Doing Business with the Japanese!

[Kid Presentable]

Hey! Let's all get involved! Come on, gang!

If you've ever had business dealings with the Japanese, please share your experiences here! Pay particular attention to the customs which the Japanese value, and how they related to business relationships!

Never done business with the Japanese? Never fear! Simply google 'Keiretsu', 'Japanese Business Ettiqutte', 'Cross-Cultural Communication in Japan' and 'Business Faux-Pas Japan', and copy and paste ALL of your results!

[paul jones]

I had to pay for porn at a Japanese Hotel on a connecting flight from Australia once.All the vaginas and penises were pixelated to oblivion.....AND it was 70's porn!

What a RIP-OFF!(n)

[Kid Presentable]

I had to pay for porn at a Japanese Hotel on a connecting flight from Australia once.All the vaginas and penises were pixelated to oblivion.....AND it was 70's porn!

What a RIP-OFF!(n)
That's going in! Thanks, Paul Jones!

[ms.peachy]

1. Give gifts. Learn to accept gifts graciously.

2. The proper way to accept someone's business card is to take it with both hands, then really look at it. You may even wish to remark on the quality of the design or the paper. Don't just quickly take it and put it into your pocket or card holder; this is very rude. And for god's sake, don't write on it, that would be considered very disrespectful.

3. Someone nodding and saying "Yes" does not mean that they agree to your proposal or plan or offer. Nodding and saying "Yes" simply means "Yes I have heard you, I will now go away and think about what you have said/report it to my superiors, and get back to you with a response at a later time."

[Otis Driftwood]

Expect locals to think of you as about as hungry as godzilla. They are kinda disappointed if you eat less than 2 plates...
Also: if you are hardcore, you can bum cigarettes off the girls in the skebe-dori.

[Kid Presentable]

Ay yo ms. peachy, am I correct in presuming the prevalence of Business Cards relates to the importance placed on rank? That is; the business card is a valuable tool for determining rank(a central tenet in Japanese Business culture)?

[ms.peachy]

I think that is true, yes.

[na§tee]

4. In Japanese the number 4 sounds like the word for 'death' and consequently is deemed unlucky.

5. bowing ((o-)jigi (お辞儀, おじぎ), (o-)rei (お礼)), is probably the best-known feature of Japanese etiquette outside Japan. Bowing is considered extremely important in Japan, so much so that, although children normally begin learning how to bow from a very young age, companies commonly provide training to their employees in how to execute bows correctly.

Generally speaking, an inferior bows longer, more deeply and more frequently than a superior. A superior addressing an inferior will generally only nod the head slightly, while some superiors may not bow at all and an inferior will bend forward slightly from the waist.

Bows of apology tend to be deeper and last longer than other types of bow. They tend to occur with frequency during the apology, generally at about 45 degrees with the head lowered and lasting for at least the count of three, sometimes longer. The depth, frequency and duration of the bow increases with the sincerity of the apology and the severity of the offence. Bows of thanks follow the same pattern. In extreme cases a kneeling bow is performed; this bow is sometimes so deep that the forehead touches the floor. This is called saikeirei (最敬礼), literally "most respectful bow."

6. drinking! Drinking is considered a social activity and one should not pour their own glass, but fill the glasses of your fellows. This is also why sake cups and beer glasses are small, they encourage frequent refills.

Do

Do accept another glass when you can drink more.
It is okay to get drunk.
When drunk, one's responsibility for one's speech and actions is reduced except for driving.
Do leave your glass full if you have had enough.
Do pour another glass for others.

[Otis Driftwood]

4. In Japanese the number 4 sounds like the word for 'death' and consequently is deemed unlucky.



Yeah, shi is also the proper 3rd person adress in letters.

Also, you can hook up with girls pretty easily but they might not be prepared to kiss you. It is virtually unknown to them... (n) (n)

[Kid Presentable]

I think that is true, yes.
Thanks! Hilarious reaction to your location!

Keep them coming, team!

[beastiegirrl101]

2. The proper way to accept someone's business card is to take it with both hands, then really look at it. You may even wish to remark on the quality of the design or the paper. Don't just quickly take it and put it into your pocket or card holder; this is very rude. And for god's sake, don't write on it, that would be considered very disrespectful.

this sounds so American Psycho.

[abcdefz]

A friend of mine who'd starred in a video movie I made was overseas doing business with some Japanese businessmen for her company, Intel. They got around to talking about hobbies and such, and she told them about the movie she'd been in. They asked the title.

She said, "'Ghosts of Failures, Barking.'"

They understood "ghost," obviously, since that's a part of their culture, and "failure," avoidable at all costs. So they were a little disconcerted, but didn't know "barking." Karen didn't know the right word, so she finally made a barking sound, "Arf! ARF!"

-- and the businessmen, as one, all pulled back, softly realizing, "Ohhhhh.....!" and got very quiet, looked around at each other, then awkwardly changed the subject.

The way she described it, it sounded pretty funny.

[ms.peachy]

I found this today on CNN. (http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/ADVISOR/08/22/business.etiquette/index.html)

[mickill]

Under the Bushido ideal, if during a business accord one of you fails to uphold your honor, you could regain it by performing seppuku (ritual suicide).