Chapter 7 Business

7.01 Visiting a Client’s Office

7.02 Introducing People

7.03 Meeting with a Client

7.04 Starting a Conversation

7.05 Year-end Courtesy Call (1)

7.06 Year-end Courtesy Call (2)

7.07 New Year Courtesy Call

7.08 Introducing a Successor

7.09 Seniority in a Company

7.10 Words and Expressions

Chapter7

Business

As in any country, communication is the key to good relationships with people both inside and outside the company. The Japanese work hard at this, and business people from overseas will have to work even harder to break down barriers and establish good working relationships. In business hours there will be meetings and visits to clients; ourside of business hours, time spent with colleagues and clients will give you an insight into what is really happening. And playing golf, although not the national obsession it once was, will give you more opportunities to build up relationships with business acquaintances.

The language used in business is probably the most formal you will come across and there are rules of etiquette that you need to get used to. The presentation of business cards is a ceremony in itself. But don’t be put off. It might help to remember that many Japanese are probably just as ill at ease as you are—so try to be relaxed. It is important to get the formalities right, but it's equally important to get to true communication as soon as you can. Be friendly and open, know your subject and you’ll be fine.

Let us suppose you are about to go to your first formal business engagement in Japan and you want to know how to prepare for it. For one thing, make sure you have business cards showing your company or affiliation. Have a few general comments ready in Japanese, perhaps concerning the weather or a recent news event. Also be sure to dress neatly; this depends on the industry and attitudes are changing but, generally, it means suit and tie for men, and jacket for women. Japanese are sticklers for punctuality so give yourself ample time to find your destination.

The card-exchanging ceremony takes place after you are shown into the meeting room (incidentally, there are even rules about where to sit: visitors sit on the chairs opposite the door; and the top seat is the seat furthest from the door). In this ceremony everyone stands to one side of the tables. When offering your card, present it so that your name is right side up as it faces the recipient. At the same time, bow and say your name. You’re supposed to receive the other person’s card with both hands, but it’s difficult when you’re trying to juggle your card case as well. Use the case to receive the card. Look first at the title, to see what level of person you are dealing with, then look at the name. You can say the name out loud (it will help you remember it). Take your seat, putting the cards in front of you on the table. If you don’t know the reading of someone’s name it’s a good opening gambit to ask. People are generally more than happy to explain the background to an unusual name and it’s a good ice-breaker.

Don’t be in too much of a hurry to get to business. First, people have to register that you can function in the language; next, you have to draw them in. Try to blend, try to find points of similarity. People will be pleased if you show you have noticed something about their country and praise it. Food and drink are “safe” topics.

During the conversation, generally address people by their titles without the name, for example, kachō, manejā. If the person doesn’t have a title, use – san after their name. Don’t use all three, Kobabyashi buchō-san is incorrect.

Others may use formal language throughout the meeting, but no one will think the worse of you if you slip into neutral language (using the – masu form of verbs) after the initial civilities are through. At the end of the meeting, you’ll find speech becoming formal again, so you will leave a good final impression if you use the polite set expressions to thank your hosts for their time and to say goodbye.

The conversations in this chapter deal with the courtesy call (aisatsu), a short visit to a client, customer or anyone else connected with the business. Courtesy calls are made during the year, especially when people change positions or companies, or when new business deals have been settled. During the last weeks in December and again in the first weeks of January, people make calls to thank others for their custom during the past year and to express the hope that the relationship will continue through the coming year.

7.01 Visiting a Client’s Office

When you visit someone on business in Japan, you should arrive several minutes early and make yourself known at reception.

MICHAEL:

Ekoshisutemu no Tērā to mōshimasu ga, kōbai no Takahashisan, o-negai shimasu. Niji ni o-yakusoku o itadaite orimasu.

エコシステムのテーラーど申します力〗、購買の高橋さんお 願いします。2時にお約朿をいただいております。

My name is Taylor and I’m from EcoSystems. I would like (to meet with) Mr. Takahashi from the purchasing department. I have (received) an appointment at 2 p.m.

VOICE:

Shōshō o-machi kudasai.

少々お待ちください。

One moment please.

TAKAHASHI:

Tērā-san desu ka? O-machi shite orimashita. Takahashi desu.

テーラーさんですか。お待ちしておりました。高橋です。

Mr. Mitchell? I’ve been expecting you. I’m Takahashi.

MICHAEL:

Hajimemashite. Tērā desu. Kyō wa o-isogashii tokoro, arigatō gozaimasu.

