Features

Tokyo’s grace

22 Jan 2010 by BusinessTraveller
Knowing the right etiquette in foreign lands makes business a lot easier. Felicity Cousins explores Tokyo and some Japanese dos and donts The traffic lights are green but there are no cars in sight. I consider making a dash for it but as I look to my left and right, I see everyone is frozen to the spot. Jay-walking doesn’t happen in Tokyo. As the red light glows, everyone comes to life and continues their business. I’m trying to find the Mitsukoshi store but I am lost. I ask several people the way, and although they try hard to be helpful, they are pretty useless with my paper map – they can’t even find where we are, let alone where I am going. Emi Takei, director of communications at the Shangri-La hotel in Tokyo, says: “Map literacy isn’t very good here. It is easier to show an electronic map or type the address into your mobile phone.” Getting lost is fine if you have time to explore, but for business travellers it’s best not to be late. The Japanese are very punctual, and the trains run like clockwork so there is no excuse. “If you are going to be even five minutes late, you should ring ahead to let your contact know,” Takei says. If it is your first meeting with a Japanese contact a gift is not necessary, but if you are building a relationship with a Japanese colleague or client and you haven’t seen them for a while, it is polite to bring one. Mark Kobayashi, director of public relations for the Peninsula Hotel Tokyo, explains: “It’s a gift-giving culture so try to bring something local to where you are from – maybe British tea or chocolate. Make sure your gift is wrapped well, preferably from the store you bought it in, and if there is any information about the gift, such as a brochure or business card, then bring that too. Japanese people often put the gift in their office with the information next to it for people to read. Try to select something that can be shared with colleagues.” As most visitors are aware, bowing is a sign of respect in Japan and the deeper someone bows, the more respect they are giving the person before them. Takei says: “Shaking hands is not our custom. When US president Barack Obama came to Japan, he bowed very deeply to our emperor and for us it was a nice gesture. You should bow when you meet your client – and the hierarchy defines how low and slowly you bow.” Another way to make a good first impression is to hand over your business card in the correct way as soon as you are introduced. Kobayashi says: “Business card exchange is important because in Japan, people associate the person with the company.” Offer your card with both hands, holding it with your thumb and forefinger at the corners – make sure it is facing the right way for the recipient to read. You can place it on top of your business-card holder too, as if offering it on a plate. When you receive a card it is polite to make a comment to show you are interested – for example, you may notice the address of the office and say: “Ah yes, Ginza, that is the shopping district.” Kobayashi says: “It would be seen as rude if you did not get your card out until the end of the meeting and said, ‘Sorry, I forgot to give you this.’ Business cards are very important and if you have one side printed in Japanese then this is a great plus. Anyone doing business in Japan should make this a priority as it really shows you are serious.” Takei adds: “Without a business card exchange there is no meeting.” If you have managed to secure a meeting, then note that the most important people will sit in the middle of the table, furthest from the door. But while these formal meetings are essential, in Japan, the real business deals are cemented after hours. Takei says: “Drinking and eating is a big part of business and often the discussion is done in a restaurant or bar. If you are taking a Japanese client out then don’t take them to a Japanese restaurant as the Japanese feel they know better ones than a foreigner. It is common to take them to a high-end hotel that serves Western food.” The Japanese will entertain foreign guests in a more casual restaurant or bar, often followed by a session of karaoke, in which you should try to participate. Kobayashi says. “You are not pressured to drink but if you do not like socialising after office hours, this will cause a problem here because a lot of the business relationship is built away from the office. Before you can do any business, sign a contract or talk money, you have to establish a relationship with your contact. Once you do this things will fall into place.” He adds: “A lot of people think: ‘I have given my presentation and explained my points so things should move forward,’ but this is nothing without a relationship. You have to take the next step and ask the client out for dinner or drinks and get to know them. It’s a chance to let your hair down.” There’s no need to worry if you embarrass yourself because what happens out of the office stays out of the office. The next day, people won’t refer to the evening except to thank you for arranging it. It’s raining and as I watch people jumping in taxis, I notice the rear door opening automatically as they reach for the handle. I don’t fancy my chances showing the taxi driver my soggy map so I keep walking, past restaurants with plastic replicas of their dishes in the windows, until at last I arrive at the Mitsukoshi store. All the shoppers are stopping at the entrance to slide their umbrellas into a metal machine. When they remove them, they are covered in plastic to stop them dripping on the floor. All these things are foreign to me, but in Tokyo they make perfect sense. Visit seejapan.co.uk for more information. Cultural tips ? In Japan, the New Year is very important. If you have Japanese clients, you should send a greeting card. ? Japan is not a tipping culture. ? Never leave your chopsticks upright in your food or pour your own drink at a meal. Your neighbour should pour yours and vice versa. ? Avoid asking direct yes/no questions or expressing strong emotion. ? Sumimasen means sorry/excuse me.
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