1. Japan
Maria Daniella Marin
September 8, 2013
Japan-Overview

2. Japan - History
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PREHISTORY:
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Japan first appears in the historical records of China in about 300 BC. In those records the inhabitants of
Japan were known as the “Wa.”
EARLY KINGDOMS AND CLASSICAL AGE:
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Age of Reform Influences from China and other mainland civilizations. first written government constitution,
the 17 –Article Constitution.
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Tomb Period, population centers had grown up in several parts of the islands and the roots of city culture
had taken place.
794 AD a new capital was founded at Heian, the site of the present city of Kyoto. The Heian period would
prove to be the height of classical culture in ancient Japan.
FEUDAL ERA IN JAPAN:
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Kamakura Period AD 1185-1333. ruling Japan through a centralized Imperial Chinese model,
Ashikaga Period AD 1336-1573: state of turmoil and incessant fighting between local warlords.
TOKUGAWA (EDO) PERIOD AD 1600-1867:
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Within a decade after the battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu had established complete control over
Japan. He established his shogunate in Edo, now modern Tokyo, though the emperor continued to reside in
Kyoto.
The innovations that the new shogun put in place would eventually create the conditions for Japan’s swift
entrance into the modern world in the mid-19th century
Morton W, Olenik J. Japan : It's History And Culture [e-book]. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2005. Available from: eBook
Collection (EBSCOhost), Ipswich, MA. Accessed September 8, 2013.
"Japan - 日本 ." Japan. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/japan.htm>.
"Japanese History: Edo Period." Japanese History: Edo Period. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://www.japanguide.com/e/e2128.html>.
"Japanese History." Ohio State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://people.cohums.ohiostate.edu/bender4/eall131/EAHReadings/module02/m02japanese.html>.

3. Modern to present Japan
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1854: Japan signed treaties with the United States of America, and a host of other countries
including Great Britain, France, Holland, and Russia soon after.
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1868: new reign called Meiji.
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1877: Satsuma Rebellion in attempt to save the faltering status of the samurai class
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1895: Japan had defeated China in a series of land and sea battles around the Korean peninsula
known as the Sino-Japanese War.
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1905: Japanese won a major war against imperial Russia on the Liaodong Peninsula, fought
over a new railroad, timber, and seaports in Manchuria—a very strategic corner of East Asia.
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1940s: Japan to secures most of the former European colonies in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and
the Pacific Islands.
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1941: Japan launched a surprise naval and aerial attack on the United States territory at Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii. The attack was triggered in response to US embargos over oil and the materials
that fueled Japan’s war machine.
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1945: US and the Soviet Union competed to accept the Japanese surrender in northeast East
Asia. Ended by atomic bomb on the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, with massive civilian
casualties.
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1945-1952: Post-War Japan was occupied by Allied Forces. New democratic constitution,
business re-oriented to peacetime objectives
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Through hard work and determination, Japan re-invented itself in the latter-half of the twentieth
century as a consumer-oriented producer.
"Japanese History." Ohio State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://people.cohums.ohiostate.edu/bender4/eall131/EAHReadings/module02/m02japanese.html>.

4. Japan - Map
"Town." Japan Information Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013.
<http://nippon-jin.com/town.html>.
Maria Daniella Marin

5. Japan – Business Culture
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Religion:
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Most Japanese are either Buddhist or Shintoist, or both, but actual practice is rather limited to holidays, and
it's mostly just for show.
New religious interests: Christianity, Islam, Bahai, and other faiths growing.
Greetings:
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Dress conservatively, in a dark business suit.
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Women should stick with a formal outfit with not too much jewelry or makeup.
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If you receive a compliment you should suggest you don't deserve it. It's a modest response of denial and not
showing off.
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To start a conversation you could start talking about the success of the Japanese baseball players (Suzuki,
Matsui, Matsuzaka) in the US, or asking about the status of sumo stars.
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Business cards are exchanged using both hands. Spend a lot of time reading a person’s business card when
they hand it to you.
It is the general norm to add '-san' to the end of the last name for all people you meet. First names are rarely
used except when people become very good friends.
Meetings:
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Normal business hours might be 9-5, but most people don't follow this, and meetings can frequently go later.
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Today, making appointments through email or phone is the most common practice. Most morning meetings
will start at 10 a.m or later, and afternoons usually begin at 1:30 p.m or sometime later. Lunchtime is
generally 12 a.m-1 a.m.
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At business meetings, it's not uncommon for each of us to present each other with a company gift or
something that represents our culture.
Smith, Jacquelyn. "Your Basic Guide To Business Travel Abroad." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 08
Sept. 2013. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/08/27/your-basic-guide-to-business-travel-abroad/>.
"Japan: Culture." GlobalEDGE: Your Source for Global Business Knowledge. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013.
<http://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/japan/culture>.

