Japan: Public Behaviour
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Public Behaviour
People sometimes wonder how they should greet people when introducing themselves. Should we talk abruptly and in a rough voice like the samurai we see on television, or get on our hands and knees as the women are seen so often serving tea to their guests. The reality for most foreigners who don't speak Japanese is they will simply say something like, 'I'm xxx, pleased to meet you.' At the same time they will extend their hand to shake hands. The Japanese are very used to this now. Japanese to Japanese is still bowing to each other with no shaking hands, so if you can add in a slight bow of your head to your counterpart while still looking forward and shaking hands, that will be even better!
Women or men, doesn't matter - shaking hands has become an accepted mode of greeting when a foreigner is present.
Regarding your demeanor, the old recommendation would have been to be solemn and quiet, but today, it's alright to veer away from that a bit. Don't get too loud and overuse your hands as it might turn off the Japanese, though. Also be careful about starting with jokes, as it's rather difficult to get the meaning across, and can leave the Japanese confused to start the meeting, which would not be a good start!
Eye contact is now accepted and preferred overall.
Regarding gestures and sayings that you might want to be careful with, there are a few to be aware of. Try not to use the word 'uh' in your speech, as it has a rough sound to the Japanese and can hurt the overall flow of what your saying. Americans especially tend to throw in 'uh' many times between thoughts, so be aware.
Avoid crossing your legs if possible. Sit up and be attentive in the meetings. Your leg coming up above the table suggests you are too relaxed and actually not showing respect.
For sneezing and coughing, try to turn to the side when doing so and cover your face. If you sneeze into a tissue, then throw it out right away. It doesn't come across well to hold on to it!
Regarding the gestures of the Japanese, I could say that 15 years ago I knew exactly what movement meant what. But today, as the Japanese culture has opened up, so has the development of gestures. In reality, at present they are not that much different from our own.
