Okinawa Japan Virtual Ginza | Business World here on Okinawa.

Getting Along in the Business World on Okinawa

Getting along and making the friends for life on Okinawa is often times a mystery to many westerners. I hope this list of tips will help you master this chess game. We must however, understand that between 2 locals there are several subtleties that will hint to the atmosphere of a meeting unless you feel very confident about dechipering this don't try, you may get the intention or meaning all mixed up.

Bows and Handshakes. Japanese bow when greeting each other but will expect to shake hands with foreigners. A slight bow in acknowledgment of a Japanese bow is appreciated.

A handshake is appropriate upon meeting.
The Japanese handshake may not be as firm as westerners are accustomed to, with little or no eye contact.
Most locals will tend to bow and shake hands at the same time.
The bow is a highly regarded form of greeting a person. The bow shows respect and is appreciated by the Japanese.
However, be aware that a bow between two Japanese people is a complicated ritual. The degree of inclination depends on the relationship between the people involved and the situation in which bows are exchanged.
Don't attempt more than a slight bow to show courtesy and that you are aware of the custom and are attempting to participate in the culture, never bow in jest.
To bow, place your heels together, bend from the waist and look down. Do not look at the other person. Also be sure to bow your head.
When bowing, men should keep their hands at their sides. Women should cross their hands in front of their bodies unless you are offered the handshake at the same time.
Make sure you are standing farther away from the other person than you would if you were shaking hands. Otherwise, you'll knock heads.
Introductions
When introduced say "How do you do?" or "Nice to meet you," and give your name, title, and your relationship to the person who is introducing you. To the Japanese, your exact position in the company and your association to a known person are very important.
     "How do you do? I am Knux, Chief Executive Officer of Virtual Ginza integrations communications, and a business colleague of Mr. Gushiken."
When introducing a Japanese person to someone else, the person making the introduction should state the name, title, company and relationship of the person being introduced.
     "This is Gushiken-san, Senior Systems Analyst at BNB Inc. and a colleague of Mr. Boss."
Always refer to Japanese men and women by their family names, followed by san, an example is Gushiken-san. Never address a person by his or her first name, unless specifically invited to do so.
Be Aware
Younger Japanese and those educated in the U.S. may ask or even insist upon being addressed by their first names, with or without san. But once again wait until you are invited to do so.
Names and Titles. Japanese deal on a last name basis in business relationships, and initial business and social contacts are characterized by politeness and formality.
     Formality
Always use family names and appropriate titles. Among Japanese, only close friends use first names rather than family names. Use first names only if specifically invited to do so.
When making an introduction, remember to state the name, professional title, company name and relationship of the person being introduced.
     "This is Gushiken-san, Senior Systems Analyst of BDP Inc. and a colleague of Mr. Boss."

Names
Japanese traditionally say and write their family name first, followed by their first name. However, many Japanese who deal with Western business professionals use the Western name order. When in doubt, ask. However once again use the family name to address the person unless specifically invited to use the first name. Japanese Titles
The best way to address Japanese is to use the family name plus -san , a suffix showing honor.
     Mr. Gushiken = Gushiken-san
    Mrs. Gushiken = Gushiken-san
    Miss Gushiken = Gushiken-san
English Titles
It is also acceptable (though less desirable) to address Japanese people in English using Mr., Mrs., and Miss plus the family name.
    Mina Gushiken could be addressed as either "Gushiken-san" or "Mrs. Gushiken."
Professional Titles
Corporate title and rank are very important.
For senior executives, titles are used instead of the family name, especially during introductions. Shacho-san means "Mr. President" and Bucho-san means "Mr. Manager."
     Kenji Gushiken, company president, is addressed as "Shacho-san."
     Kaori Gushiken, section manager, is addressed as "Bucho-san."
If you are introducing a senior level person, it is not necessary to use his or her name.
     The president of BDP Corporation is introduced as "Shacho-san of BDP Corporation."
Women's Names
There is no distinction between gender and marital status with the san suffix.
     "I would like to introduce you to Mr. Gushiken's wife, Gushiken-san."
     "This is Mrs. Gushiken's daughter, Gushiken-san."
Presenting Your Name
Never use san with your own name or when referring to yourself-for example, "My name is Boss san." To do so implies you are honoring yourself. You should only use san when referring to someone else. Modesty is very key in this culture.

