Japan is known for its high-context culture.
In high-context cultures, people rely on nonverbal cues and context to understand the meaning of communication. In Japan, this means that people often rely on shared cultural knowledge and social hierarchy to understand what is being communicated.
For example, Japanese people may use indirect language or silence to convey meaning, which can be difficult for outsiders to understand.
This is because Japanese culture values harmony and avoiding conflict, so people may avoid saying things that could be interpreted as confrontational or critical.
I personally have experienced this silence moments many times in the Japanese company. It means no, or a difficult. Pushing the idea that they have shown “No” sign after that does not make sense so much, so you should find what was not so appealing to them, or how could you make the idea better.
In high-context cultures like Japan, relationships are also very important.
People may prioritize building relationships over getting things done quickly or efficiently. This can be frustrating for people from low-context cultures who are used to more direct communication and a focus on results.
At your business meeting or dinner, you should avoid being too blunt or aggressive in your interactions, and pay attention to the tone and body language of your counterparts.
By the way, hello, I am Ami.
With a decade of community leadership experience, in Japan and with global tech companies, I collaborate with B2C brands to build their communities in Japan.
Speaking domestically, and internationally, from Germany to Oregon, USA, I thrive helping brands and businesses boost their community in the Japanese market for increased leads and awareness.
I worked for Pinterest Japan as a third member and also worked for Facebook Japan, where I was the only Japanese in my new community team.I also have a certified travel tour guide in Japan, confirmed by the Ministry of Tourism.
If your company is expanding business into Japan, please contact us. I can help you fit in Japan market, and help you understand the Japanese market.