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Age and Status

Hierarchy and status are highly important in Japanese culture and influence all social interactions. Status is determined by one's role in an organization, the prestige of the organization, the university attended, and marital status. The exchange of business cards follows a strict protocol, with cards being exchanged with two hands while standing and briefly reviewed to determine the counterpart's important ranks. Bowing is commonly used as a greeting and sign of respect in business, with juniors bowing lower than seniors and avoiding eye contact during the bow. Dress is conservative in business settings, with dark suits and ties for men and subdued colors for women, emphasizing conformity over individual expression. Modesty and humility are also valued through quiet speech and minimal gestures.

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96 views2 pages

Age and Status

Hierarchy and status are highly important in Japanese culture and influence all social interactions. Status is determined by one's role in an organization, the prestige of the organization, the university attended, and marital status. The exchange of business cards follows a strict protocol, with cards being exchanged with two hands while standing and briefly reviewed to determine the counterpart's important ranks. Bowing is commonly used as a greeting and sign of respect in business, with juniors bowing lower than seniors and avoiding eye contact during the bow. Dress is conservative in business settings, with dark suits and ties for men and subdued colors for women, emphasizing conformity over individual expression. Modesty and humility are also valued through quiet speech and minimal gestures.

Uploaded by

Anastasia Cristiana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Age and status

Respect for age and status is very important in Japanese culture, with hierarchy affecting
all aspects of social interactions. The Japanese are most comfortable interacting with someone
they consider their equal. Status is determined by a combination of someone’s role in an
organisation, which organisation they work for, which university they went to and their marital
situation.

Business cards
The exchange of business cards (meishi) is an essential part of initial meetings in Japan
and follows a strict protocol. It allows the Japanese to quickly determine their counterpart’s all-
important position, title and rank. While still standing, you should politely hand a business card
over with two hands, and receive one in return. A slight bow as a form of respect when
exchanging is usually performed. Do not simply drop the card into a pocket; instead take a few
seconds to review names and titles, commenting on them if time permits. If you are sitting down,
place it on the table in front of you for the duration of the meeting. If possible, place the most
senior counterpart’s card at the top with their subordinates’ below or to the left.

Bowing and handshakes


Bowing is an important part of everyday life in Japan, including in the business context.
Japanese bow to those senior to them both as a greeting and a show of respect. The junior person
initiates the bow, bending from the waist to an angle of between 30 and 45 degrees from vertical.
Men keep their arms by their sides and women may cross their hands or fingers at thigh height.
A less accentuated bow, usually about 15 degrees, is returned as acknowledgment from the more
senior person. It is considered bad manners and aggressive to hold eye contact with someone
when you are bowing to them; this is usually done by competitors in martial arts before they
fight. Greet the highest-status individual first, followed by the oldest when meeting a group of
Japanese. For Australian business people, extending a simple handshake when greeting and
taking leave is fine; just don’t shake hands and bow at the same time. Choose one and stick with
it

Dress code
Appearance is very important, and Japanese people tend to dress more formally than
Australians. Business attire is conservative, with an emphasis on conformity rather than
individual expression. Men should wear dark-coloured business suits with ties and white shirts.
Jewellery for men should be kept to a minimum – a watch and a wedding ring would be fine.
Women should also dress conservatively and in subdued colours.

Modesty
Japanese culture values modesty and humility. Speaking in a quiet tone and not
gesticulating too much will go some way towards giving a modest, calm and humble impression.

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