はじめまして。テーラーです。きょうはお忙しいところ、あり がとうございます。

How do you do? My name is Taylor. Thank you for making time to see me today.

TAKAHASHI:

Tondemo nai desu yo. Kochira e dōzo.

とんでもないですよ。どうぞこちらへ。

Not at all. Please come this way.

7.02 Introducing People

Takahashi decides to introduce Michael and his colleagues to the CEO of the company.

MICHAEL (presenting his card) :

Ecoshisutemu no Tērā de gozaimasu.

エコシステムのテーラーでございます。

My name is Taylor and I’m from EcoSystems.

CEO:

Hajimemashite. Hashimoto de gozaimasu.

はじめまして。橋本でございます。

How do you do? My name is Hashimoto.

MICHAEL:

Hajimemashite. Dōzo yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu. Go-shōkai shimasu. Eigyō no Satō de gozaimasu. Denki jidōsha no supesharisuto de gozaimasu.

はじめまして。どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。 ご紹介します。営業の佐藤でございます。電気自動車のス ペシャリストでございます。

I’m very pleased to meet you. Let me introduce you. This is Sato, from sales. She’s a specialist in electric vehicles.

SATO:

Hajimemashite. Yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu.

はじめまして。よろしくお願いいたします。

Glad to meet you.

CEO:

Ima tantō no mono mo yobimasu no de, dōzo, o-kake kudasai.

今、担当の者も呼びますので、どうぞ、お掛けください。

I’ll just call in the person who is working on this project so please sit down.

7.03 Meeting with a Client

As in most other countries in the world, a meeting will often begin with polite small talk before proceeding to the business in hand.

MICHAEL:

Mae ni Rarii kenkyūjo ni imashita ga, shachō wa Nōsu Karoraina go-zonji desu ka?

前にラリ一研究所にいました力\社長はノースカロライナ 一ご存知ですか。

I used to be with our research institute in Raleigh. Are you familiar with North Carolina?

HASHIMOTO:

Ē. Kengaku shita koto ga arimasu yo.

え一。見学したこどがありますよ。

Yes. I’ve visited it.

MICHAEL:

Iya, hontō desu ka? Itsu-goro irasshitan’ desu ka?

いや、本当です力、。いつごろいらっしたんですか。

Really? When did you go?

HASHIMOTO:

Dōji tahatsu tero jiken no chokugo deshita yo. Hikōki ga amari nakattan’ desu ga, dōshitemo ikitakute.

同時多発テロ事件の直後でしたよ。飛行機があまりなかつ たんですが、どうしても行きたくて。

It was right after 9–11. There weren’t many planes flying but I was really intent on going.

MICHAEL:

Sasuga desu ne. Onsha ga chōdo shin-enerugii ni chikara o iredashita koro desu ne. Sono go wa ichijirushii hatten desu ne.

さすがですね。御社がちょうど新エネルギーに力を入れだ したころですね。その後は著しい発展ですね。

That’s amazing. That was about the time your company started concentrating on new forms of energy. Since then, things have really come a long way.

HASHIMOTO:

Ossharu tōri desu. Hanashi ga kawarimasu ga, kyō wa nanika?

おっしゃるどおりです。話が変わりますが、今日は何か。

Yes, indeed [ lit. as you say]. However [ lit. to change the subject], what can I do for you today?

MICHAEL:

Jitsu wa, atarashii seihin no go-shōkai ni agarimashita.

実は、新しい製品のご紹介に上がりました。

Well, I’ve come to tell you about our new product.

7.04 Starting a Conversation

These general remarks can be used to start a conversation.

• Mezurashii myōji desu ne. Dochira no go-shusshin desu ka?
珍しい名字ですね。どちらのご出身ですか。
That’s an unusual surname. Where are you from?

• Atsui hi ga tsuzukimasu ne. Shigoto e no eikyō wa?
暑い曰が続きますね。仕事への影響は？
This hot weather doesn’t let up, does it? Does it affect your business?

• Onsha no shinseihin o sassoku kaimashita. Sugoi desu ne.
御社の新製品を早速買いました。すごいですね。
I immediately bought your company’s new product. It’s really good.

• Senjitsu shinbun de haiken shimashita ga, onsha ga kondo Betonamu de kōjō o shinsetsu suru yō desu ne. Masu-masu o-sakan desu ne.
先日、新聞で拝見しました力\御社が今度ヴェトナムで工場 を新設するようですね。ますますお盛んですね。
I saw in the newspaper that your company is going to build a new plant in Vietnam. Your company’s doing very well, isn’t it?

