Learning a new language is only the beginning—then we have to figure out what people mean by the words they say in that other culture, and it isn’t always easy....
Japanese take very seriously the concept of personal responsibility. When westerners refuse to apologize and instead dwell on all the extenuating circumstances that caused the problem, Japanese view this...
When risk-averse people like the Japanese feel that they need more information, they tend to stall…Thus, many Americans who work with Japanese firms wonder, how can we get the company...
Oseibo is one of Japan's two traditional gift-giving seasons. Has it been supplanted by Christmas?...
Masses of people are everywhere in Japan, and even though the Japanese tend to be quieter than Americans, when you get a lot of them together it can’t help but...
Japanese customers prefer products that are “high-performance.” This tendency explains, for example, why Japanese consumer electronics products are often so complex. The various extra features are a delight...
Modesty is a virtue in Japanese business and social settings...
There is a disucssion in the Japan Intercultural Consulting Group on the problem of long working hours in Japanese companies both at home and abroad. Here is the historical...
Special orders do upset us, if you’re a restaurant in Japan...
A strong-willed young adventurer sets her sights on Japan, only to lock horns with a ferocious home stay mother, in this enjoyable read....