A Hotel Stay Like No Other at the Robot Hotel!
Last week during a business trip to Japan, I spent a night at the Henn na Hotel— and it turned out to be one of the most amusing parts of my visit. The check-in counter…
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Insights from Japan (May 2025): HR Challenges, Trends & JCO Solutions
(By Olivier van Beneden, Managing Director JCO) I recently returned from a visit to Japan at the end of April, where I had the opportunity to meet with a wide range of JCO clients –…
Salary(wo)men vs. 4.0: Trends on Japan’s labor market (part 2)
This is the second part on current changes in the Japanese labor market. Government Policy Drives Workplace Reform & Economic Forces Boost Labor Mobility The Japanese government is reshaping workplace norms through targeted policies. Notably,…
Salary(wo)men vs. 4.0: Trends on Japan’s labor market (part 1)
Japan’s Workers Seek Change Amid Evolving Job Market & Mid-Career Shifts Gain Momentum Post-pandemic, a significant portion of Japan’s workforce is considering job changes. A 2023 survey revealed that 37% of workers were planning or…
Are JCO Efficiency Booster Programs just a “nice to have”?
(Author: Nikolaus Mach-Hour, senior trainer and VP global strategy) This week, I led major JCO workshops with participants from Japan, APAC, the US, and the EMEA region. The energy was fantastic, but what truly stood…
Comparison: Learning to Swim Before or After Jumping into the Water?
(by Olivier van Beneden, founder of JCO) In my 20 years of experience delivering training workshops, I’ve worked with participants from diverse cultural backgrounds, including Japanese, Europeans, and Americans. These years of hands-on experience have…
Nine Essential Japanese Expressions to Enhance Your Communication skills and deepen your relationships – Part 3
Welcome to the final instalment of our series on essential Japanese expressions! Over the past two articles, you’ve learned six powerful phrases to strengthen your communication and cultural understanding. In this edition, we’ll share the…
Nine Essential Japanese Expressions to Enhance Your Communication skills and deepen your relationships – Part 2
Welcome back to the second part of our series on essential Japanese expressions! In this edition, we’ll introduce three more key phrases that will further enhance your interactions with Japanese colleagues and clients. These expressions…
Nine Essential Japanese Expressions to Enhance Your Communication skills and deepen your relationships – Part 1
The Japanese language is complex and context-sensitive, with different interpretations based on the situation and the people involved. Learning a few key expressions can greatly enhance your interactions and show respect for Japanese culture. In…
The changing Japanese attitude towards Gaman (= enduring hardship with dignity)
The concept of gaman (我慢), or enduring hardship with dignity, is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and has traditionally been viewed as a virtue—one that exemplifies patience, resilience, and quiet perseverance. Practiced in both personal…
What you need to know about the new “workation” trend! (Japanese translation available)
What you need to know about the new “workation” trend! (Japanese version) In many countries, the trend towards “workations” – blending work with vacation – is gaining momentum as companies seek to enhance employee well-being…
Using the Japanese “5 Whys” Technique for successful Project Management with Japanese Partners and Headquarters
The “5 Whys” technique is a problem-solving method commonly used in Japanese business to identify the root cause of a problem. Developed by Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota, it involves asking “why” repeatedly to…
New work-from-home trend in Japan
Although Japan has long been known for its excessively long working hours, there has been a lot of change in recent years. For example, an interesting new study on sleep deprivation among Japanese employees from…
“Out of office…”: A guide to public holidays in Japan
When working with Japan, it is always useful to know when your colleagues will be out of office. The country has a total of 16 public holidays in a year compared to 10 holidays in…
The five most popular office events in Japan that could benefit your team too
Japanese culture and business culture is renowned for its emphasis on working in tight-knit groups. In this article, we will look at Japanese office events and how you can draw inspiration from them for your…
Do robot dogs go to heaven? The “foster care” program for Sony Aibo
Almost everyone knows Sony’s Aibo “robot dog”, whose revival in 2018 marked not only a technological milestone but also a significant cultural touchstone. Designed to replicate the experience of pet ownership, Aibo has found a…
2 vital tools for efficient online meetings with Japan
The basis of any effective communication is mutual and undistorted understanding. This is valid even more for online meetings with Japanese and non-Japanese attendees. As explained in a prior JCO blog post, English and Japanese are fundamentally different languages, both in…
What Japanese game shows like “Takeshi’s castle” teach us about Japanese culture
Many people that grew up in the 90ies might still remember a Japanese gameshow called “Takeshi’s castle” in which groups of contestants were battling a host called (Beat) Takeshi by overcoming various physical challenges. As…
“Strength in numbers”: How (wo)man power is used in Japan
Our articles often focus on the way cultural roots such as history, philosophy or even religion are reflected in a country’s current business culture. Everywhere in the world, including Japan, the world of work has…
JCO safety belts for “communication danger spots”! Part 2
(Japanese version) In the first part we looked at various ways the same sentence could be interpreted based on context and how it is said. Then we reviewed specific danger spots that we need to…
Identifying communication “danger spots”! Part 1
(Click here for Japanese version) Communicating across cultures is always a challenging task especially if you are sent to another country or are communicating frequently with colleagues overseas. Before we look at a few useful…
“Yoroshiku onegai shimasu”: what it means and why you should remember it!
