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Japan

Table of contents:
o General Information on Japan
o Things to do and not to do about:
- Appearance
- Behavior
- Manners
- Communication
- Gift Giving
o Conclusion

General Information on Japan
Japan has a population of approximately 125 million people packed tightly into a rather small geographic area. The official language in Japan is Japanese. Japanese is spoken only in Japan. The literacy rate in Japan is very close to 100 percent and 95 percent of the Japanese population has a high school education.
Japan's form of government is parliamentarian democracy under the rule of a constitutional monarch. The dominant religion is Shinto, which is exclusive to Japan. However, the Japanese have no official religion.

Appearance

1) Make appointments before you arrive in the country

Japanese don't like newcomers. Make appointments before you arrive in the country. The best way is to be introduced personally by a Japanese agent, or better, by a Japanese business partner. Before you make an appointment send detailed information about your company. Your Japanese partners expect you to ask for the same.

2) Be on time
As a general rule, the Japanese are always on time. There are no such things as being "fashionably late" or making a "grand entrance". If an event is to begin at 09:00, then it is best to arrive a few minutes early to get yourself organized and be prepared to begin right at 09:00 (not 09:05).

3) Dress conservatively

In general, the Japanese are much more conscious of their appearance in public than we are in the West. Some Japanese would rather spend money on clothing than on food. In the large cities your clothing is a sign of your background, social status, or wealth. In general, women do not wear sleeveless tops, shorts, or revealing styles. To conform to the typical businessman's style, men wear dark two piece suits with plain white shirts and conservative ties.
The Japanese do not wear excessive amounts of jewellery that are...