Introduction to Japanese Business Etiquette
The Japanese have a very complex and developed society with an equally established set of business standards. One should be very well aware of this intricate business etiquette when traveling to Japan to do business. There are many different aspects of Japanese business etiquette that exist, however it would take years of face to face experience to master everything. In this website we will focus on the basic of Japanese business etiquette, which is what your Japanese counterparts will likely expect from you on your first few trips to Japan for business.
Perhaps the most important thing to acknowledge is that the Japanese are very relationship oriented. In Japanese business culture, employees are often hired for life. This means that there is a mutual understanding that the employee will likely remain with the company for the rest of his or her working life.
Relationships are critical in Japanese business etiquette, which means that a foreigner traveling to Japan for business purposes should focus on building a relationship just as much as any other objective during the trip. Fortunately, the Japanese host will likely present many opportunities to cultivate a good relationship. This will be evident by the fondness of the Japanese to go for social activities after work, usually in a group setting.