Bussiness commuticaion in Japan

II. Communicating in Japan a) General view of Japanese communication culture According to L. T. T. Hong (2011), Traditional Japanese communication characteristics - Proceedings of the Vietnam - Japan Relations Conference. Communication in different ethnic groups has different characteristics and nuances due to the specific natural, social and cultural conditions of each ethnic group. In traditional Japanese communication, there are rules and rituals that everyone must follow depending on the social status and social relationships of each person involved in the communication. Pham Van Nha. (2002). The behavioral culture of the Japanese is expressed through attitudes, gestures - actions, and language. Japan is a country rich in tradition, attaches great importance to behavioral culture, and is famous for its "unwritten rules". They do not always communicate through words, another way is through gestures and body language. b) High-context cultures in Japan According to Erin Mayer (2016), Japan is ranked in the list of cultures with the highest context. According to Edward T. Hall (1977), Beyond Culture, when communicating with Japanese people, they will often speak "metaphorically", not directly saying the meaning of the sentence. And they expect the other person to understand the meaning of the conversation. For example, when you suggest something to a Japanese person, they rarely say "no", they will say it in a polite indirect way. It's easier to say no in Japan than in most Western countries - however, it's much harder to ask for an explanation or reason. If someone asks you out for a drink in Japan, an indirect "I have work to do today" is considered a refusal of the invitation and no reason is needed, whereas in Western countries people want to know a good reason.