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Browse through the hundreds of articles by our team members on a wide variety of topics related to Japanese business and culture. Find articles on specific topics of interest using the search box in the sidebar.

Japanese sharing information

Why don’t Japanese share more information?

Articles, Cross-cultural communication, Working with Japanese by Rochelle Kopp

Due to their struggles using and understanding the English language, Japanese often get exhausted trying to express themselves, and give up before they have communicated all the necessary information. ...

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breast cancer awareness in Japan

Breast cancer awareness in Japan

Articles, Life in Japan by Rochelle Kopp

Did you know that Japanese women are less likely to get annual gynecological exams than American women? And that annual gynecological checkups are not covered by Japanese health insurance?...

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5S shitsuke

5S in the Japanese workplace – shitsuke: sustaining through discipline (part 5 of 5)

Articles, Japanese business keywords by Patricia Pringle

Once processes and attitudes are internalized, workers voluntarily carry out the 5S activities without having to be reminded. Shitsuke means not just following the rules, but using the brain...

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5S seiketsu

5S in the Japanese workplace – seiketsu: sanitizing and standardizing (part 4 of 5)

Articles, Japanese business keywords by Patricia Pringle

Seiketsu standardization gives a systematic, consistent approach for getting tasks done. A system that maintains and supports ongoing and consistent seiri, seiton and seiso activities....

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seiso sweeping shining 5S

5S in the Japanese workplace – seiso: seeing, sweeping and shining (part 3 of 5)

Articles, Japanese business keywords by Patricia Pringle

Well-implemented seiso programs also have long-term benefits when it comes to employee morale. Not only are workplaces cleaner and more efficient, but caring for equipment on a daily basis increases...

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5S seiton organizing

5S in the Japanese workplace – seiton at the ready (part 2 of 5)

Articles, Japanese business keywords by Patricia Pringle

Organizing. Set all necessary items in a neat orderly fashion so that they can be located and retrieved safely and quickly. Determining where and when items are needed, and placing...

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5S in the Japanese workplace – sorting out seiri (part 1 of 5)

Articles, Japanese business keywords by Patricia Pringle

Seiri involves taking a fresh look at the workplace and identifying unnecessary items. This means coming to terms with the now and eliminating what is not now. Denying the possibilities...

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TOP TIPS FOR JAPANESE LOCALIZATION translation transcreation

Top Tips for Japanese Localization

Articles, Japanese business, Marketing by Japan Intercultural Consulting

In this guest blog post, Acclaro's Hiroko Yuki discusses some of the key things to consider when commissioning a translation into Japanese....

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Japanese companies like to gather lots of information

The unquenchable thirst for information

Articles, Japanese business, Japanese society by Pernille Rudlin

A constant niggle I hear from people who aren’t Japanese who work in Japanese companies is the sheer quantity of questions, often on seemingly irrelevant details, that they have to...

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videoconference with Japanese

Does videoconferencing work?

Articles, Cross-cultural communication, Meetings by Pernille Rudlin

When it comes to communicating with Japanese counterparts, video conferencing is still no replacement for face-to-face meetings....

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