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Business Etiquette in Japan

Justin P. Stathas

College of business, University of South Florida

MAN 3025: Principles of Management

Professor Karlins

June 18, 2023

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Business Etiquette in Japan

As the Persian poet Saadi said, “A traveler without observation, is a bird without wings.”

(Martinuzzi 2022). Why would he say this? If you think about it, if a traveler does not observe or know

much about the place that they are traveling to, they will be a lot less capable of doing things than if

they had done some research before traveling there. Just like how a bird without its wings would be a

lot less capable of doing things since it would not be able to fly from place to place. A businessperson

who does not know about the culture and environment that they are traveling to will be much less

capable of conducting proper business in their new environment. In America we are used to the way

that business is conducted here, however, in many other countries many of our common business

practices are not considered proper and some may cause offense. Many of the American practices for

business can be mistranslated or may mean something entirely different in other countries. Examples of

some of these things could be the number of items in a package, or the name of the item or brand.

Other things such as improper attire or improper manners can be seen as disrespectful. In Japan there

are many unspoken rules of business that are considered as proper and necessary for anyone looking to

do business in Japan.

Being punctual and prepared is a big part of Japanese business. Being early, usually by about 10

minutes, is considered normal when showing up for work or meetings. Being early shows that you can

be reliable, which helps make a good impression (Okamoto 2021). In Japan being punctual is important,

as meetings and events start either on time or within 3 minutes after the hour (Export to Japan). It is

also crucial to have everything prepared beforehand so that way you do not cause delays. Having

business proposals ready and presentable in an orderly manner is necessary for presenting new ideas in

meetings. Meetings in Japan are to be conducted in a timely manner (Okamoto 2021). It is important to

review your presentation beforehand to make sure that it presents what you want it to present clearly
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and concisely. If part of your presentation seems to be unnecessary, you should take it out to avoid

losing interest or taking too long to make your point (Maurizi 2020). Presenting in a calm, quiet tone,

making few gestures is considered to be a modest way to conduct a presentation. It is considered

respectful and polite to stay calm and quiet to give a modest and humble impression (Asialink Business).

When preparing your presentation, you should always write the presentation in Japanese, and it is good

to have a translator with you. Your slides should be detailed and should not have unimportant

information on them (Oishya).

Before the meeting you should make sure that you have enough copies for everyone in the

presentation and you should have a business card for each person in the presentation (Planet Depos).

After the meeting is set, you should see if you are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). If

you are required to sign an NDA for the meeting, you should do so weeks before the meeting. This

allows for your NDA to be mailed and reviewed by the company you are meeting with. If you show up to

a meeting with a signed NDA without sending one in advance, you take the risk of the meeting being

delayed and you will most likely embarrass yourself and the people you are meeting with, since the

company will want to review your NDA before starting the meeting (Export to Japan).

When you first meet with the person or group that you are meeting with, it is proper to greet

them with a bow, unless instructed otherwise. Sometimes when meeting with foreign officials, Japanese

officials may gesture for a handshake instead of a bow to show you respect for your culture. This is the

only case where it is proper to shake hands. Upon entering the meeting room, you should wait until you

are prompted to be seated. If you are not prompted to be seated you should always take the seat

closest to the door, this shows humility since the seat closest to the door is usually for the lowest

ranking or lower ranking attendants. If you are meeting with this person or group of people for the first

time, it is proper and respectful to use formal titles such as Mr. or Mrs. Followed by the person's name.
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If the meeting is with a group, it is important to greet each person individually as this is seen as a sign of

respect and failure to do so can be disrespectful (Scroope 2021).

Before the meeting starts you should exchange business cards with the members of the

meeting. It is necessary to know how to give and receive business cards. This exchange is known as the

Meishi Koukan. Exchanging business cards must be performed in a precise way so that you do not

disrespect someone by not knowing how to properly conduct the exchange. Your business cards should

have a side that is in Japanese or should be entirely in Japanese. You should present your business card

first to the highest ranking official and then down through the order of the ranking officials. Business

cards should be given and received with 2 hands and should have the Japanese side up with the writing

correctly facing the person the card is being presented to. When you are given business cards you

should not put them away, but rather place them on the table in front of you with the highest official's

card on top. Never write on, bend, or leave behind a business card that you are presenting as this is seen

as disrespectful and could put your business proposal at risk (Boquen 2023).