In a previous post we learned how New Year is celebrated in Japan and how to say “Happy New Year” in Japanese. One of those greetings included yoroshiku onegai shimasu. It is one of the…
How the New Year is celebrated in Japan
With the year coming to a close, we would like to use this opportunity to talk about some of the important Japanese customs that come with transitioning over to the new year. On the evening…
The rejuvenation of Japanese business culture (part 4)
(by Nikolaus Mach-Hour, Head of JCO Germany / VP global strategy) In this last part of our four-part series, I would like to highlight some of the trends regarding how JCO customers are about to…
The rejuvenation of Japanese business culture (part 3)
(by Nikolaus Mach-Hour, Head of JCO Germany / VP global strategy) After discussing changes in HR strategies as well as policies on gender, inclusion and diversity in the second part of the series, in this…
The rejuvenation of Japanese business culture (part 2)
(by Nikolaus Mach-Hour, Head of JCO Germany / VP global strategy) After discussing changes in the management, executive and board layers in the first part of the series, in this second installment I would like…
The rejuvenation of Japanese business culture (part 1)
(by Nikolaus Mach-Hour, Head of JCO Germany / VP global strategy) I have been working with Japanese colleagues, clients and partners for over 30 years and, in this article series, I would like to show…
“Senobi” or “SMART”: Target Setting in Japanese companies
In this article we are going to tackle a comment by an experienced participant to an open seminar. “I have been working at a Japanese company for quite some time now. So, I am used…
When communicating with Japanese, hit pause ⏸ to avoid the “yes” trap!
In our previous post, we looked into the reasons why it is not easy for Japanese people to speak and understand English. Once you have realized that it is simply as difficult for Japanese people…
Why do many Japanese people have difficulty speaking and understanding English?
If there is one question that comes up in every JCO session for Non-Japanese it would have to be this one. “Why do so many Japanese struggle in English?” In this article, we will look…
A picture is worth a 1000 words…but the message may vary by culture!
All the trainings, workshops and programs that JCO has been conducting worldwide since 2006 always touch on the subject of communication in all its forms. In this article, we will highlight the visual part of…
“Why are the Japanese I work with so pedantic, trying to plan everything 150%?”
In this article let us take a look at a question that comes up in our JCO workshops almost every time: “Why are the Japanese so pedantic, trying to plan everything 150%? Sometimes you just…
How Japanese business culture is trying to modernize its work style and combat “Karoshi”
Even though Japan is among the richest and most developed countries, the work-life balance of its population may be in need of modernisation. The Japanese are hard workers, so much so that it, at times,…
What my “Etch A Sketch party” taught me about Japanese high context communication
Many articles, research papers, and books have been written on the Japanese way of communication. Some authors go a bit overboard by referring to Far Eastern myths of “telepathy in the land of the rising…
Why Is Reporting So Different in Japanese Companies?
Information sharing and reporting is often a cause of friction in Japanese companies. Here is one extreme example that shows just how serious the implications can be. A Japanese company abroad appointed their first non-Japanese…
Joint projects with Japan or, “How even monkeys, at times, fall from trees”
“Even monkeys sometimes fall from trees”, as goes the Japanese expression. Despite over 30 years of working experience with the country, this expression came to me as I realized that I had made a cardinal…
How do we use “san” when addressing a Japanese colleague?
Very often we are asked how to address Japanese business partners or colleagues correctly. Here are a few tips, which of course apply equally to written correspondence as well as to conversations. As a rule…
Do Japanese celebrate Christmas?
In keeping with the holiday season, this time we want to delve into the role of religion in Japan and explain whether and how Christmas is celebrated in Japan. Religion in Japan Christianity is not…
〇△✖: Japanese icons you need to know at the workplace
Here is an important piece of information that will help you work with Japanese colleagues here and at HQ. If you have ever seen PowerPoint slides created by Japanese you will have noticed 2 points:…
How COVID-19 is forcing Japanese companies to revisit their ways of working
The coronavirus COVID-19 has shaken up the way we work. We now know more about Zoom or MS Team applications than we did a few months ago and have all been invited to an “online…
My fault?/Your fault! Who is to blame? Comparing Japan and the West
During one of my seminars I gave in Japan, I realized the different reactions Japanese and Westerners have towards being told they have made a mistake. I am talking about the very first, almost…
My Japanese colleague keeps answering phone calls while talking to me. What gives…?
