Managing in a Japanese firm can be very challenging for non-Japanese. Even today, while Japanese business practices are changing, tradition and Japan’s unique culture play a major role when working in Japan. The complex Japanese language and traditional business practices, such as seniority principles, present hurdles to Western managers in Japan. Project management and strategic goal development also greatly differ from the West, and non-Japanese managers working in Japan are urged to adapt their managing style and attitudes. This feature explores the most popular Japanese business practices.
Communication Within the Japanese Firm: Japanese Language (Nihongo)
The most obvious obstacle for non-Japanese managers is the Japanese language—Nihongo. The Japanese language is, without doubt, one of the most complicated languages. It takes a minimum of 2 or 3 years of intensive study to master this language at a conversational level, and there are “few Westerners who have systematically learned both—realistically, doing so requires a university-level intensity of study.” The writing system consists of three different character sets: kanji (several thousands of Chinese characters) and hiragana and katakana (two syllabaries of 46 characters each, together called kana). Japanese texts can be written in two ways: in Western style, horizontally from top to bottom, or in traditional Japanese style, vertically from right to left. Both writing styles exist side-by-side today.
Honorific Language (Keigo)
There are three basic levels of Japanese language: the “low” level, used when addressing subordinates; the “intimate” level, used when conversing with family members and close friends of the same age; and an “honorific” level (keigo), used when addressing superiors and respected elders. Essentially, keigo refers to the distinctive style of speech or writing used to show respect to persons and sometimes to sacred things such as shrines or temples. For instance, there are more than five different words for the English word “you,” each of which is used depending on whom the speaker is talking to. In formal situations and in business negotiations, an honorific language level (keigo) is used. Keigo can be broken down into three separate categories: sonkeigo, respectful or honorific language; kenjogo, humble language; and teineigo, polite language. Sonkeigo is used when addressing or speaking about a person of higher status; in this case, honorific vocabulary is used to show politeness. Kenjogo is used when speaking about oneself (or one’s company) to a person of higher rank. Here, the speaker uses humble and modest words to show respect. Teineigo is the term for generally speaking politely. Foreigners are often advised to use teineigo because it is easier to use than the two other forms.
Communication Styles: High-Context Communication
Based on the idea of keeping harmony, communication in Japan is often indirect. Hall and Hall (“Hidden Differences: Doing Business with the Japanese” 1987, Anchor Books) define this as high-context communication. Every message communicated by a Japanese person is surrounded by a context, which needs to be understood by the person who is spoken to. If a Japanese person, for example, says “maybe,” he or she is saying an honorific “no” in a less direct manner. When speaking to a Westerner, who assumes that the word “maybe” refers to the possibility that an event might take place, this can lead to great misunderstandings. The Japanese communication style is therefore considered to be highly dependent on context: every message is surrounded by some unspoken information that both communicators are supposed to understand. The message can only be correctly understood if both communicators share a context and know or sense what the other person intends to say. Western communication, on the contrary, is considered low context, as the message content is the exact message and there is no invisible message beyond the words exchanged. “No” means just “no,” and “maybe” means there is a 50 percent chance of things happening.
Reading the Air (Kuki wo Yomu)
The context in which messages and information are exchanged is extremely important in Japan, and from an early age, Japanese people learn to read the context surrounding a message or to interpret the atmosphere of a conversation. High-context orientation and a need to respect other people’s feelings lead to a great sensitivity for feelings and intentions, even if they are not explicitly stated. The Japanese call this “reading the air” (kuki wo yomu). A person who can read the air understands things without being told and can sense if a friend or colleague is angry or stressed. Being able to “read the air” is a virtue in Japanese society. The Japanese often expect Westerners to be able to do this, too, but most Westerners find it easier to understand other people’s feelings if they are expressed in words. The directness involved in this is often considered rude in Japan and can lead to cross-cultural conflict.
Private and Public Opinion (Honne and Tatemae)
The Japanese differentiate between public and private life and also between their “public” (tatemae) and “private” (honne) opinions. Honne can be translated as the private opinion and tatemae as the public opinion. In business, tatemae is a must during negotiations or on other official occasions. This means that speakers (businesspeople or others) will express an opinion that is expected from them even if this is not what they really think or consider correct. Honne, on the other hand, expresses the speaker’s real and “honest” opinion, which may not always be expressed in public or in the corporate environment.
Honne and tatemae are present in all contexts of modern Japanese life and are probably the two concepts that are most difficult to understand for Westerners. Foreigners often perceive Japanese communication styles as vague and as avoiding straight business talk. Practically, a suitable approach in tackling the difficulties in communicating with the Japanese is to ask many polite and indirect questions. This may help to develop a better sense of a counterpart’s true opinion.
