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By Robbie T. James
There are few countries in Asia that hold the interest of Western businesspeople in the way that Japan does. It is true that Japan as a business destination has lost some of the luster that it enjoyed during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, but the truth is that this country remains one of the world’s largest economies today.
Japan is notorious for being a unique place for foreigners to try to do business. Outsiders who have experience doing business directly with the Japanese are always ready with stories of dizzying organizational hierarchies, complex unspoken social cues, and an inscrutable language.
It is not really the case that the Japanese way of doing business is actually complex or difficult to decipher. After all, it makes perfect sense to the seasoned Japanese businessperson! However, for the Westerner trying to make a sale to or form a business relationship with a Japanese company, a lot of education is required in order to start understanding how things work.
If you are interested in effectively doing business in Japan, 7 rules for the foreign businessperson are as follows:
1. Understand that business interactions happen in distinct stages:
Western businesspeople – and especially North Americans – tend to place very little emphasis on process or structure. This is why it can be such a surprise to start doing business with the Japanese for the first time. In Japan, business relationships build in very distinct stages. For example, there is always a very long and protracted ‘getting to know you’ phase, the length of which is determined in part by the potential size of the business arrangement. If you are engaging with a Japanese company for the purposes of forming a potential long-term relationship with them, consider hiring a cultural consultant to help you navigate the waters.
2. Find a go-between to introduce you to a potential partner company:
Japanese business and social relationships alike almost always start as the result of an introduction; chance meetings and casual self-introductions are generally not the stuff that meaningful relationships are made of in Japan. If you are looking to break into the market or need to meet some potential partners, find a go-between company who will introduce you around to potential partners.
3. Give and accept business cards with both hands – and stare at the card for a few moments:
When presenting business cards, do so with both hands extended in front of you. Always present the Japanese language side of your card face- up. And, when you receive a card, stare at it meaningfully for at least 10-20 seconds before putting it into your pocket or on the table in front of you.
4. Learn the phrase ‘hajimemashite’:
When meeting someone for the first time, say ‘hajimemashite’ [ha-jee-may-mah-sh-tay] which means ‘nice to meet you.’
5. Bow appropriately:
Bowing in Japan is important, with many subtleties needing to be learned if you are to do it properly. The general rule is this: bow longer and lower if the person to whom you are bowing is a C-level or high-level executive, a potential future customer of yours, or both.
6. Learn to read between the lines:
In Japan, famously, the word ‘no’ is almost never spoken. Instead, there are a dizzying number of ways to be told ‘no’ in Japan. Instead of listening to the words your counterpart is saying, pay closest attention to their actions. Here, actions do speak louder than words.
7. Open every meeting with plenty of non-task sounding:
Every time you meet with your Japanese counterpart or potential business partner, resist the temptation to ‘jump right in’ to the substantive parts of your business deal. In other words, allow your Japanese counterpart to spend plenty of time talking about the things that you may initially find irrelevant to the business relationship. There is a reason for all of this, and it will benefit you to patiently go with the flow. Just wait until your counterpart indicates during the process (see #1 above) that it is time to start talking about the nuts and bolts of your potential agreement.
In order to increase your chances of business success in Japan, consider these 7 rules for the foreign businessperson.
About the Author: Traveling to Japan for business? Make the most of your trip with tips and recommendations from: Japan Business Etiquette Tips.
Source: isnare.com
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