Japanese Social Customs

                                                 Social Custom

                                    Concept of time and space
    

  People in Japan are always on time for any meetings. If someone doesn't come on time, then he or she is considered an unreliable person. It is considered impolite because Punctuality is important in Japan. Furthermore, Japanese decisions are reached through a process of consensus-building meetings. So, Time is an essential element of the relationship building process and it is required to build a strong relationship with Japanese in order to open up their opinions in negotiations. 

  

                                                                       Value

  

    Harmony is a value in Japan society. Because harmony is the guiding philosophy for the Japanese in family and business settings and in society as a whole. For an example, Japanese children are taught to act harmoniously and cooperatively with others from the time they go to pre-school. Because the Japanese educational system emphasizes the interdependence of all people, and Japanese children are not raised to be independent but rather to work together. This need for harmonious relationships between people is reflected in much Japanese behaviour and they see working in harmony as the crucial ingredient for working productively.

                                            Belief

    Public Sphere

  

     Public Sphere is about order and status. It states that hierarchy is natural. A big tool in social interaction in the Japanese lifestyle is the business card. They are often exchanged and are very useful on the level of social interaction because they offer an ample amount of information about one another for a normal social exchange.

   Private Sphere

   Private sphere is about goals and self. In Japan it is admirable if a person is viewed as sincere. But along the lines of individualism--that is viewed negatively. They believe it shows selfishness.

                                                                 Manners

    There are a set of rules in Japan. For example bowing, bowing in Japan shows the respect for person or things you are bowing to. There are few way of bows to show respect or humble yourself in front of another person.
The nod-bows , 5 degrees : This is just a small nod of your head. Make sure your head goes forward. The nod-bow is for pretty good friends, and is the most casual bow of them.

Greeting Bow, Eshaku, 15 Degrees: This bow is for greetings, mostly for people you already know or are equals with. The “nod-bow” above is similar, but for when you know someone a lot better. This bow is probably for people you have met before and are familiar with, but not familiar enough to just go for the nod.

Respect Bow, Keirei, 30 degrees: This is where bowing gets respectful.  This bow is reserved for your boss orother people who are higher ranking than you.

Highest Respect Bow, Saikeirei, 45 degrees: This bow is when you make you an accident and you need to apologize.  

                                                    Respect for Authorities

Age and status is important in Japan.   Everyone has a place in the Japanese hierarchy be it in the immediate family, extended family, friends, social settings and even business settings. For an example , children are taught to call their senior as " senpai" , their junior as "kohai" and their teacher as "sensei". Furthermore, the oldest people is always respected especially in social setting such as dinner, the oldest people will be served first. This shows a form of respect and acknowledges the principle of Japanese hierarchy.


Business and Social settings

  
    In Japan businesses, double-sided Japanese & English business cards is a must. They show potential partners that you are serious, and that you understand and respect their culture.  Japanese business card (Meishi) have a much greater significance in Japan than in Western culture. In a society where an individual is less important than the group to which he or she belongs, Meishi provides access to its bearer's identity. There are a few to dos and what not to dos when exchanging a business card:

i) It is best to stand up when exchanging Japanese business cards. It shows respect to       another person.

ii) Exchange Japanese business cards one-by-one, individual-to-individual, and use both hands where practical.

iii) On receiving a person's Japanese meishi, accept it with both hands and then study carefully what is written on it. Very often Japanese business cards will have Japanese on one side and English on the reverse, so carefully examine each side where applicable. 

iv)  Check the name or title on the Japanese side, even if your Japanese knowledge is limited. Note the title of each person you meet. You will sometimes meet two people in the same division with the same title. In this case, by checking the Japanesekanji, you can often determine who is senior as there may be additional titles, subtitles or words in Japanese.

v) DO NOT shove the card into your back trouser pocket. 

vi) DO NOT write comments on another person's business card, in their presence. You may write on your own name card to add information such as email or phone number.


vii)  NEVER place a stack of your cards on the table and offer others to take a card from the stack.

Here is a video showing the process of exchanging the business card in Japan