Achieving success in Japanese market as a foreigner
As a newcomer to Tokyo, I was excited to explore everything the city had to offer. I recently had the opportunity to travel to Japan for an internship with my university in Italy but as someone who doesn't speak any Japanese, I knew I would face some challenges.
I study economy and business and luckily I had no problems communicating with my colleagues or the people around the company, because they all speak English. But this is not very common, as I found out very soon.
During my journey I had a bicycle to move around the city and since in the place where I lived there was no possibility to park a bike I found a private parking space nearby. The contract for the monthly parking spot was an application that I had to fill in on the spot. It was very hard to find an available spot, and after finding it I thought that the hardest part was done. Little did I know that the employees did not speak any English except for “Hello” so I had to ask to my Japanese boss for help to mediate between them and I. From then on, the cases where I had to ask for help with the translation and with the insight of the Japanese culture were several.
When it comes to doing business in Japan, there are things that you need to know, things that can be irrelevant from the point of view of a foreigner but that are crucial if you want to make successful work here. It is often better to seek the help of a Japanese company to facilitate trade, this is because Japanese culture places a strong emphasis on relationships and trust and working with a local company can help establish these crucial connections.
Japan is known for its unique and distinct business culture, which is shaped by a combination of traditional values and modern practices. When I came here knowing very little of how things worked here, I had some previous working experiences and I was very surprised to see how different the business world is in Japan in relation to other countries.
Hie-jinja shrine, Tokyo
An element that one has to consider when doing business in Japan is the consensual decision-making process. If you ever had the chance to work with a Japanese company, you will immediately observe that decisions are made through a process of consultation and discussion among all members of the group. This leads to slower decision-making processes but helps to ensure that all voices are heard and that everyone is on board with the final decision. Different from other countries, Japanese companies make decisions based on the cultural value of group orientation, so the result tends to be made by group consensus rather than individual authority.
I had the chance to experience this first hand when in the process of meeting the clients for an European start up that we were trying to help entering the Japanese market, we realized that the process would have been way longer than in Europe or other countries. This is because in Japan it is common for businesses and organizations to rely on consensus-based decision-making, in which all members of a group are expected to reach agreement before a decision is made. Furthermore, Japanese organizations tend to be hierarchical, with decisions often flowing from the top down. This can slow down the whole process, as decisions may need to be approved by multiple levels of management before they are implemented.
In addition, in the business world of Japan, group harmony (also referred as wa) is highly valued. This concept refers to the idea that the needs and goals of the group should be prioritized over the needs and goals of the individual. Employees are expected to work together effectively and support one another in order to achieve the goals of the company and this often involves sacrificing personal goals and desires for the benefit of the group. Maintaining this harmony is considered crucial for the overall success and stability of the company.
In a society like the Japanese one where, as we have just seen, the value of group harmony and conformity are predominant, individuals may feel pressure to conform to the expectations and norms of the group in order to fit in and be accepted. This pressure can come from coworkers, supervisors, or other higher-ups in the organization. Infact, peer pressure can also be present in the work environment, where it is often expected that employees will work closely with their colleagues and contribute to the success of the team as a whole. This can lead to pressure to conform to group expectations and to support the decisions and actions of the team, even if an individual may have reservations or disagree with them.
Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku
In Japan, business meetings and negotiations often involve a great deal of time and effort being spent on building personal connections and establishing trust and this includes cultivating strong relationships with clients, partners, and colleagues, as well as building trust and loyalty within the company.
In my experience, it is important to take the time to get to know your business clients beforehand to show respect and interest. Before a meeting with the customers, we usually try to know and to be informed about the company’s activities and news, in order to be well prepared.
But as we said before one potential challenge of doing business is the language barrier. Although I was able to speak English with most of the people I was working with, when coming here without knowing the local language you will definitely come across a struggle with communication.
Japan has a unique language and writing system, and many Japanese people do not speak English as a second language and this might cause some trouble because it is not reflected only in the oral part. The majority of websites and the more popular international websites often have Japanese language versions that are more widely used in the country. This can make it difficult for outsiders to get insights and knowledge and to contact Japanese companies.
Additionally it is important to use honorifics when writing emails and using titles depending on your relationship with the other person. This might be disarming at first, because it is not simple to find an English translation to match with the Japanese one.
View of Enoshima Island in Kamakura.
Within the context of my internship, I had the opportunity to take part in meetings with clients and see how important little details are.
When we arrived at the meetings (preferably 10 minutes early to be punctual), we were introduced to the clients and it is customary to bow slightly and introduce yourself by saying your name and company. The bow is an important part of Japanese body language because it is used to show respect and humility.
After that you will have to exchange business cards and when you come to Japan to do business you will be shocked with the number of business cards you will go back home with.
Business cards, or "meishi" in Japanese, are a very important part of business culture in Japan. They are exchanged during introductions and meetings and serve as a way to exchange contact information and establish professional connections. It is important to treat business cards with respect and care, as they represent the individual and their company.
By now you have a glimpse of what it means working with a Japanese company, and if you are a business traveler doing business in a foreign country you might already know how important observation is.
Paying attention to Japanese business practices and observing Japanese etiquette opens doors to more successful communication and deals and getting the help of a Japanese company will make your journey more successful and easy.
BIBLIORGAPHY
https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/japan-distribution-sales-channels
https://medium.com/@kiyoshimatsumoto/face-is-everything-in-japan-9507ced54770