Planning A Business Trip To Japan
Technologically, economically, culturally; whichever way you choose to look at Japan, you’ll find it as a world leader or top-ten contender. It has a GDP of over £3.2 trillion, putting it fourth in global GDP rankings (Germany having only recently ousted it from the top three) – making it abundantly clear how beneficial it is for UK businesses to be extending a hand around the world to work with Japanese businesses.
Whether a member of the executive team in a multinational business, or heading up your own operation entirely, you may find it incumbent on you to visit Japan for business purposes. Whatever those purposes – be they the meeting of prospective investors, the management of new expansion or even the fielding of new clients – planning is a key aspect of success. What do you need to know to plan your trip effectively?
Understanding Japanese Business Culture
Before you make any serious decisions with regard to networking, social events or your itinerary besides, it’s important to take some time to properly research Japanese business culture. Japanese culture alone can be quite disorienting to navigate without a proper understanding of the history that has generated it, and business culture is well-steeped in the same tenets of formality, conservatism and service.
Hierarchy is a key term for understanding the way Japanese businessfolk conduct business, social events and themselves. Age and rank are vital to understand, and failure to properly prostate oneself before someone above you in rank or age will work against you. For instance, it would be a faux pas to introduce yourself to the youngest in a business team first. Little things like this build up a larger picture, so make sure you’re leaving for Japan with research materials in hand!
Travel Logistics and Accommodation
Speaking of leaving, travel logistics and accommodation arrangements are naturally the organisational hurdles with which you’ll be most concerned. Business travel and accommodation are unavoidably expensive, particularly if you’re bringing a team of your own with you on your trip. Japan trips with an all-inclusive element could be a great choice for introducing new employees to the country, and a great way to incorporate cross-country business with cross-country leisure. For single-destination trips, hotels with transport links are essential for ensuring you don’t miss appointments.
Effective Communication Strategies
With Japan being a global powerhouse in its own right, and with English being one of the most commonly-spoken languages in business, you should not have any major problems navigating the country. For business, though, it is polite at least and beneficial at best to make some efforts of your own. Even learning a handful of basic Japanese phrases, and the grammar of Japanese honorifics, can be enough to ingratiate you with your hosts, and improve your chances with respect to your mission objectives.
