Dress Etiquette
. Business attire is conservative.
. Men should wear dark-coloured, conservative business suits.
. Women should dress conservatively.
Body Language
1. Japanese people prefer not to stand close to others. 2. Try and avoid touching others.
3. Do not take a smile as being a signal of happiness, the Japanese smile when mad, embarrassed, sad or disappointed. 4. While sitting, don’t show the bottom of your shoes. 5. It is rude to talk to someone when leaving your hands in your pockets.
6. Put your hand in front of your face. Make sure your palm is facing towards your face. Then wave it back and forth,
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this is a polite way to answer “no” or “I don’t know” to a compliment.
7. It is considered rude to stare at someone. Eye contact isn’t polite.
8. Don’t lean against anything, a chair, a wall, a door, etc…
9. When visiting someone, sit towards the edge to show proper respect and leaning back means closeness (such as a childhood friend).
Business Negotiation
. The Japanese are non-confrontational.
. They have a difficult time saying 'no', so you must be vigilant at observing their non-verbal communication. . It is best to phrase questions so that they can answer yes. For example, do you disagree with this? Group decision-making and consensus are important.
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. Written contracts are required.
. The Japanese often remain silent for long periods of time. Be patient and try to work out if your Japanese colleagues have understood what was said. . Japanese prefer broad agreements and mutual understanding so that when problems arise they can be handled flexibly.
. Using a Japanese lawyer is seen as a gesture of goodwill. Note that Japanese lawyers are quite different from Western lawyers as they are much more functionary.
. Never lose your temper or raise your voice during negotiations.
. Some Japanese close their eyes when they want to listen intently.
. The Japanese seldom grant concession. They expect both parties to come to the table with their best offer. . The Japanese do not see contracts as final agreements so they can be renegotiated.
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Dining Etiquette
On the rare occasion you are invited to a Japanese house: . Remove your shoes before entering and put on the slippers left at the doorway.
. Leave your shoes pointing away from the doorway you are about to walk through.
. Arrive on time or no more than 5 minutes late if invited for dinner.
. If invited to a large social gathering, arriving a little bit later than the invitation is acceptable, although punctuality is always appreciated.
. Unless you have been told the event is casual, dress as if you were going into the office.
. If you must go to the toilet, put on the toilet slippers and remove them when you are finished. Meeting Etiquette
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. Greetings in Japan are very formal and ritualized. . It is important to show the correct amount of respect and deference to someone based upon their status relative to your own.
. If at all possible, wait to be introduced.
. It can be seen as impolite to introduce yourself, even in a large gathering.
. While foreigners are expected to shake hands, the traditional form of greeting is the bow. How far you bow depends upon your relationship to the other person as well as the situation. The deeper you bow, the more respect you show.
. A foreign visitor ('gaijin') may bow the head slightly, since no one expects foreigners to generally understand the subtle nuances of bowing. Gift Giving Etiquette
. Gift-giving is highly ritualistic and meaningful. . The ceremony of presenting the gift and the way it is
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浅谈日本的礼仪风俗
