When you enter a different market other than your own country, there are a number of things that one needs to keep in mind, and one among them is the ethics of doing business. And therefore, you need to understand that doing business with the Japanese is not all about working and trading like in other parts of the world. Learning their cultural norms, business ethics, and tricks of the trade help you to develop a better understanding of business and overall Japanese culture.

Here are some of the tips and tricks when you are doing business with a Japanese specialist that will help you to gain more business success and deep-root your business goals.

  1. Learning about the mentality of business:

Understanding the business mentality of any country helps you to design and strategize business goals accordingly. If you are new to the world of Japanese, you need some insight into the Japanese cultural ethics that allows you to get more business output and profits in return.

The Japanese are considered to be very particular about the business position and role of the person in the organization with whom they are dealing. And therefore, in most business meetings, you are expected to negotiate and communicate with only those who are equal in rank.

When you sit down at the table to negotiate or communicate a message with the Japanese people, it is essential to note that they are expecting a sense of seriousness in your attitude.

Most business dealings are connected on the level of serious note, and deviating from the original deal is more or less considered to be rude. Therefore, if you are at the table of negotiation with the Japanese, it is essential to maintain a level of seriousness with your business counterparts in japan.

  1. Greetings:

When you are dealing with your Japanese counterparts, one of the most important things to make a note of is the greeting gesture. In some of the more formal meetings, you are expected to bow to show respect. If you are lower in rank than your Japanese counterparts, you are required to lower your gaze and bend down a little lower than the person’s height.

This gives Japanese people a sense of respect that they expect from their foreign clients. If you pay respect, you are able to gain benefits from your Japanese counterparts. In most of the formal meetings, you are also expected to bring along business cards.

These business cards are considered to be very important for any formal meetings. Place the card on the table while you are still in conversation that shows that you are interested to know about the person, their qualifications, and their role in the organization.

  1. Dress code:

For business meetings, both men and women are expected to dress formally in a suit and a tie that represents their seriousness towards their work. Moreover, it is essential to note that when you are wearing a black suit with a black tie and white shirt. You are expecting it to be a disaster; for any other setting, it is considered to be a great choice.

However, for the Japanese, it is a fixed dress code for funerals. You could use solid colors for the meetings and make variations with dark navy, black and grey color suiting.

For Japanese following, the ritual is necessary, and therefore, make sure that you are punctual for the business meeting and follow the timeline accordingly. For the Japanese to be late to a business meeting is considered to be inappropriate and rude.

  1. Group decisions:

For the Japanese, working in teams and groups is always the best choice to make. Although the group decision may take longer to find consensus, the Japanese won’t make the judgment without the group.

However, the common thought about the time taking decision-making policy of the Japanese may sound too time-consuming, and people who have always considered that they were not able to impress their Japanese counterparts may take it as a no.

But the time-consuming and group decision-making skills are what the Japanese are proud of, and they will always comply with the rule of making decisions.

  1. Gifts policy:

One of the main reasons gift policy is a conscious act in the west than in Asia is because they are always thinking about not offending the other party with the corporate gifts.

When it comes to the Japanese, the ritual of taking and giving gifts is always a good exchange of love and warmth. To them, it is also about developing a culture of gifts and exchange of trust between the two parties.

If you are dealing with the Japanese one, don’t forget to impress them with gifts.