Japanese Business Etiquette for Engineers: What Really Matters vs Outdated Practices
"Do I need to master perfect bowing techniques and business card exchange rituals to work in Japan?"
This is one of the most common questions I hear from engineers considering working in Japan. While traditional Japanese companies (the so-called JTC - Japanese Traditional Companies) do have distinctive customs, modern tech companies and startups are significantly shifting away from these conventions.
In this article, I'll explain what "truly necessary manners" and "outdated practices you can actually ignore" look like in Japanese development environments, from the perspective of a working engineer.
1. Outdated Practices You Don't Need to Worry About
Let's start with the rules that you might be concerned about, but have largely disappeared from the tech industry.
β Wearing a Suit Every Day
For engineers, over 90% of companies allow casual dress. T-shirts, jeans, and hoodies are perfectly fine. However, maintaining a clean and presentable appearance is still important.
β Perfect Keigo (Honorific Language)
Of course, polite language is important. However, you don't need to master textbook-perfect honorific and humble forms of Japanese. Being able to speak politely using "desu/masu" forms is sufficient. In fact, overly formal language can sometimes create psychological distance within teams.
β Never Leave Before Your Boss
The culture of "I can't leave because my boss is still here" has become virtually extinct in modern companies. Once you've finished your tasks, simply say "Otsukaresama desu" (good work today) and leave without hesitation.
2. Essential Practices You Really Need to Know
On the other hand, no matter how liberal the company culture, there are fundamental "trust basics" that you absolutely must follow when working in Japan.
β Punctuality
This is a golden rule throughout Japanese society. Meeting start times refer to when "everyone is ready to begin." Be prepared at least 5 minutes early. If you're going to be late, the cardinal rule is to notify others as soon as you know.
β Ho-Ren-So (Reporting, Contacting, Consulting)
An acronym for "Hokoku" (report), "Renraku" (contact), and "Sodan" (consult). In Japanese team development, "team-wide situational awareness" is valued over individual achievements.
- Report bad news as early as possible
- Consult others rather than making judgments on your own when unsure Just keeping these in mind will significantly improve your evaluation.
β "Nemawashi" (Consensus Building) Over "Reading the Air"
"Reading the air" (Kuuki wo yomu) is difficult, but its true nature is prior consensus building. Rather than surprising people with a major proposal out of nowhere in a meeting, consult key stakeholders beforehand: "I'm thinking of making this proposal, what do you think?" This is the key to getting things done smoothly.
3. Communication in Modern Development Environments
In recent years, chat tools like Slack have become the center of communication in Japanese tech companies. There's a unique culture here too.
The "-San" Suffix Culture
More and more companies are addressing everyone, including CEOs and managers, with "γγ-san" rather than job titles. This is a positive culture for building flat relationships. It's good practice to ask "What should I call you?" when you join.
Emoji Reactions
Responding to Slack messages with reactions like π (I saw this), π (understood), or π (thank you) is legitimate communication. Sending a signal that you've "read the message" can reassure the sender.
4. Conclusion: The Essence of Etiquette is "Respect for Others"
Japanese business etiquette may seem complex, but at its core is the universal consideration of "not making others uncomfortable" and "facilitating smooth work."
You don't need to be overly constrained by formal rules. If you have the attitude of "wanting to work comfortably with team members," minor mistakes will be forgiven with a smile.
Don't be afraidβdive into the Japanese tech industry!