Business Cards. Travelers to Japan should have bilingual business cards with the travelers title. Business cards are exchanged to formalize the introduction process and establish the status of the parties relative to each other.
     Helpful Tips
First introductions are generally made with the presentation of business cards. The Japanese may exchange business cards even before they shake hands or bow.
Never be caught without business cards. Always take a substantial amount with you. Printing Cards
Be certain your business card clearly states your rank, as it determines who will be your negotiating counterpart.
Bilingual business cards, with one side printed in Japanese and the other in English, are extremely helpful.
     Exchanging
Business card exchange is formal and must be done with respect.
Always give and receive cards with both hands. Cards are also usually exchanged with a slight bow.
Present your card with the Asian-language side up and your name facing the recipient.
When you receive a card from a Japanese businessperson, study it carefully. Do not immediately put it into your pocket, as this is considered a sign of disrespect, and do not write on a person's card in his or her presence.
Follow this procedure for each card you give and receive.
Body Language
     Nodding
Nodding is very important!
When the Japanese nod, it means they hear you, not that they agree with you or understand you.
When listening to a Japanese person speak, especially in English, you should nod your head to show you are listening and understanding. If you do not nod, the person you are talking with will be afraid you do not understand.
     Eyes
Prolonged eye contact or staring at someone is considered rude.
     Mouth
Cover your mouth with your hand if you use a toothpick.
In Japan, a smile could mean happiness, amusement, confusion, embarrassment, anger, sadness, or nothing. It is important to interpret a smile in the proper context.
     Hands
The gesture made with the hand in front of the face, palm out, means "no" or "I don't know."
This gesture may be made by the Japanese as a polite response to a compliment. This is especially true when the gesture is made by a woman, but it is also not uncommon for a man to do so.
     Feet
Sit erect with both feet on the floor.
Never sit with your ankle crossed over your knee.
     Gestures
Never use your index finger to beckon anyone. To beckon, face the palm of your hand down, and move your fingers in a scratching motion.
Do not beckon older people.
The "OK" gesture, with the thumb and index finger connected to make a circle, means "money" or "all right."
Never point at someone with four fingers spread out and your thumb folded.
A raised thumb, or "right on" gesture in the U.S., indicates a feeling of superiority.
Do Not Touch
Avoid touching others.
Never touch or push anything with your feet.
Do not show affection in public, such as hugging or shoulder slapping.
Personal Space
Do not stand too close to a Japanese person.
Be Aware
Quiet, dignified and modest behavior is essential to fit in with your Japanese hosts.
The Japanese place tremendous value on nonverbal communication and consider a person's inability to decipher nonverbal cues as a lack of sensitivity.
Silence is a natural and expected form of non-verbal communication. Do not feel a need to chatter, as it is considered frivolous.
Scratching the back of one's head is a sign of discomfort or indecisiveness.
Inhaling air with a sound through the teeth is also a sign of discomfort. Also a way of expressing the sense of being put in an uncomfortable position upon being posed a very difficult to answer question.
Clothing
     Style
Dress is modern, conservative and formal.
Japanese dress well at all times. Dressing Appropriately
Dress smartly for parties, even if an invitation says, "casual" or "come as you are."
     Colors
Men should not wear bright colors.
Younger Japanese women enjoy wearing red, but subtle colors are best for business.
    Business
Women: Conservatively styled dresses or suits, heels. No dangling jewelry, low-cut dresses, or heavy make-up.
Men: Dark suits and subtly colored ties.
     Restaurant/Banquet
Women: Dresses or dressy pants. Avoid short or tight skirts as you may be sitting on the floor.
Men: Jackets and ties in better restaurants.
Dress varies depending upon the type of restaurant. Inquire before going.
    Casual
Women: Skirts or nice pants.
Men: Shirts and pants, sport coats.
Clean and neat clothing-preferably new-is most important. Jeans, tennis shoes, and t-shirts are all right.
     Kimonos
The kimono is a traditional garment, and wearing it involves many subtleties.
Most Japanese reserve wearing the kimono for special occasions.
Generally, foreigners should not wear a kimono.
     Shoes
Shoes that slip on and off easily are very helpful. Shoes are removed to go into all private homes, many restaurants serving Japanese food, and even some offices and meeting halls.
Wearing old socks or those with holes could cause you great embarrassment when your shoes are removed.
     Be Aware
Squat toilets are very common in Japan. Dress accordingly.
Coed toilets are also very common in several local restaurants and clubs/snacks.
Never wear shoes into Japanese homes.
Gifts. Gift-giving is expected on many occasions in Japan. Regional U.S. gifts or company-logo gifts are appropriate. Quality is important, but the gift does not have to be expensive. The packaging of the gift is as important as the gift itself and should be done professionally. In Japan, sets of four are considered unlucky (the number 4 is pronounced the same as the word for death). Gifts that can be shared among a group are appropriate.
    Traditions
The gift-giving ceremony is more important than the value of the gift itself.
    Business
Be prepared to exchange gifts with your business colleagues the first time you meet. Not giving a gift could start off the business relationship badly.
Do not make a spectacle of the gift you brought with you. For example when you enter the office and you have the gift in a bag with you and sitting down maybe try to place the bag on the floor behind you vice placing it on the table or in your lap.
Gifts are frequently given at the end of the first meeting.
Allow the Japanese to initiate the gift-giving ceremony.
You may give a group gift from your company to the host company. Present this gift to the group leader.
Be aware that it is not proper to give a group gift only. Individual gifts should be given as well.
Significant individual gifts should be given to the key people with whom you will be dealing.
