Way of WA... japanese way... !!!

I have been reading weird stuff about Japan recently. It is all part of my training to meet the Japanese. I bought a book about Japanese business ethics, and have been giving it as much of a read as I can.

 

The basic knowledge I need to know is how to greet them. The proper way is to hold your business card in two hands, and hand it to them. TWO HANDS!!! They read it, comment on your job, and you acknowledge. Then they hand you their card. You take it with two hands. Read it, notice what they do, and comment on how great their job is, and how difficult a job they are doing. Wait for them to acknowledge your comments. May sound stupid, but that is the way! Once this is done, you bow, and shake hands.

 

Weird as it may have sounded, this is the least one. I have been reading about how they like their work relationships to be like that of a mother and an infant. On the other hand, work is religion, so no joking, fooling about, or merry making while working is allowed. Trust is extremely important, the same trust an infant has on his/her mother. So important that they only take graduates into companies. You can not just change jobs there. If you do, you have to start at the bottom of the pyramid.

 

Another thing many people would have heard is about there high suicide rate. It may be there mixed very serious and trustworthy approach to all matters of life that induces this in them. Tokyo University, there best university, alone causes a lot of suicides every year by denying them admission. The main reason being the fact that if you get into Tokyo University (Todai, in Japanese), you are secure for the rest of your life. You shall get a great job, and be part of a great social circle all your life. However, committing suicide over a university still sounds a little insane to me. Yet again, you have to be insane to commit suicide!

 

Oh yes, another thing. Japan is a cash-based country, despite all their electronics advancement. They would rather be paid in cash then credit cards. Only the top hotels accept credit cards. Since most of us know that a couple of hundred quid mean about 50 grand yen, that is quite a lot to carry.

 

The only thing that does worry me is the fact that no matter how much information I get from reading books, the best way would be to actually visit the place, which I shall be doing soon. Updates coming soon J.