Be prepared to answer questions about your journey there, your job position with your

company and your family life. It is common to have a socialization time before the meeting starts. This is

one thing that is done as a personal aspect so that the business group can get to know you and you can

get to know them. It is always polite to comment about the hospitality of the Japanese people, the

beauty of the land, and the transportation systems in Japan (Ehlion). Before and during the meeting it is

common to be offered snacks or a beverage. You should always accept the snacks and drinks offered.

Refusal of the snacks or drinks offered is seen as rude, so even if you don’t eat or drink much, you

should always accept what is offered. If you do like the drink offered, if you finish the drink, it will most

likely be refilled, so if you do not want any more simply leave some left in the cup so that way it will not

be refilled (Okamoto 2021).

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During the meeting, if you are not presenting, it is important to take notes, this is a way to show

that you were paying attention and are interested in what was being discussed. This also allows you to

be able to relay what happened I the meeting to your company or business partner (Plaza Homes 2022).

You should never talk over someone else. You should always wait until the person is done talking.

Talking out of line can be taken as a lack of attention. It is better to silently nod, unless you are

specifically asked a question. This shows the speaker that you are paying attention (Scroope 2021).

Always keep in mind that Japanese business meetings and negotiations are conducted with a serious

atmosphere, so it is important not to make jokes or laugh during when business is being conducted

(Today Translations). Silence is a valued part of meetings and negotiations and is valued over abundant

talking. In times of silence, you can be respectful by not breaking the silence. Contrary to western

business, silence is a part of most and sometimes all meetings. You should resist the urge to fill the

silence with more about your proposal, it is better to wait than to fill the silence. Aggressive sales tactics

will only hurt your presentation, instead you should use a gentle but persuasive tone and avoid rushing

the deal (Martinuzzi 2022). It is also important not to pressure the host or audience of the meeting,

business deals in Japan are rarely settled in the first meeting and pressuring the host to decide can lead

to failed business proposals. Japanese businesses want to know your business and the products or

services you offer before they make an arrangement. Their business plans are leaned towards long-term

planning, and it is necessary for the proposal to be personal and establish a bond with the company that

you seek to work with (Okamoto 2021).

After the meeting, you may be invited to dinner or other events. Often at these events there is a

lot less judgement than there is during business. These events allow you to make yourself more likable

and get to know the people you may be working with. While these events may be less formal and most

rules for the workplace are not needed, it is still good not to get too carried away. It is important to

socialize and have fun, but you do not want to overdo it. At these events you will most likely be offered
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alcoholic beverages, and a variety of food. If you do not drink or have any allergies, it is better to let the

group that you are with know beforehand so that way nobody is embarrassed if they ask if you want a

drink or if they offer you something that you are allergic to (Maurizi 2020). At the start of the meal, it is

normal to be given a towel to wipe your hands with, only use this towel to wipe your hands, do not wipe

your face or mouth with the towel. When you are getting your food, if you do not see any serving

utensils, you may use the opposite end of your chopsticks to get the food. Whenever you are using

chopsticks, you should never pierce the food with your chopsticks. Once you are finished you should

place your chopsticks in their holder and place the lids on any containers that you were eating out of

(Martinuzzi 2022). After dinner or an event, it is common to go to a karaoke bar, most likely you will be

expected to sing. It does not matter whether you are a good singer or not, it is not about sounding good,

but rather about unwinding and having fun. The one thing that you should be careful with when doing

karaoke is your song choice. Many people in Japan may not be familiar with the latest songs from

America, so it is better to choose an older song that is better known throughout the world. The final

piece of etiquette for a business meeting is the follow-up. It is recommended to do this the morning

after the meeting. A follow-up should be fairly professional and should mention things about the time

spent with the business group that you were with. It is always polite to thank them for their time and

the fun that you had attending the evening events (Maurizi 2020).

Outside of the meeting itself and the events that follow, there are many other unspoken rules

for conducting business in a proper and respectful fashion. Some of these rules have to do with the

dress code. In Japan, business attire is to be very formal. Men should wear dark suits with a white long

sleeve button up shirt and only wear ties of certain colors, since some colors can be seen as disrespectful

or out of place. One example of this is with a black or red tie. Wearing a black suit, white shirt and black

tie is usually only for funerals, and red is a common color to have at funerals, so wearing black or red ties

could cause confusion. Women should also wear a dark suit or dark blazer with a longer skirt and
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normally wear their hair up. If you are wearing a coat, you should always take it off and place it over

your arm before entering a building. It is always good to wear nice shoes that are easily removable and a

nice pair of socks with no holes in them, since some places may require you to remove your shoes. If you

are required to remove your shoes some places may provide you with a pair of indoor slippers for while

you are in the building or room (Plaza Homes 2022).

