Tuttle Japanese Business Dictionary Revised Edition. Boye Lafayette De Mente
and maintaining shin’yō-based relationships with their suppliers and customers.
Whether or not one follows proper etiquette in dealing with a Japanese company is taken as a sign of his or her trustworthiness.
When “Difficult” Means “No”
難しい Muzukashii (muu-zuu-kah-she-e)
The very common word muzukashii means hard, difficult and troublesome... and it is also a “cultural code word” that has an altogether different meaning. When Japanese businesspeople are presented with projects in which they don’t have the slightest interest—and this happens by the thousands annually—they will almost never say “no, thank you” outright.
They will listen politely enough, often nodding (which doesn’t mean acceptance of anything, it just means they are listening), but in the end they will typically say the project would be muzukashii… usually with a strained and uncomfortable look on their face. This means “no, it’s not going to happen, forget it.”
Unless the foreign presenter is aware of this meaning of muzukashii he or she will also typically repeat the main points of the presentation, after saying it would be worth it even if it was difficult, and then leave, saying they look forward to hearing from the company. It is deep-seated Japanese etiquette to use such circumlocutions rather than refuse or decline anything directly.
Beware of Hidden Meanings!
善処します Zensho Shimasu (zen-show she-mahss)
This phrase, which means “I will take proper measures; I will do my best,” has caused foreign businesspeople (also diplomats and the heads of foreign governments) who do not know the hidden meaning of the phrase more loss of face and more trouble than can be imagined.
Generally, there is no sense of real commitment or promise in this comment. It is almost always a ploy to avoid saying “no” outright and causing the petitioning party to get upset and/or lose face. Once this comment has been made at the end of presentations, the Japanese side seldom if ever takes any action. Again, this is an example of Japanese etiquette that is designed to avoid upsetting anyone in face-to-face confrontations.
The Power of Cultural Intuition
直感 Chokkan (choke-kahn)
One of the first lessons that foreign businesspeople should learn about Japanese culture is the role played by chokkan, “intuition, intuitive power,” in business and all other relationships. The natural intuitive powers of the Japanese—those common to people everywhere—have been dramatically enhanced by their culture, to the point that often they cannot be separated, and in many cases they take precedence over rational or logical thinking based on facts.
The Japanese have a special word that refers specifically to the use of their combined cultural wisdom and native intuition: 腹芸 haragei (hahrah-gay-e), which translates as “the art of the stomach.” In virtually all of the occasions when foreigners cannot understand the rationale of business decisions made by the Japanese the answer lies in their chokkan.
Most of Japan’s leading tycoons—Idemitsu, Matsushita, Honda, etc.— credit their amazing success to guidance provided by their chokkan.
The principle of haragei in business in Japan accounts for much of the emotional content of Japanese etiquette.
The Power of Tradition
方 Kata (kah-tah)
This is one of the most important words in the Japanese language, and is the key to understanding all of the traditional and most of the modern behavior of the Japanese. Kata means “form” and the physical process of doing things.
In Japan’s traditional culture there was a specific kata for virtually everything the Japanese did: yari-kata (way of doing things/working); tabekata (way of eating); nomi-kata (way of drinking); hanashi-kata (way of talking); aruki-kata (way of walking); yomi-kata (way of reading); kakikata (way of writing), and so on. There was also a specific kata for all forms of Japanese etiquette.
The actions of each kata were precise, and were taught to children from infancy on. Deviations were not allowed. This homogenization of Japanese behavior had a fundamental impact on their mindset, making everyone extremely conscious of how people behaved, and determining many of the rules of etiquette that developed over the millennia.
The power of the kata in present-day Japan is much less than what it was until the 1970s and 80s, but it remains a force in society in general and especially in the work-place, where corporate cultures prescribe acceptable etiquette. There is no way foreigners can fully understand the Japanese without knowledge of the ongoing role of kata in the culture. [Read more about kata from my book—details on page xxi’s footnote.]
Making Things “Fit” for Japan
日本的 Nihon-teki (nee-hoan-tay-kee)
Japanese things have a distinctive look that clearly identifies them as “Japanese,” and is one of the facets of Japanese culture that is especially attractive—in a very sensual way—to most foreigners, especially Westerners.
This distinguishing element, which derives from the material things are made of and their design, is referred to in Japanese as Nihon-teki. Nihon means “Japan,” and teki means “suitable, fit, compatible, conforming to,” or “similar to.”
The workmanship and the design concepts that make a thing Nihon-teki go back some 1,500 years, and are a reflection of Shinto concepts of beauty and Zen concepts of refined simplicity.
The distinctive nature of things Japanese is so deeply embedded in the mindset of the people that they do not have to strive to create it. It comes naturally to them, without them having to think about it. When it is missing, as it is in most non-Japanese products, they recognize its absence instantly.
This is the reason why many foreign products have not been acceptable in Japan until they were “Japanized.” Foreign businesses proposing to introduce a new product in Japan should first give it the Nihon-teki test, to see if it is suitable, fit, and compatible with Japanese tastes.
All Japanese etiquette must also meet the same test. If it is not instantly recognized as Nihon-teki it smacks of something foreign. A few forms of foreign etiquette, like the hand-shake, have been incorporated into Japan’s culture, but the traditional お辞儀 O’jigi (oh-jee-ghee), or bow, continues to be a vital part of the etiquette of present-day Japanese in many formal situations and when groups or large numbers of people are involved.
The Japanese Do-or-Die Syndrome!
頑張る Gambaru! (gahn-bah-rue)
Gambaru is one of the most commonly used words in the Japanese vocabulary—in business, in sports, in any endeavor that is taxing in the least. It refers to what I call the “Japanese never-give-up never-say-die” syndrome. It means “stand fast, stand firm, hold out, never give up,” and is the term that the Japanese use when encouraging people to do their absolute best in whatever it is they are engaged in or are going to undertake.
The number of daily situations in which gambatte (gahn-bahn-tah) is used as a rallying cry are virtually uncountable. It is called out to people engaged in sports, when a business colleague departs for an overseas assignment, when someone starts a test of any kind, when anybody undertakes anything new, when a baby tries to stand up the first time, and on and on.
The cultural implications of gambatte are deep and abiding, and reflect the built-in drive that the Japanese have to succeed in whatever they set out to do and to do things better than anyone else can. Foreigners should make use of this word whenever an occasion arises because it indicates an intimate knowledge of Japanese culture.
Use of the term is such a spontaneous response that it has become an integral part of the national etiquette.
Japan’s Fabled Night-Time Trades
水商売 Mizu shōbai (mee-zoo shoh-bye)
Mizu shōbai is an old term that refers in particular to Japan’s huge and important