When it comes to communication, cultures can be high-context or low-context—and this is one of the key ways that cultures differ. In low-context cultures, people tend to be explicit and direct in their communications. In high-context...

China is the third-largest country in the world after Russia and Canada, covering 3.7 million square miles (9.6 million square kilometers). Its massive geography stretches from the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet in the west to the Yangtze...

Japan is a high-context culture, meaning that people tend to be less direct and explicit in their communications. They often use physical cues and require communication partners to decode their intent. Consequently, communication in...

Traveling to Japan, or planning to do business there? Learn more about the Japanese people—their beliefs, values, customs, lifestyles, and mind-sets. Explore what has influenced the way the Japanese think and act. Japan remains an...

Zaibatsus are powerful financial and industrial groups in Japan (the term is formed by the Japanese words zai, meaning “money” or “wealth,” and batsu, meaning “clique” or “clan”). These conglomerates have long influenced Japanese...

The Japanese place great value in building relationships and developing trust. Learn more about the importance of a person's background and associations in developing new business contacts. Become familiar with the significance of using...

Although myth indicates that Japan was founded in 660 BCE by Emperor Jimmu, the first clear records concerning Japan are provided by the Chinese almost one thousand years later, in the third century CE. Since its beginnings, Japan has...

Corporate Japan has been going through a significant transition. Overall, the Japanese business culture is characterized by formal interpersonal relations, group orientation, structured processes, and defined protocols with a...

The French tend to be motivated by a search for perfection and generally take pride in their work. Nevertheless, business and social relationships along with quality of life and well-being matter a great deal to the French, some of whom...

Traders came to the island of Singapore beginning in the thirteen century CE, and over the years commerce between Chinese, Arab, Indian, Thai, Malay, and Javanese traders resulted in a colorful mix of cultures and languages. Eventually...

As Japan’s capital city and the hub of Japanese business, government, and finance, Tokyo is the number one destination for foreigners relocating to Japan. Japan’s largest city, which became the capital in 1868, is a study in contrasts,...

Explore cultural tips and etiquette for visiting people’s homes, especially when it comes to shedding your shoes and wearing guest slippers. Learn more about local practices for house slippers, toilet slippers, and even garden slippers....

The standard dialect of Japanese is spoken throughout the country, although there are some regional differences in accent. English is taught in many schools and is the most common language other than Japanese that is spoken in the...

Education plays such a key role in Japanese life, it's hard to overestimate its importance. Whether a child gets into the right school early on determines whether he or she will attend the right university—which, in turn, can determine...

While Japan has long been considered extremely safe, no country, of course, is 100 percent safe. Economic problems have led to greater unemployment, and, according to the Japanese, relatively lower moral standards. A few years ago, any...

Japan has high health standards, and the food and water are generally safe. You don’t have to worry about outbreaks of epidemics, either, but given the dense living conditions, don’t be surprised if you come down with a cold or the flu.

The Japanese see themselves as unique in the world and love to talk about what makes them so. From their perspective, Western culture is taking over, so showing an interest in their customs and traditions is sure to make a good...

Throughout Japanese history, the Japanese have believed in the divine ancestry of the imperial family as one of Japan’s unique virtues. Explore the ancient legend about the divinity of the imperial family beginning with the sun goddess...

Because Japan is such a long chain of islands from north to south, the climate is different from region to region. Kyushu is hotter in the summer than Tokyo, for instance, but also warmer in the winter. Farther south, Kochi prefecture,...

Located off the east coast of Asia, Japan consists of four main islands and a chain of several thousand islands that goes from north to south. A little larger than Italy and a little smaller than the state of California, the country is...

In Japan, it is generally expected that women will work for a few years after graduation until children are born. Those with school-age children may go back to work part-time, usually for a low hourly wage. Slowly, however, attitudes are...

Some management practices in Japan are distinctly Japanese, such as the formal rotation system in which personnel get relocated every two to three years—sometimes overseas. Many salarymen end up living apart from their families, often in...

Fine-tune management practices and learn practical tips for managing employees in Japan. Topics include making an effort to meet everyone in the office, bringing office gifts, and managing communications with employees and colleagues.

Most foreign companies operating in Japan are subsidiaries of overseas multinationals. Some firms began as Japanese firms and eventually became affiliates of global firms through mergers and acquisitions. Learn how business reforms in...