Age and gift giving are also important aspects in Japanese business etiquette. Age is seniority in

Japan. When greeting members of the meeting you should greet the most senior person first, then work

your way down to the youngest person. The same goes with presenting business cards, you should

always present your business cards in order of seniority (Martinuzzi 2021). Gift giving is another

important part of Japanese business. While it is more common amount smaller group meetings or

meetings with only 2 people, it can be involved in larger groups. In Japanese business, if you receive a

gift you are expected to give a gift. Sometimes gift giving is not necessary, but it may help with the first

meeting to bring a gift to your host. If you are meeting with a group, you should bring a gift for each

member of the group. When bringing gifts for a group it is important not to get the same gifts for any of

the group members. Even if the gifts are simple or less expensive things it is still appreciated and seen as

polite to give gifts at the first meeting or at special occasions (Boquen 2023).

In any new business environment, it is important to learn about the proper business etiquette of

the country that you are seeking to do business with. You should always know the things that may be

offensive or seen as rude and disrespectful so that way you do not do one of these things by accident.

Like the Final Paper Assignment Sheet says, “Doing business abroad has failed simply because an

American businessman declined a cup of coffee.” (Karlins 2023). Simple things often make or break a

business deal, so always research the environment you are traveling to beforehand. While there are

many unspoken rules of business in Japan, most of them can be done quite easily. In fact, most of them
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are easy things such as knowing what to say and what not to say, and even simply knowing how to

exchange business cards or greet members of the meeting. Always remember that you are the guest,

you may hold a high position at your company, but you are an outsider at the company that you are

seeking to do business with. You should always act with humility. It is better to take a humble place than

to take a place of higher power or importance. It would be better for the host to move you to a more

important position than to place yourself in a higher position and be asked to move. Japanese business

is a serious environment, so knowing the dos and don’ts of business etiquette is a must.
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References

Boquen, Antoine. (2023, June 7). Japanese Business Culture: Five Things You Should Know.

Horizons. https://nhglobalpartners.com/japan-business-culture-five-things-you-should-know/

Karlins, Marvin. (2023 May). Final Paper Assignment Sheet. MAN 3025: Principles of business.

Martinuzzi, Bruna. (2022, January 24). A Guide to Japanese Business Etiquette. American Express.

https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/doing-business-

in-japan-10-etiquette-rules-you-should-know/

Maurizi, Lucio. (2020 September 11). Business Etiquette in Japan: 17 Definitive Tips to Do Business With

the Japanese. Live Japan. https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-

tokyo_train_station/article-a0002470/

Okamoto, Miho. (2021 April 14). Business Manners & Etiquette in Japan. Kimono Tea Company Maikoya.

https://mai-ko.com/travel/culture-in-japan/manners-in-japan/business-etiquette-in-japan/

Scroope, Chara. (2021). Japanese Culture Business Culture. Cultural Alas.

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

A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Business Etiquette. Plaza Homes. https://www.realestate-

tokyo.com/living-in-tokyo/japanese-culture/business-etiquette/

Doing Business in Japan. Today Translations. https://www.todaytranslations.com/consultancy-

services/business-culture-and-etiquette/doing-business-in-japan/
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Japanese business culture and etiquette. Asialink business.

https://asialinkbusiness.com.au/japan/conducting-business-in-japan/japanese-business-culture-

and-etiquette?doNothing=1

Japanese Business Etiquette. Export to Japan. https://exporttojapan.co.uk/guide/getting-

started/business-etiquette/

Japanese Business Etiquette. Planet Depos. https://planetdepos.com/trending/content/japanese-

business-etiquette

Japanese Business Meeting Etiquette 101. Ehlion Magazine. https://ehlion.com/magazine/japanese-

business-meeting-etiquette/

Secrets of Japanese Business Etiquette: Business Meetings. Oishya. https://oishya.com/journal/secrets-

of-japanese-business-etiquette-business-meetings/