6. Japan – Business Culture
Hofstede
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Japan is extremely hierarchical slow decision making process: all the decisions must be confirmed
by each hierarchical layer and finally by the top management in Tokyo.
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Japanese are experienced as collectivistic by Western standards and experienced as individualistic
by Asian standards. They are more private and reserved than most other Asians.
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Japan is one of the most masculine societies in the world. It is still hard for women to climb up the
corporate ladders in Japan with their masculine norm of hard and long working hours.
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Japan is one of the most uncertainty avoiding countries on earth. Is constantly threatened by
natural disasters from earthquakes and tsunamis learned to prepare themselves for any uncertain
situation.
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Japan is a long term oriented societies. Japanese see their life as a very short moment in a long
history of mankind.
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People live their lives guided by virtues and practical good examples.
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In corporate Japan, you see long term orientation in the constantly high rate of investment in R&D
even in economically difficult times, higher own capital rate, priority to steady growth of market
share rather than to a quarterly profit, and so on.
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The idea behind it is that the companies are not here to make money every quarter for the share
holders, but to serve the stake holders and society at large for many generations to come
"Japan Culture." THE HOFSTEDE CENTRE. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://geerthofstede.com/japan.html>.

7. Japan – Political System
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Japan is a developed market with one of the largest, most industrialized
economies.
Their economic systems are well developed, they are politically stable
and the rule of law is well entrenched.
Japan is considered the safest investment destinations.
The Japanese government has some influence in press and media.
The Japanese press relies on a system of press organizations, known as
kisha clubs, "which only reporters from the largest mainstream news
organization are allowed to join," she says. "Most reporting is done from
the press clubs of different organizations - including governmental
organizations... Political reporters often develop close relationships with
the politicians they cover."
"Evaluating Country Risk For International Investing." Evaluating Country Risk For International Investing. N.p., n.d.
Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/08/country-risk-for-international-investing.asp>.
"Are Japanese News Media Asking Tough Questions About Nuclear Crisis?" About.com Journalism. N.p., n.d. Web. 08
Sept. 2013. <http://journalism.about.com/od/trends/a/Are-Japanese-News-Media-Asking-Government-ToughQuestions-About-Nuclear-Crisis.htm>.

8. Japan – Political System

Japan has a stable political system.
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Japan was militarily occupied by the United States in 1945 and its military dictatorship was
overthrown. A parliamentary democracy was established that remains in place to this day
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In December 2012, Shinzo Abe, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, was reappointed by the Diet (legislature) as Japan's 96th prime minister.
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The Japanese government, a constitutional monarchy, is based on a parliamentary cabinet
system.
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Executive power is vested in the cabinet, which consists of the prime minister and not more
than 17 ministers of state that collectively are responsible to the Diet. The prime minister,
who must be a member of the Diet, is designated by the Diet. Japan's constitution became
effective on May 3, 1947, and consists of 103 articles.
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There are several political parties, the most important ones are:
◦ Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)
◦ Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
◦ New Komeito
"The World’s Most Politically Stable Countries and Most Politically Unstable Countries." Expat Investing RSS. N.p., n.d.
Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://www.expatinvesting.org/the-worlds-most-politically-stable-countries-and-most-politicallyunstable-countries/>.
"Japan FAQ." Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://www.sf.us.embjapan.go.jp/en/e_m08_01_08.htm>.

