In Japanese business manners, thoughtfulness toward the other person is extremely important. Foreign business men and women sometimes are confused about some business manners, but by just showing that you’ve learned at least some of them this can make the other person happy and goes a long way to making a smooth conversation. Here we will introduce a few of the business manners that are a good idea to remember in Japan.
First let’s talk about time and “aisatsu” which roughly translates as “greetings and farewells”.
For Japanese, being on time is the most basic manner to uphold. People who cannot keep appointments at the arranged time and day lose the trust they have with the other party. It goes without saying to make sure you are on time with some to spare just in case. Always contact the other person if it seems you will be late.
The next very important manner is “aisatsu”. Saying greetings and farewells is important for communicating not only in a business setting, but also in daily life. Japanese say that when you bow and saw hello or goodbye, you are conveying your natural feelings toward others. Get your business negations off to a good start by keeping these in mind.
