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Cross-Cultural Communication in Japan: Why it’s Vital for Foreign Expats and Their Families

Cross-Cultural Communication in Japan: Why it’s Vital for Foreign Expats and Their Families

Cross-cultural training is an essential element in ensuring the success of foreign expats in Japan, and it’s important to remember that this training should also extend to the expat’s family members. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of cross-cultural communication for expats in Japan and why their family members should also receive training. The Expat Situation The expat, the “main person” who is moving to Japan with their company, may be excited about the new challenge and surrounded by…

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4 Tips to Bridge The Communication Gap

4 Tips to Bridge The Communication Gap

In late February 2022 Japan finally announced that they will open the borders again for new arrivals and for short term business travelers. That means, many students, researchers and of course business travelers are expected to enter the country in the coming months. It also means that a lot of foreign executives and other professionals can finally start their assignment in Japan. With so many people starting new chapters here in Japan, it’s a great opportunity to look at differences…

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Three Concepts You Must Know When Working In Japan

Three Concepts You Must Know When Working In Japan

Living and working in Japan is not easy. While the quality of living is incredibly high, there are some social concepts that can make it really challenging for those not born and raised in Japan to understand what is going on. Let me share with you three concepts in Japan that you should be aware of to make the most out of your experience here. Let’s look at them one by one. Uchi vs. Soto | 内外 Uchi and soto…

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“Japan Is Unique” – But Is It Really?

“Japan Is Unique” – But Is It Really?

“But Japan is unique. That is not how things are done here.” Have you heard this before? Whether you are newly on assignment in Japan, or covering Japan from overseas as part of your regional or global responsibility, there is a good chance you have heard some form of this sentence. But is Japan really unique? And if so, what can be done about it?  We Are All Unique Now, it is important to note that, yes, there are certain…

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3 Common Mistakes of Expats in Japan

3 Common Mistakes of Expats in Japan

If you are about to embark on your assignment in Japan or have already arrived, there are a few common pitfalls to avoid. Over the last decade working in Tokyo, I have had the opportunity to partner with many expats who have all had varying degrees of success in Japan. Here is what I learned from their successes and their shortcomings.  Overvaluing English Language skills To put things into perspective, the average English skill in Japan is lower than one…

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The Importance of Cross-Cultural Competence in a Changing Market

The Importance of Cross-Cultural Competence in a Changing Market

Japan is without a doubt a fascinating country. From a business perspective, the changes to the labor market are particularly interesting as we have not only a shrinking but also a rapidly aging workforce. Let’s look at what changes that brings but also why moving forward we will require even more cross-cultural competence in order to succeed in this market. Labor Market Size In Japan, we are looking at a population of roughly 126 million people. Twenty five percent –…

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Are You Close To The Genba?

Are You Close To The Genba?

Japanese management offers a lot of principles and ideas on how to effectively manage your business. One important concept within it is the genba (現場). But what is the genba and are you close to it? What is the genba? Genba is “the actual place” or “the real place” and can be anything from the scene of a crime to the place where something is happening. In business, genba refers to the actual workplace where value creation takes place. In…

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Jinji Ido – Japanese HR at its worst

Jinji Ido – Japanese HR at its worst

Japan is known for its life-time employment and the image that you join a company right out of college at 22 and then stay there until you retire. However, that is not true for most companies anymore (and never was for all companies to begin with) and not only do most companies not offer life-time employment anymore, almost 40% of all employees are non-permanent. That leaves at least the majority of workers who have a safe workplace, right? Wrong! Let’s…

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The Japanese Labor Market

The Japanese Labor Market

The Japanese market has been an attractive market for many foreign companies (gaishikei) for a very long time now despite the sluggish growth over the last 20-30 years. However, companies that are looking to operate their business from within Japan are facing various challenges when looking at the Japanese labor market. Let’s look at the labor market from a macro perspective. Breakdown of the Japanese labor market Let’s look at some numbers: Japan’s total population: 126 million working-age population (15-60):…

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The Fitness Industry In Japan

The Fitness Industry In Japan

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.