strong believers in the concept of teamwork and collaboration over individualism and self-assertion. Respect is conveyed through language, behavior, etiquette and even body language so getting used to those more common practices is a must for anyone to succeed.

Basic Japanese Business Etiquette

For example, the bow is an integral part of Japanese society. It is not just used when meeting or being introduced to someone for the first time, but also to gain attention, to show gratitude, express sympathy or as an apology; so be careful to try and interpret what each bow means. It is also important to use your full name when introducing yourself in a business sense, and then quickly followed by the name of your company too. This emphasizes the concept that people represent their company and the kind of business to which they belong so creating a good first impression is vital. One of the lesser known but still widely used practices of etiquette is the exchanging of business cards. Ideally a business card should have both English and Japanese translations (one on the front, one on the back), and presented either with both hands or with just the right hand, Japanese-side-up). There should be no barrier such as a table or chair between people and when receiving a card, this should be accepted with both hands as a signal of deference.

Basic Japanese Business Phrases

Because of the Japanese respect for harmony, it is important to establish a strong sense of trust when dealing in business; they hold trustworthiness as being vital so good communication skills are a must. It is likely that, when holding business meetings, a team of people will be present rather than just one individual and building a rapport with all of them, not just the most senior member, is essential.

The Japanese language can be very complex and English is still not widely spoken throughout Japan. Whilst it is more than likely that a translator would be provided in business purposes, there are of course a few basic phrases that anyone can learn to impress: `Kno-nichi-wa` for `good afternoon`, `arigato` for `thank-you` and `sayonara` for goodbye. To learn more, why not look into taking a good Japanese language Course?