Non-Japanese participants to JCO’s sessions often express their incredulity when their supposedly polite Japanese colleagues are suddenly answering their phone albeit being in the midst of a conversation with them. “They just left me standing…
The 5 secrets for an effective brainstorming session with Japanese partners and colleagues
Have you ever tried to brainstorm with Japanese colleagues? If you did, you might have been disappointed by the lack of participation by your colleagues. You might have thought “I can’t believe they are top…
The concept of shame and its implications for local employees of Japanese companies
We often hear that Japan has a culture of shame (vs. guilt in the West) This affects many areas of work and life, as to how you are perceived by your neighbors, your colleagues and…
Using emoji as a “universal language” for communication with Japan? Well, it is tricky… 😅
Let´s start with a short question on the use of emoji. Like many things that surround us, emoji originated in Japan and can be translated as 絵, e = “picture” plus 文字, moji = “letter”.…
“Time is money”
(translation from JCO article in Japanese) The Japanese government has launched a new work-style reform in Japan as of April 1st, 2019 which steers the Japanese labour market towards a more globally aligned approach to…
Why can’t Japanese colleagues stick to our agreement?
In our blog, we answer some of the questions we regularly receive during our seminars. “I had a teleconference with my Japanese colleagues in Japan. We suggested planning for the project and they all agreed…
“Take me to the moon!”: The playful side of Japanese business culture
Japanese CEOs sometimes exemplify a unique approach to corporate leadership. Here are two examples: – Yusaku Maezawa, the founder of a large Japanese online fashion mail order company, is not only known as a collector…
The Education System in Japan (Part I)
Japan is notorious for its strong emphasis on “humans as resources”: due to its lack of natural resources, Japan instead focuses on forming highly educated and skilled citizens. Education is perceived as not only defining…
Is there a “Hidden Agenda” in Japanese Companies?
Since 2006, JCO has been very active in improving mutual understanding between local and expatriate staff in Japanese companies. After having worked with staff from hundreds of Japanese companies from all across Europe, the Americas…
JCO Has Won the “1st BEST Supplier” and “Highest Appreciated Training Institute” Award for the Second Time
We are happy to announce that Japan Consulting Office (JCO) has received the “1st BEST Supplier” and “Highest Appreciated Training Institute” award from Mitsubishi Turbocharger and Engine for the second time. This prestigious recognition is…
Do We Really Make Too Many Excuses?
When asking a Japanese employee about his non-Japanese colleagues, they might tell you that “they don’t apologize enough” or that “they make excuses”. Indeed, when something goes wrong, we tend to focus more on explaining…
The Concept of ‘Giri’: Understanding Obligations and Building Personal Relations in Japan
A few years back while visiting Japan, a former university classmate and I stopped by a convenience store to buy some drinks in order not to arrive empty-handed at the home of Saito-san, a common…
Localization of Japanese Overseas Subsidiaries
Current Situation and Analysis One of the questions we often receive from our customers is about the “localization” of Japanese companies. While the prospects of global markets remain unclear, with what seems to be a…
Why Do My Japanese Colleagues Pronounce “Elevator” as “erebeetaa”?
All people who work regularly with Japanese colleagues have probably experienced this: their level of spoken English is usually not that great. Furthermore, they seem to have a very particular way of pronouncing things: “elevator”…
Why Do Japanese Apologise So Often?
Japanese participants in JCO seminars very often give following complaint: “Staff in Europe/the US seldom apologize but are always looking for excuses instead.” Let’s take a closer look at the cultural background of this rather…
The Crane’s Voice or Reliability Is in the Eye of the Beholder
Cross-cultural misunderstandings often are based on differing cultural values. These differences can very often be seen in the workplace where they manifest in behavior that does not seem to make sense from the viewpoint of…
When I send a question to a Japanese Colleague, I get 5 questions back instead of a concrete answer!
This time, we want to touch on a phenomenon that everybody working with the Japanese has likely experienced and is invariably raised in JCO’s seminars. Namely the fact that in response to our questions, Japanese…
How to Get Feedback from a Japanese Boss
Sometimes when Westerners work with Japanese they can be frustrated by the lack of feedback from their Japanese managers. Why is it sometimes difficult to get feedback from Japanese managers? There can be many reasons…
New Frontiers: JCO Proudly Expands into Eastern Europe
On 21 March 2013, Japan Consulting Office launched a new branch in Budapest, Hungary. The new office will be headed by the former Ambassador of Hungary to Japan, Dr. Zoltan Sudy. With a diplomatic and…
Japanese, English and the “Elephant in the Room”
In the English language, a common expression is “the elephant in the room”. This of course refers to a major problem or issue that people are aware of but avoid discussing or acknowledging. In the…
JCO is Proud to Announce the Opening of Singapore Office
In late 2012, Japan Consulting Office opened a new branch in Singapore, headed by locally-based Japanese expat Sunao Fujii. With more than 15 years of consulting and training experience, Mr. Fujii is familiar with the…
Reporting: Is it Top-Down or Bottom-Up?
When you work with Japanese, whether colleagues or clients, there is an important cultural aspect that many Westerners overlook in their enthusiasm to “get the job done”. Specifically, this is the importance that the Japanese…