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The Japan That Can Frustrate

by Per Knudsen
for Tokyo American Club magazine, 2006

For a long time after the start of my second tour in Japan, almost 20 years ago, I could not fall asleep at night without lying still staring straight up at the ceiling and imagining the open landscape around our summer house in Denmark. Not that it is all that beautiful. I put the sleeping problem down to work-related stress. Business was so different and it took time to adjust.

A true and not all that unusual story was retold in Harvard Business Review in 1970 by Howard van Zandt, ITT’s country manager for Japan. A visitor from headquarters obtained a commitment from a Japanese concern to take some action. But after the visitor had boarded his plane for Honolulu, the president of the Japanese company told van Zandt, “I know, of course, that we cannot carry out our promise, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings and spoil his trip. Now you must cable him and explain it can’t be done.”

Japan has changed since then, but some things remain the same. It can be frustrating trying to understand or, even worse, explain to headquarters or overseas clients why things cannot be done or why it must be done differently and may take longer. Overseas counterparts cannot be blamed for thinking we are perhaps not on top of things. But actually part of it is Japanese attention to detail, as well as interpersonal relations. Why would a customer suddenly ask that we deal not direct but via a hitherto unknown distributor? Why the incessant focus by buyers on seemingly minor issues of product specification? Why the demand for quick delivery when it took a year to come to the purchase decision (except for that very reason)? Why do we need 50 trials when in the US it is 25?

Frustrating as this may be, once you are accepted, you will find no more loyal and helpful friends and colleagues than in the Japanese. People go out of their way to help you, especially if you can speak a little Japanese. My hobbies include sailing and motorcycling. We can indulge because there is always a friend of a friend who happens to have a good secondhand boat or bike that he wants to get rid of at a bargain price. Also, there are always friends who will help with repairs. Have you noticed that there is always someone who has brought extra beers when you forgot to? At work, people go out of their way to help you if you know how to ask. Your clients will never desert you just because they got a better offer from a competitor. You will always have the right of first refusal. Talk about personal and business ethics and manners.

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