Bring a few extra gifts. The Japanese do business in groups, and more people may show up than you expect.
Prepare smaller gifts for others with whom you may have dealings, such as junior members of the Japanese team or administrative assistants. Also those whom may have worked behind the scenes such as the office hostess and drivers. Bring these in quantity.
Gift-giving seasons are celebrated in Japan. Ochugen takes place in late June to mid-July and Oseibo in December.
If you are negotiating with the Japanese during these gift-giving seasons, you should present a gift to your counterpart and be prepared to accept a gift in return.
These are also good times to send a gift to a colleague, business associate, customer, or anyone else with whom you have a business relationship.
    Hostess
Always bring a small gift for the hostess when invited to someone's home.
Suggested gifts are boxed cakes, fancy boxed chocolates, flowers (check with the florist for wrapping and appropriate type), fruitcake, wine, a gift from Tiffany's, or Lenox china.
    Numbers
Gifts such as silverware or dishes may be given singly or in odd numbered sets.
Do not give gifts in sets of even numbers, or in sets of four or nine. The pronunciation of the word "four" sounds similar to "death" in Japanese, and the word for "nine" is associated with suffering.
    Suggested Gifts
Gifts should be of high quality. In general, brand name products are preferable to generic brands.
A small, high quality gift is better than a large, cheap one.
Where you purchase a gift is very important. A prestigious department store is always a safe bet.
White precious metal is preferred over gold.
Fine wine, whiskey or cognac.
Cassette tapes, CDs or books.
Golf balls or other high quality, golf-related gifts.
Desk accessories.
Practical items of high quality and design.
Items with your company logo or design, if subtly placed and in good taste.
Something from your home country.
Traditional Native American arts or crafts. Gifts to Avoid
Do not give anything with your company name printed in large letters.
Check carefully before giving flowers, since many varieties are symbols of courtship or funerals.
Do not give personal items.
Avoid gifts that are dramatically extravagant or obviously inferior.
    Wrapping
Wrapping a gift correctly is very important. Appearance counts as much or more than the contents.
It is always better to have a gift professionally wrapped where you purchased it, such as at a Japanese department store. Tell the clerk the occasion for the gift.
Pastel-colored wrapping paper is preferred.
Never use black paper. Black is a "bad luck" color reserved for funerals.
Traditional, formal gifts are usually wrapped in a heavy white paper called noshi-gami, tied with stiff strings called mizuhiki, and decorated with a folded paper called noshi.
    Exchanging
Do not give a gift unless you have one for everyone present. It is helpful to bring extra gifts, and smaller gifts that can be handed out to associates.
Present a gift in a modest fashion and say something like "This is just a small token of my appreciation."
Give and receive gifts with both hands and a slight bow.
Japanese may refuse a gift once or twice before accepting it. This is ceremonious. Do not retract your gift when "refused" in such a manner. Gently insist on giving it until the recipient concedes.
Do not boast about the gift you give. Never emphasize how expensive it was. This is considered immodest and is frowned upon.
Always try to deliver a gift personally.
You should give a return gift that is equal to a third or half of the value of the original gift that was given to you.
Do not get into a gift-giving contest with Japanese colleagues. You will always lose and it will be embarrassing to everyone.
Thank the giver immediately for any gift you received and follow up with a thank you note mailed out later.
    Unwrapping
Do not expect a gift to be opened in front of you. Tell the recipient to "please open it" if you would like it to be opened.
Do not open your gift unless asked by the giver to do so, as this is considered greedy. You may ask the giver, "May I open it?"
When opening a gift, never tear open the wrapping paper. Wrapping paper is selected for its design, elegance and significance. It is considered good form to undo a package with care. You will not only preserve the paper but also show proper respect for the effort that went into making the paper, selecting it, and wrapping your gift.
     An understanding of Japanese business and social practices is of great importance in establishing and maintaining successful business relationships in Japan. Indifference to local business practices may indicate a lack of commitment on your part, and may lead to misunderstandings and bad feelings between both sides which could result in the loss of golden opportunities.
     Japanese society is complex, structured, hierarchical and group-oriented with strong emphasis on maintaining harmony and avoiding surface confrontation. Japanese religious practice tends to be socially-oriented and selective rather than a matter of deep personal commitment; ethics tend to be situational. Building relationships (which will precede the first meeting) should emphasize mutual trust, confidence, loyalty and commitment for the long term.
     Don't confuse politeness with friendship. And don't expect that a relaxed evening after work will translate into a relaxed exchange with the same people over the copier the next day. Work is work, the karaoke place is the karaoke place.
     Just because they are quiet, or don't speak English confidently doesn't mean they don't understand spoken English chances are they do. Choose your words carefully and respectfully.
     Don't get an inflated ego when you're told your Japanese is excellent after you've said "thank-you". The Japanese are extremely polite, be polite and say thank you, but don't quit your language classes.
     When you eat sushi, expect that everyone will be amazed.
     You don't know everything, and no one expects you to. A sense of humor and demonstrated respect will go a long way to developing solid, lasting relationships. But do remember to take your shoes off when everyone else does. Do not use sarcasim, save it for later once the you and the folks get a chance to know and understand each other.
I hope this helps and remember these tips can also apply to everyday meetings, occasions and situations as well.

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