Communication: Doing Business In Japan

Communication: Doing Business In Japan

Probably you will be relying on your Japanese counterparty to speak in English with you. Sadly the education system here is not pumping out fluent speakers of Englsh and you may be assuming the listener is understanding a lot more than they are in reality. Because of the politeness of the culture they won't tell you they couldn't understand, because that implies you were not clear enough or you spoke too quickly, etc. Instead they will not show they are not understanding and will say nothing. It is always a good practice to check for understanding. Go back and summarise what you said and see if they were following it or not.

Speak slowly. You need to slow it right down and eliminate idioms. These are impenetrable for Japanese speakers of English. I only discovered how much we use idioms when I was interpreting for Australian exporters trying to crack the Japanese market. Well, may be it is an Australian thing, but we have so many idioms and they are very hard for non-native speakers to understand. Also, you have national differences with idioms as well. I found we Aussies have developed quite a few that other native speakers have no clue about.

Always bring your own interpreter. They will be working for you and can help you to undertand what is being said, what is not being said and about how the members of the buying team are reacting to what you are saying. When the other side provides the interpreter all they will tell you is what they want you to now. Importantly, you need to brief the interpreter well to get the most value, because interpreters are usually not business people. They might be Japanese and they might speak great English, but they have probably not done a lot of business in your line of work, so they need your help.

Always bring more business cards than you think you will need. You do not want to run out. The busineess card is a valuable tool for Japanese people to keep track of who they meet, to understand your rank inside the company. Always check the Japanese side of the counterparty's business card, because the English title and the Japanese title may be different. 

Don't put their card in your shirt pocket, make sure you look at it carefully and if you don't have a business card holder, then stick it in your wallet so you are showng they are important to you. Always hand you card over one by one - emphasise the personal touch.

With Japanese language, either go all the way in or leave it at a light level. The Japanese side won't be expecting you to have any Japanese. If you know some phrases this might be considered cute but nobody takes it seriously. Some buyers prefer you don't know much Japanese, because they feel more in control. They can speak freely amongst themselves. Fluent speakers of Japanese can be more of a problem, because it means you have peeled away a lot of their protective layers. You know about how things work, so they can't tell you a bunch of crap and get away with it.

Save the humor for drinks after work. Japanese meetings can be very formal and so there is the temptation to lighten up the meeting with humour. My Australian clients, coming from such a laid back country, found the rigid formality of meetings in Japan very uncomfortable. They felt out of their depth and in very alien territory. They immediately tried to use humour to break down the formality and get the atmosphere closer to something they were more used too. Remember, the Japanese side have no issue with formality, only you are having an issue with it. You are in Japan and that is how they do things, so be flexible and go with it. Business is a serious affair in Japan. You don't have to lighten up the atmosphere. Leave that for dinner and drinks at night with the clients. This is when you find the Japanese side really lightens up, in stark contrast to the atmosphere during the day.

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About The Author

Dr. Greg Story: President, Dale Carnegie Training Japan

Author of Japan Sales Mastery, the Amazon #1 Bestseller on selling in Japan and the first book on the subject in the last thirty years.

In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development. Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making and become a 30 year veteran of Japan.

A committed lifelong learner, through his published articles in the American, British and European Chamber journals, his videos and podcasts “THE Leadership Japan Series”, "THE Sales Japan series", THE Presentations Japan Series", he is a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. Dr. Story is a popular keynote speaker, executive coach and trainer.

Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate and is currently a 6th Dan. Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.