Business etiquette in Japan is highly influenced by social structure and culture, cultivating a very specific way of behaving during social interactions and business deals. Understanding the business culture do’s and don’ts in addition to Japanese body language, negotiations and ethics can help you a lot. 

Currently Japan has the highest outbound investment ratio in the world and the government is providing so many subsidies to encourage foreign startups to come to Japan and do business here. This means that more people are learning the more intricate ways of social interactions in Japanese businesses.

While there are likely more than the unspoken rules of manners and etiquettes listed below, here are 5 important things to remember when conducting business meetings in Japan:

• Plan Roles Ahead – And Stick to the Plan:

If you are part of a team and you will all participate in the business meeting, make sure that you define all the roles beforehand. Try avoiding getting into conversations or answers that might denote even slight disagreements or diverging points of view. It is not a bad thing per se, but, when dealing with people who might not be as fluent as you are in English it could cause confusion and doubts. Each person the team designates as a speaker should be the only one approaching certain subjects and should be able to be very clear and precise about their role (the whole idea of jack of all trades doesn’t really fly in Japan).

On that note, it’s very important to keep your language as professional, but also as clear and easy to understand as possible. Enunciation, lowered speed, and volume (but not too loud) are determining factors. Just as important though is your word choice. Certain expressions that are extremely common in English speaking countries are often unheard of elsewhere, so even a proficient English speaker, if they are not accustomed to a certain country, might not understand several slang words, or turns of phrases.

• Respect your superiors:

Japan has very strict customs when dealing with those above you. The “sempai” relationship means that you should rely on those above you for advice and direction, and not question their guidance. Even if you disagree with what they’re telling you, trying to go your own way or breaking the chain of command and trying to make your case to someone higher up will only cause trouble.

Many of your superiors may end up having been promoted based solely on seniority and not their skill level. You may not necessarily respect their job ability, but you have to pretend to be fully loyal and respectful. At the same time, the company will want you to guide and be a role model for those below you. These kinds of relationships are everywhere in Japan and develop from the time that they enter school. As a foreigner who is not used to these kinds of strict rules, it may be frustrating. Do the best with the tasks that they give you!

Also, if a superior gives you advice about the office culture or makes a comment about something you should be doing, you absolutely should listen and do what they say! They’re giving you valuable advice that you’ll want to follow if you want to be successful in the company.

• Leave Your Counterpart’s Card on the Desk:

Japanese business cards have their own whole system of etiquette. One of the trickiest points is that after receiving someone’s card, you shouldn’t be too quick to tuck it into your card holder or briefcase. That would show that you’re brushing aside that person’s identity instead of giving it the respect it deserves.

On the other hand, leaving the card sitting on the table for the whole meeting is also rude, as it implies you’ve forgotten about the card entirely. As such, it’s important to put the card away before the meeting starts winding down, and a common piece of advice seems to be to match your timing to that of your counterpart, which becomes a pretty useless strategy when he’s doing the same thing.

Our advice? Leave the card until the meeting gets going in earnest, then deftly slide it into your holder while everyone else is looking at documents, writing notes or otherwise distracted.

• Gifts:

Companies often choose to present gifts, particularly at a first meeting, to demonstrate good will. The cultural ritual of gift giving in Japan has many intricate rules of its own, but it is prudent to remember the following points:

• If you are giving flowers, avoid lilies, lotus blossoms, and camellias, or any white flowers, as all of these are regarded as inauspicious. Potted plants are associated with sickness and are also best avoided;
• Try not to give gifts of four or nine items, as these numbers are viewed as ill-fated;
• Gifts should be wrapped, and ideally carried into a meeting in a discreet bag, to avoid any ostentation;
• If you are taking a business trip to Japan, it is a good ideal to pack a variety of small wrapped items, so that if you are unexpectedly presented with a gift, you can reciprocate;
• Gourmet foodstuffs such as chocolates or fine whiskeys are good ideas for gifts, or a simple item to commemorate the meeting such as a framed photograph;
• Like business cards, gifts should be presented and accepted with both hands. If you receive a gift, you should open it in private after the meeting.

• Group Solidarity is Paramount:

It’s widely known that Japan is a group-oriented culture—group solidarity is valued over individualism. There is strength in the group, as the famous Japanese saying implies: “A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle.” This cultural mindset impacts certain behaviors such as how praise is received. While we value individual contributions and strongly believe in recognition and individual praise, the opposite is true in Japan. Singling out an individual in the group for special recognition, no matter how helpful he is to you, is likely to embarrass that individual. Always remember that the team concept is very important for the Japanese and strive to give public credit to the entire group.