9. "Japan FAQ." Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://www.sf.us.embjapan.go.jp/en/e_m08_01_08.htm>.

10. Japan – Legal System
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Japan’s is a civil law nation.
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Japan’s legal system is defined by statues, with little regard for judicial precedents.
Background
◦ In 1868, following the feudal regime, the modernization of Japan (Meiji Restoration) started.
◦ The Meiji reformers were strongly influenced by legal theories that had evolved in Prussia.
◦ The first modern constitution and basic codes were enacted following Prussian and French
models. The Japanese legal system is based on the civil law system.
◦ After World War II, the Constitution was replaced, and many other laws were newly enacted
or amended. These new laws were heavily influenced by United States through the Allied
Occupation.
◦ The principle of judicial review was introduced to Japan from the United States.
Legislation
◦ The National Diet is the sole law-making organ of the State. However, it does not mean the
Diet members draft bills.
◦ Draft bills come from government agencies, then are submitted to the Diet through the
Cabinet. When a member wants to submit a bill to the Diet, he cannot do so by himself.
Certain number of co-sponsors is required to submit a bill.
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Courts
◦ The whole judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and lower courts..
◦ Independence of judiciary is guaranteed by the Constitution. Most judges are virtually life-time
employees of a national governmental bureaucracy: the judiciary.
"Legal Research Guide: Japan." Library of Congress Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013.
<http://www.loc.gov/law/help/japan.php>.
"Japanese Firms Expanding into Southeast Asia." Asia Legal Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013.
<http://www.asialegalblog.com/?p=5595>.

11. Japan – Economic System
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Japan is a capitalist nation and the world’s third largest economy by nominal GDP.
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Japan is the world's 3rd largest automobile manufacturing country, has the largest
electronics goods industry, and is often ranked among the world's most innovative
countries leading several measures of global patent filings
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Even though Japan has seen some growth in the past, it has been stuck in
stagnation and deflation for two decades.
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Japan is facing a demographic tsunami, with the world's fastest aging population
and one of the globe's lowest birth rates.
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National debt issue: Japan's parliament is struggling to cap its GDP-to-debt ratio,
which is nearing 200% -- the world's highest among developed nations.
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Japan, is currently facing its worst crises since World War II.
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In addition to unprecedented challenges brought by the 2011 Great East Japan
Earthquake, including reconstruction efforts, the nuclear power plant accident and
energy shortages, the nation also has to deal with what has been termed the "lost
two decades".
"Global Agenda Council on Japan 2013 | World Economic Forum - Global Agenda Council on Japan 2013." Global
Agenda Council on Japan 2013. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://www.weforum.org/content/global-agendacouncil-japan-2013>.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/02/13/japan.economy.third/index.html
http://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/statistics/patents/

12. Economic system
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Japan plays a crucial role in the global and regional economy. Its
relations with its neighbors have a direct impact on the stability
and welfare of the whole region.
Japan promotes foreign investment:
◦ The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) is a
government-related organization promoting mutual trade and
investment between Japan and the rest of the world. They offer
foreign investors with abundant information on all aspects of
doing business in Japan, by providing expert consultation and
offering free temporary office space in major business areas
across the country.
"About Us." Japan External Trade Organization. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013.
<http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/jetro/>.

13. "Foreign Exchange Rates and Currency Exchange Rate Calculator." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 30 Aug.
2004. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://money.cnn.com/data/currencies/>.

14. Questions
 What
are the major challenges one should expect when
doing business in Japan?
 Besides the cultural and economic differences, which
other aspects have you encountered to be necessary to
consider when doing business in Japan?
 Based on your personal experience, what kind of
industries have the best opportunities for foreign
investment in Japan?
 What recommendations would you give a recent
graduate that is currently looking to relocate to Japan?
Maria Daniella Marin

15. Video
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How to do business in Japan:
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLwnLZdznVA
Conducting Yourself in a Japanese Business Meeting:
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2nU9KoB8hM
Seven Tips for doing business with Japanese:
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBxfWYFON00
Japanese Culture in regards to Hofstede:
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtPdmfRw1Y0
Maria Daniella Marin