Here you’ll find information about Japan. Everything from macroeconomics to politics to everyday life.
I have the pleasure of working in the fitness industry in Japan and contributing to its development. The industry has changed a lot in other markets and Japan is also catching up. However, there are a few characteristics that are rather unique to Japan. In order to drive the necessary change in the industry, those characteristics have to be understood and addressed.
In his latest article Allan Richarz explains how the changing demographics and influx of immigrant workers affects “manual keigo” – the scripted polite language used of service industry workers in cafes and convenience stores. Japanese customer service is generally great and being addressed politely obviously if part of it but after a while it loses its value when you hear that the employees, native or not, just go through their script. We use polite language to express our respect for…