JAPAN

HISTORY INFLUENCES ON BUSINESS

• Many businesses are zubibatsu.(family business)
• ^^^ one of them is Mitsubishi
• A lot of the production capability was nationalized during WWII
• Many business are stil owned by the same families
• A lot of businesses are named after s family's last name (nissan)

VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

• Silence: the Japanese find it rude to interrupt in the middle of a conversation
• Eye Contact: looking at someone straight in their eyes is considered rude.
• Their “uncommitted face” may not mean that they are not interested
• They are also uncomfortable with any physical contact such as a hug.
• hand gestures have certain meaning behind them, using them at inappropriate times would be bad

EDUCATION AND LITERACY RATES

• Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
• 99% of the people can read or write
• Education expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (2010)
• School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 15 years
• Male: 16 years Female: 15 years

ROLE OF SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS

• Religion does not play a big role in the everyday life of most Japanese people today.
• Unit unions often band together for wage negotiations
• Man can work
• Women can work
• 16 or older don't work often

SHOPPING PRACTICES AND COMMON FOOD

• Rice Bowl
• Sushi
• Donburi
• Japan have shopping streets
• ^^^^ They are like supermarket on the street

TYPE OF CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE RATE

• Japanese yen is the currency
• 1 yen equals 0.0098 US Dollar
• Japan's first formal currency system was the Kōchōse
• Paper currency was introduced in the 17th century
• Paper currency is still used

JAPANESE CUSTOMS AND HOLIDAYS

• Kimono is a traditional dress
• Less formal japanese dresses are called yukata
• The new year is called shogatsu
• Seijin no hi is the coming of age
• Setsubun is the beginning of spring

Business practices

-8 hour workday.
-40 hours a week.
-Many car companies are located in Japan.

FUN FACTS ABOUT JAPAN

• Raw horse meat is a popular food in Japan
• Sumo is Japan's national sport, although baseball is also very popular.
• Tsukiji market in Tokyo is the world's largest fish market.
• Men might shave their heads to apologize. Not common these days.
• The term karaoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese.