Doing Business with the Japanese

An Informal Test

Here’s a quick test to see how knowledgeable you are with the Japanese business culture.  If you are already doing business in Japan, you should score perfectly.

(1) Explain how to exchange business cards.

(2) In a business meeting, do you know the proper seating arrangement?  In this particular example, the president and purchasing manager are visiting your office from Japan. From your company, the VP of sales and the Japan sales representative are present.  Where should everyone sit?

(3) You are visiting your best customer in Japan.  What time should you try to schedule the meeting for?

(4) What are the Japanese words for “Hello,” “Goodbye” and “Thank you?”

(5) Who are: “Masahiro Tanaka,” “Abe” and “Noda?”