Do evasive and mealy-mouthed responses cause you irritation? Then you had better scratch Japan from your business plans.
One aspect of dealing with Japanese, which can totally frustrate a newcomer (and a veteran like me!) to this island-nation, is the lack of straightforwardness in communication. Evasiveness is a national past time here and that can infuriate an impatient foreign businessman wanting results in a New York minute.
If you can’t tame your desire for specific responses and quick results, then I already know the exact outcome of your business trip even before you arrive at Narita Airport. You will fail and you may never know why.
Despite the maddening “silent treatment” style of the Japanese people, I want to reassure you that you can penetrate the Japanese psyche and know the truth behind a plastic smile in due time.
For those of you tapping your collective feet and wanting to cut to the chase before you bite every fingernail to the elbow, may I offer some cautionary advice:
An outright “No” from your Japanese counterpart is as rare as a planetary realignment. The more you push for decisiveness and definitiveness in the initial stages of negotiation, the more ambiguous will be the response.
The following words spoken by a Japanese to the uninitiated foreigner can usually be interpreted as meaning “No,” or “It is no good,” or “It is too expensive,” or “You are embarrassing me,” or “Why are you in such a rush?” and a host of other rejection statements or questions which remain unspoken:
1) That’s so difficult.
2) It’s difficult for me to say in English.
3) We need time to think about it.
4) Is that so?
5) We will need a few months to consider your plan.
6) Can we continue this discussion in the future?
I can hear many of you ready to pounce on me now. Well, Mr. Posner, each of these sentences/questions gives a ray of hope. Why do you interpret their respective meanings as a sign that matters are falling apart or have even failed? Aren’t you being negative and pessimistic?
No, experience has been my teacher. Twenty-five years of dealing in business in Japan - many as a language trainer at large Japanese concerns - have given me a keen sense for the meaning of English words as spoken by a Japanese. I could write a concise dictionary of Japanese English, if I was idle.
I have one final note of caution. It is often said that our Maker gave us two ears and one mouth so that we could listen twice as much as we speak. Japanese in business circles have mastered that art, plus alpha.
Bite your tongue and let the Japanese counterpart take a little of the initiative. They will respect you more and most likely find a place in their business budget for your product, service or proposaleventually.
Richard Posner is an author, trader, English-language trainer at major Japanese corporations, and an internet entrepreneur. He has resided in Japan for 25 years and has a depth of experience dealing with the Japanese in business and pleasure. To read more about his ideas and concepts, please visit his website, Success In Japan, at
http://www.successinjapan.com
and his inspirational and resourceful blog, " A Level Playing Field," at
http://successjapan.blogspot.com/
