Doing Business In Japan by Daniel Chabot

Doin business in countries outside of your own can be a challenge due to the differences in culture. Even the simplest of tasks like a greeting can be completely different from country to country. This blog will go over three important differences between doing business in Japan versus America.

Greetings 

Japanese greetings are very important especially in a business environment where the welcome is more formal than in America. The bow is the most important part and if done incorrectly can be taken as an insult. When returning a bow, you must stand with your back straight and your arms at your side and bend down. Avoid putting your hands in pockets after the bow as it signifies boredom or lack of interest. In America, it is accustom to shake the person's hand that you are meeting for the first time. Some Japanese hosts will understand this and extend a hand to shake, if this happens you should also bow along with the shake making sure to lean to the left to avoid knocking heads.

Concept of Time

Unlike American culture, the Japanese idea of time does not rely on how long something takes, but instead how they use their time. This should be taken into account when planning for meetings, they may be shorter or longer depending than expected depending on how much needs to be done or talked about. Time is not wasted in Japanese culture and is taking very seriously, make sure to stay on topic unless your host takes the conversation off topic. American culture is all about how long something takes and less about what happens in that time. This idea of time can lead to American's getting off topic in conversations and not valuing each other's time.

Eye Contact and Personal Space

Avoid eye contact with your host as it is considered rude to stare at a stranger. Personal space is also a major thing in Japanese culture. Japanese people will avoid physical contact at all cost, and you can expect to receive an apology from someone who accidentally brushes against you on the street. Both of these are different than American culture where eye contact is expected from everyone and considered rude if you do not. Also, personal space is not as much of an issue in America, it is likely to get bumped into on the street, and the person does not say a word.

References 

       Japanese Culture - Communication. Retrieved November 19, 2018, from

                      https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/japanese-culture/japanese-culture-communication

       Lewis, R. (2014, June 01). How Different Cultures Understand Time. Retrieved November 19,

                     2018, from https://www.businessinsider.com/how-different-cultures-understand-time-2014-5

       Rodgers, G. (2017, May 16). A Step-by-Step Guide to Successful Business Interactions in  

                    Japan. Retrieved November 19, 2018, from https://www.tripsavvy.com/japanese-

                    business-etiquette-1458300