Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: Japan

Japan: Etiquette and Manners

• Japanese get impressed by the way you dress. So, dress well befitting your status.
• Men should normally wear dark conservative suit for business and formal meetings.
• Women should dress conservatively with minimum accessories. Women should avoid wearing pants in business settings.
• In Japan, you are supposed to remove your shoes many times in many situations. Therefore, prefer the slip-on type shoes that are easy and quick to remove and put on again. Women can do with flatter or low heeled shoes- they should not look taller (particularly more than men).
• For exchanging greetings you should bow. Lower you bow, you are showing more respect. Some Japanese may shake hands also to greet but the handshake may be weak, do not worry about it.
• Greet the senior most person first and then others in descending order. Normally the senior official will act more as a ceremonial representative of his company. The lower ranking officials will usually do the talking or negotiating.
• When doing business in Japan be aware of hierarchy and adapt your behaviour accordingly. Japanese put lot of emphasis on hierarchy.
• Team-work and group cohesiveness are ingrained in Japanese culture. Therefore, Japanese stress compromise and self-discipline. You should be aware of it when doing business with them.
• At a Japanese meeting, you will normally deal with a team as opposed to an individual, each member with a specialization. Also, Japanese go into lots details. Therefore, your preparation should also be in-depth.
• Professionalism and formal behavior are given importance in Japan.
• In Japanese business situations, exchanging business cards (called meishi in Japanese language) is very important. Business dealings can start only after the business exchange cards ceremony is over. Business cards should be exchanged after the greetings.
• Print your business card in Japanese on one side and in your home language on the other side. While presenting your card, present the Japanese side up.
• Present and receive the business cards with both your hands. Do study the card properly and with interest. Do not keep it in pocket or wallet; after careful study of the card, put it in your carry case for storage of cards. Do not write or scribble on the card.
• Address Japanese person with his last name suffixed with "san" which means Mr or Ms.
• Japanese people prefer to be addressed by the last names. Therefore do not insist Japanese to address you only by your first name.
• Seek assistance to clarify the pronunciation of the names.
• Japanese person finds it difficult to use the word "no". He may respond with "yes" to most of your questions but that does not necessarily mean that he is agreeing; it may really be a "no". This knowledge will help you in carrying out business negotiations with Japanese.
• Do not use exaggerated hand gestures, facial expressions and movements in your communication since Japanese do not do so normally.
• Some times you may find silence taking place while in the midst of discussions and you may even find few Japanese closing their eyes. Do not interrupt at such occasions,; perhaps they need time to reflect.
• Japanese prefer doing business with quiet, sincere and compromising people as compared to dealing with extroverts. Therefore, exhibit humility, be implicit in your communication and project yourself as non-threatening.
• Normally business entertaining is done in restaurants or bars. It is done after office hours.
• Allow host to order the meal and pay; Japanese prefer it that way.
• Tipping is generally not expected in Japan.
• During business dinners, business may be discussed.
• Drinks are commonplace in business entertaining. But do not pour a drink yourself; let someone else pour drink for you. If you do not drink, you can politely regret by saying, "No thanks".
• If you are invited at a Japanese home which is rare, consider it as an honor and appreciate it profusely to your host.
• Do use polite words like excuse me, please often. Politeness is appreciated. Praise the hospitality. Appreciate the food.
• In social gatherings, punctuality is not a strict rule.
• Business and personal gifts are appreciated in Japan. Give and accept the gift with both hands. Present the gifts at the end of a visit.
• Normal manners like not pointing at others, not blowing nose in the company of others, not encroaching the private space of others should be strictly followed.

(Also refer: http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/ for general etiquette and manners, http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/ dining etiquette and table manners, http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/ for telephone etiquette, http://email-etiquette-manners.blogspot.com/ for email etiquette)

Books Suggested for your Professional, Organization's and Personal Library (all the titles below are available online from Amazon in paperbacks and as eBooks)

Business Management, Life Management, Self-help, Personality Development

1. HSoftware (Human Software) (The Only Key to Higher Effectiveness) 
2. Sensitive Stories of Corporate World (Management Case Studies) 
3. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers 
4. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
5. Classic Team Building Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
6. 101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (available only as a paperback)
7. Stress? No Way!! (Handbook on Stress Management) 
8. HSoftware (Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Effectiveness Model) 
9. Competency Management (Competency Matrix and Competencies) 
10. Essentials of Work Study (Method Study and Work Measurement) 
11. Essentials of Time Management (Taking Control of Your Life) 
12. Essentials of 5S Housekeeping 
13. Essentials of Quality Circles 
14. Essentials of Goal Setting 
15. Essentials of Anger Management 
16. Essentials of Assertive Behavior
17. Essentials of Performance Management and Performance Appraisal
18. Essentials of Effective Communication (soon to be published)
19. Health Essentials (Health is Wealth)
20. Soft Skills You Can't Do Without (Goal Setting, Time Management, Assertiveness and Anger Management)
21. The Romance of Intimacy (How to Enhance Intimacy in a Relationship?) 

Novels, Short Stories, Biographies and Travelogues

1. Good People (Dream of a Boundary Less World)- Novel, a refreshingly different love story (Also available under the title Love Knows No Bounds) 
2. The Peace Crusaders- a most intriguing novel
3. Two Novels in One Book (The Peace Crusaders and Love Knows No Bounds)
4. Funny (and Not So Funny) Short Stories 
5. Stories Children Will Love (Volume 1: Bhanu-Shanu-Kaju-Biju and Dholu Ram Gadbad Singh) 
6. My Father
7. Travelogue: Scandinavia, Russia
8. Travelogue: Europe