Live & Work in Japan: The Most Accurate, Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Living in Japan - Softcover

David Roberts has used his experience growing up in Japan to produce this book: Elisabeth Roberts has written and revised several books on working overseas.

David Roberts has used his experience growing up in Japan to produce this book: Elisabeth Roberts has written and revised several books on working overseas.

Business Practices
Business cards. Business cards are the lifeblood of Japanese business relationships. No matter what your field or enterprise, you must ensure that you always have a supply of appropriate business cards with you, printed in English on one side and in Japanese on the other. You should be prepared to distribute these cards to every person whom you meet in the course of your professional life. The presentation of business cards (or meishi) involves particular protocols, and it will be helpful if you observe these. Cards will be exchanged soon after you meet a new colleague or enter a meeting room, and after a short interlude of ‘small talk'. The cards are given and received with both hands, presented with the Japanese side uppermost. They should be presented individually, and not ‘dealt out' around the table in an impersonal fashion. Cards are exchanged in hierarchical order: those of lower rank, younger, or who are seeking something from the other party present their cards first.
When you receive a card, you should be observed to read it carefully, pronouncing the person's name and the name of the company. In a formal meeting, cards are lined up in front of each participant for reference purposes, usually in seating order. It is acceptable to write information on a business card, but you should never fold, tear, or doodle on it. At the conclusion of the meeting, make sure that you take all the meishi with you; special card folders are available for this purpose and are widely used as a way of storing and organising the large collection of cards that anyone doing business in Japan will inevitably receive.