Below are comments that will direct the conversation toward the business in hand.

• Bijinesu wa ikaga desu ka?
ビジネスはいかがですか。
How’s business?

• Gyōkai no keiki wa ikaga desu ka?
業界の景気はいかがですか。
What’s the situation like in your industry?

• Urete imasu ka?
売れていますか。
How are sales?

• Gen’yu kakaku ga neage saresō desu ga, eikyō wa dō desu ka?
原油価格が値上げされそうですが、影響はどうですか。
It looks as if the price of oil will be raised. How will that affect you?

• Kyō mo mata en-daka/en-yasu ni ugokimashita ne.
今日もまた円高・円安に動きましたね。
The yen’s stronger/weaker again today.

7.05 Year-end Courtesy Call (1)

During December, sales staff and management make year-end calls to thank clients for their business during the year. This dialogue gives examples of the typical expressions that are exchanged during such a visit. The visit also gives Michael a chance to find out what’s happened to his proposal.

MICHAEL:

Kotoshi wa iro-iro to o-sewa ni narimashita. Arigatō gozaimashita. Rainen mo yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu.

今年はいろいろどお世話になりました。ありがどうございま した。来年もよろしくお願いいたします。

Thank you for all your help this year. We look forward to working with you next year as well.

TAKAHASHI:

Sore wa dōmo waza-waza arigatō gozaimasu. Kochira koso iro-iro to o-sewa ni narimashita.

それはどうもわざわざありがどうございます。こちらこそい ろいろどお世話になりました。

Thank you for taking the trouble to visit us. We are the ones who should be thanking you for your help.

MICHAEL:

Tokorode, senjitsu no ken nan desu ga, shinchoku jōkyō wa?

どころで、先日の件なんですが、進渉状況は？

By the way, about the matter [we discussed] the other day. Any progress?

TAKAHASHI:

Junchō ni susunde imasu yo. Rainen sōsō, gutaiteki na hanashi ga dekiru to omoimasu yo.

順調に進んでいますよ。来年早々、具体的な話ができるど 思いますよ。

It’s proceeding satisfactorily. Early in the new year I think we’ll be able to have some concrete discussions.

MICHAEL:

Yokatta desu ne. Sore de wa, rainen mo yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu. Mina-san, yoi o-toshi o o-mukae kudasai.

よかったですね。それでは、来年もよろしくお願いいたしま す。皆さんよいお年をお迎えください。

Great. We look forward to continuing our relationship with you next year. Happy New Year to all of you.

TAKAHASHI:

Waza-waza go-teinei ni arigatō gozaimashita. Dōzo, yoi otoshi o.

わざわざご丁寧にありがどうございました。どうぞ、よいお 年を。

Thank you for visiting. Have a happy New Year.

7.06 Year-end Courtesy Call (2)

Year-end courtesy calls, which can be made without an appointment, provide excellent opportunities for meeting people. The only difficulty may be that the people you go to see are out doing their rounds! If this happens, leave your card and proceed to your next destination.

MICHAEL:

Ekoshisutemu no Tērā desu ga nenmatsu no go-aisatsu ni ukagaimashita. Kobayashi-jōmu wa irasshaimasu deshō ka?

エコシステムのテーラ一ですが年末のご挨拶に伺いまし た。小林常務はいらっしゃいますでしょう力、。

I’m Taylor from EcoSystems. I’ve come to make a year-end call. Is Mr. Kobayashi in?

MEMBER OF STAFF:

Ainiku Kobayashi wa ima gaishutsu-chū desu.

あいにく、小林は今、外出中です。

I’m afraid he’s out right now.

MICHAEL:

Sore de wa, meishi o buchō ni o-watashi itadakemasu ka? Kotoshi wa iro-iro to o-sewa ni narimashita. Ecoshisutemu no Tērā ga nenmatsu no go-aisatsu ni ukagaimashita to tsutaete kudasai.

それでは、名詞を部長にお渡しいただけます力、。今年はい ろいろどお世話になりました。エコシステムのテーラーが 年末のご挨拶に伺いましたど伝えてください。

Then would you give him my card? I wanted to thank him for all his help this year. Please tell him that Taylor from EcoSystems came to see him.

MEMBER OF STAFF:

Kashikomarimashita. Waza-waza arigatō gozaimashita.

かしこまりました。わざわざありがどうございました。

Certainly. Thank you for calling.

7.07 New Year Courtesy Call

New Year courtesy calls should be made within the first two weeks after returning to work.

MICHAEL:

Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu. Kyūnen-chū wa iro-iro to o-sewa ni narimashite, arigatō gozaimashita. Honnen mo yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu.

あけましておめでどうございます。旧年中はいろいろどお世 話になりまして、ありがどうございました。本年もよろしくお 願いいたします。

Happy New Year. We would like to thank you for all your help last year. We look forward to working with you this year as well.

KOBAYASHI:

Omedetō gozaimasu. Kochira koso honnen mo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.

おめでどうございます。こちらこそ本年もよろしくお願いい たします。

Happy New Year. We too look forward to the relationship continuing through this year.

MICHAEL:

Jōmu no o-shōgatsu wa ikaga deshita ka? Eigo wa o-tassha de irasshaimasu no de, hyotto shitara, kaigai ryo kō de mo saremashita ka?

常務のお正月はいかがでした力、。英語はお連者でいらっしゃ いますので、ひょっとしたら、海外旅行でもされました力、。

Director, how was your New Year? Your English is good, perhaps you went abroad?

KOBAYASHI:

Iya, zenzen. Doko e mo dekakenakatta desu yo.

いや、ぜんぜん。どこへも出かけなかったですよ。

No, not at all. We didn't go anywhere.

MICHAEL:

Sore wa sore wa. Tokoro de, kotoshi no keiki wa dō deshō ne?

それはそれは。どころで今年の景気はどうでしょうね。

I see. By the way, I wonder what kind of year it will be?

KOBAYASHI:

li toshi de atte hoshii mono desu ne.

いい年であってほしいものですね。

I hope it’s a good year.

MICHAEL:

Watakushidomo to no tori-hiki ga fueru to iin’ desu ga ne.

私どもどの取引が増えるどいいんですがね。

I hope that this year your company will continue doing more and more business with us.

KOBAYASHI:

Mochiron sō negaitai desu yo.

もちろんそう願いたいですよ。

Of course, we hope so too.

MICHAEL:

Sore-dewa, o-isogashii tokoro o arigatō gozaimashita.

それでは、お忙しいどころをありがどうございました。

Thank you for giving up your time to see me today.

KOBAYASHI:

lie. Waza-waza arigatō gozaimashita.

いいえ。わざわざありがどうございました。

Not at all. Thank you for coming.

MICHAEL:

Sore-dewa, kore de shitsurei shimasu.

それでは、これで失礼します。

Well, if you’ll excuse me, I should be going now.

7.08 Introducing a Successor

People will appreciate it if you call on them when you change jobs or positions. If you introduce your successor at the same time, you will ease their transition into their new job.

MICHAEL:

Kondo hongoku ni kaeru koto ni narimashita. Zainichi-chū wa iro-iro to o-sewa ni narimashita. Arigatō gozai mashita.

今度、本国に帰るこどになりました。在日中はいろいろどお 世話になりました。ありがどうございました。

I’ll soon be returning (to my country). Thank you for all your help while I’ve been in Japan.

TAKAHASHI:

Iya, odorokimashita ne. De, dochira e?

いや、驚きましたね。で、どちらへ？

Well, that’s a surprise. And where are you moving to?

MICHAEL:

Nyū Yōku no honsha ni modorimasu ga, kyō, kōnin no Jonson no go-shōkai ni ukagaimashita. Watakushi dōyō yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.

ニューヨークの本社に灵ります力\今日、後任のジョンソン のご紹介に伺いました。私同様よろしくお願いいたします。

I’ll be returning to the head office in New York. I’ve called today to introduce my successor, Mr. Johnson. I hope you will be as kind to him as you have been to me.

TAKAHASHI:

Hajimemashite. Takahashi desu.

はじめまして。高橋です。

How do you do? My name is Takahashi.

SUCCESSOR:

Jonson to moshimasu. Tērā no kōnin to shite mairima shita. Yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu.

ジョンソンど申します。テーラ一の後任どしてまいりまし た。よろしくお願いいたします。

My name is Johnson and I’ve come as Taylor’s successor. Glad to meet you.

TAKAHASHI:

Ima made dō iu o-shigoto o saretan’ desu ka?

今までどういうお仕事をされたんですか。

What kind of work were you doing before you came here?

JOHNSON :

Honsha de kenkyū kaihatsu o tantō shite imashita.

