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PLACEMENT AGENCY
INT’L INC.

Various cultural

Modes
OF COMMUNICATION
GET TO
KNOW
W ith all these incredible benefits of teaching in JAPAN
Japan come a few challenging cultural differences.
As a general rule, the Japanese are very tolerant of
foreigners’ transgressions but making an effort to fit
in and respect the local culture will definitely
improve the reception you get. When meeting new
people especially, try to be humble, observant, kind
and reserved. On the other hand, try not to be loud,
brash, rude or greedy. If you can do that, you’re in
with a good chance of fitting in!

DO’S DON’TS
Use the honorific suffix “– Lose your patience or
san” when referring to other become irritable in a
people by name. discussion.
Use the honorific suffix “– Refer to yourself with the
sensei” (instead of “-san”) honorific suffix “–san” or “-
when referring to a teacher. sensei”. These are only used
Be punctual. Japanese find for other people.
it very offensive if you’re late Talk on the phone when on
to either business or social public transport – this is
events. considered rude in Japan.
If you visit someone’s home, Hug or kiss someone you
remove your shoes before meet for the first time.
entering and leave them
pointing away from the
home (towards the door).

FOR MORE INFO:

(0917) 106 7088 | (0949) 793 9323
rhvplacementagency@yahoo.com
 The Boss Survival

Guide: JAPANESE WORKPLACE

Working for someone comes with a whole mess or unspoken assumptions and rules
(or business etiquette, if you’re trying to phrase it nicely), especially in a Japanese
workplace, and the consequences for missing those rules aren’t generally something you
want to deal with. Throwing those rules out is a little outside the scope of what I can do as
a writer, so instead, I’m going to try to make them into spoken assumptions. Speaking of
assumptions, all of this is written on the premise of a Japanese superior — for many
reasons, this will rarely be wrong.

N one of these are really rules I endorse, but they are what they are, so you might as
well know about them. Without further ado, here are some tips on how to work with a
Japanese boss.

Tip #1: Humility Tip #2: Keigo Tip #3: Ho-Ren-So

This isn’t “don’t let things go to
your head” so much as an
almost ritual humility. You’re
absolutely, definitely right?
Doesn’t matter, try to be as
meek and polite about it as
possible anyway. Respect for
both anyone above you and for
the general concept of systems
and how things are done is very
important.
This one’s both simple, and a
bit longer in the details than
this article has room for, so
instead I’ll say: Read up on
keigo. There is an entire branch
of the Japanese language
arranged around talking to
people of a different social
class, different levels of
showing deference, and so on.
You’re going to need it.
No, not spinach. It’s just meant
to sound like that. It’s short for
’Hokoku-Renraku-Sodan’, or
translated, Report-
Communicate-Consult. In
practice, it boils down to
keeping everyone on the same
page and never deciding
anything yourself.

Tip #4: Listen

We’re back to ritual humility and respect. Is someone talking?
Listen quietly. Are they wrong? Listen quietly. Are they scolding
you, possibly for something that’s outright wrong, not your fault, or
can otherwise be explained? Resist the temptation to explain, the
point is that you listen and look like you feel bad about whatever
they’re annoyed about.

FOR MORE INFO:

(0917) 106 7088 | (0949) 793 9323
rhvplacementagency@yahoo.com