本社で研究開発を担当していました。

I was in charge of research and development at head office.

MICHAEL: (when leaving)

Iro-iro arigatō gozaimashita. Hashimoto shachō ni mo yoroshiku o-tsutae kudasai.

いろいろありがどうございました。橋本社長にもよろしくお 伝えください。

Thank you for everything. Please give my regards to the president, Mr. Hashimoto.

TAKAHASHI:

Wakarimashita. O-karada o taisetsu ni. Nihon ni koraretara mata o-yori kudasai. Itsudemo kangei shimasu.

分かりました。お体を大切に。日本に来られたら、またお 寄りください。いつでも歓迎します。

I will. Please take care of yourself and when you visit Japan, come in and see us again. You’re always welcome.

7.09 Seniority in a Company

Although companies are moving away from traditional titles and using terms like “manager” and “leader”, here for your reference is a list of traditional titles in order of seniority. A senior managing director, managing director, and, in a large corporation, even a director may have the authority of a vice-president in a US company. The word torishimariyaku (取締役) before the title means that the person is a board member.

kaichō	会長	chairman
shachō	社長	chief executive officer, president
fuku-shachō	副社長	executive vice-president
senmu	専務	senior managing director
jōmu	常務	managing director
buchō	部長	director
jichō	次長	senior manager
kachō	課長	manager
shunin	主任	supervisor
kakarichō	係長	supervisor

Below are titles for people who work at an English-conversation school:

• ei-kaiwa gakkō daihyō / rijichō
英会話学校代表/理事長
director (and presumably owner) of an English-conversation school

• eikaiwa kyōshitsu shunin
英会話教室主任
head teacher of an English conversation school

• ei-kaiwa kōshi/kyōshi
英会話講師•教師
teacher of English conversation

Numbers

Mastering Japanese numbers is quite a challenge, especially when it gets to large numbers. The basic units are not thousands and millions but man (万, units of 10,000) and oku (億, units of 100 million). So, ten million is counted as 1,000 man (1,000 times 10,000). And a billion is 10 oku (10 times 100 million). A trillion is one chō (兆).

100	hyaku	百	one hundred
1,000	sen	千	one thousand
10,000	ichiman	1万	ten thousand
100,000	jūman	10万	one hundred thousand
1,000,000	hyakuman	百万	one million
10,000,000	issenman	1千万	ten million
100,000,000	ichioku	1億	one hundred million
1,000,000,000	jūoku	十億	one billion
10,000,000,000	hyakuoku	百億	ten billion
100,000,000,000	sen’oku	千億	one hundred billion
1,000,000,000,000	itchō	1兆	one trillion

Polite words

Much used in business, these politer forms of words make the speech sound more sophisticated and professional.

Ordinary form	Polite form	Meaning
kore	kochira	this
sore	sochira	that
dore	dochira	which
dare	dochira	who
naze	dōshite	why
dō	ikaga	how
otoko no hito, onna no hito	otoko no kata, onna no kata 男の人、女の人	man, woman
(anata no) kaisha	onsha 御社	your company
(uchi no) kaisha	heisha 弊社	our company
isogashii	go-tabō ご多忙	busy

7.10 Words and Expressions

torihiki	取引	business, transactions, dealings
torihikisaki	取引先	clients
keiei	経営	management
meishi	名詞	business card
aisatsu	挨拶	courtesy call
ōsetsushitsu	応接室	reception room
kaigi	会義	meeting
nenmatsu no go-aisatsu	年末のご挨拶	year-end courtesy call
nenshi no go-aisatsu	年始のご挨拶	New Year courtesy call
nagai tsukiai	長い付き合い	long-standing relationship
kōshō (suru)	交渉(する）	negotiations (to negotiate)
hinshitsu	品質	quality
akaji	赤字	deficit, in the red
kuroji	黑字	surplus, in the black
tōshi	投資	investment
setsubi tōshi	設備投資	capital spending
bōnenkai	忘年会	year end party (office Christmas party)

Tono-sama Shōbai 殿様商売

“Feudal Lord’s Business”

This describes a businessperson who expects their products to sell by themselves. It used to be used to refer to foreign firms that didn’t try hard enough to sell their products in Japan’s competitive market.

Kaban-mochi かばん持ち

“Bag-carrier”

This is the person who does all the hard work but is only second in command. If someone says, Watashi wa kaban-mochi desu kara (私 はかばん持ちですから」 I’m only the bag carrier) this means the speaker does not have the authority to make final decisions.