Sing for your supper
In Japan, deals are frequently sealed with after-hours drinking, dining and karaoke. Richard Smart reveals how to schmooze your way to success
In Tokyo, business begins in the office and ends with a hangover. Foreign executives visiting the capital are often expected to go out for food and drink with their clients once the meetings are wrapped up. And nothing creates hazard like a few jugs of lager, so here are a few pointers.
At the risk of stating the obvious, Japan is different. Foreigners are not always viewed in a way some would deem appropriate – All Nippon Airways recently caused a storm with an advert that caricatured foreigners as big nosed and blonde. Was it racist? Probably not, but the point is, international norms and Japanese attitudes are not always in line, and it is your job to adapt to the local culture.
As a guest, there is only a certain amount you need to do. Be nice, and the rest will take care of itself. There are ways to make a better impression, though, including looking sharp. Lonny Chick, an American who has worked in Japan’s auto industry for 15 years, says: “Wear shades of black, grey or navy, with white or blue shirts.” How do you distinguish yourself? “With a good tie you can show your individuality a little.”
The society is not as strict as it once was, but attention is paid to presentation and manners. You will, to a degree, be judged. In many izakayas (pubs), shoes have to be taken off at the door, and drinking is done in socks. Have holes in them? Get ready for frowns from your new pals. Assessments that start in meeting rooms carry over to bars.
If there are new introductions, bow and have business cards ready, offering and accepting them with both hands, then placing them in front of you on the table after reading them carefully. If you don’t know how to use chopsticks, learn – you are likely to be complimented on your skills.
In conversation, avoid politics and religion, and don’t mention the war. Small talk offers a way out – keep pictures on your smartphone of your life back home, and show people. Many Japanese people are surprised at the size of houses in other countries and are interested in foreigners’ lifestyles.
As drinks draw to a close, you will often be pushed to carry on. In Japan, a nijikai (second party) and sanjikai (third party) are common. And, as the night gets older, the venue may get stranger. Often, this is simply a case of ending up in a small, smokefilled bar that plays, for example, exclusively eighties hair metal or obscure jazz.
However, sometimes it can mean something a little more. Karaoke is the safe option, but other things can be more risky. Kyabakura (cabaret clubs) are sometimes final destinations for all-male groups. These harmless places, where hostesses tell men how cool they are to earn commission for drinks sold, can nevertheless spell trouble.
Snack bars, small watering holes that proffer whiskey and karaoke, operate in a legal black hole. These are the darker places of the Japanese night-time. A simple “I have jet lag” often suffices as an excuse to escape.
If you must go, make sure you are accompanied by Japanese people. Stories of foreigners being hustled in strip joints, hostess bars and seedier places are tena-penny. The prime area for such shenanigans is red-light district Kabukicho, near Shinjuku station. Born out of the black markets that allowed residents to survive in the post-war period, it is a maze of mahjong bars (a board game often played for money) and other more questionable enterprises.
Legends about the Japanese salaryman in Japan are often exaggerated. However, some do end up in such a state that they are unconscious at the end of the night. As a guest, you have a responsibility. “Never get more drunk than the customer or potential partner,” Chick says. As things start to wind down, offer to pay, but expect not to have to – the tab will normally be charged to Japanese companies.
Expect a surreal experience, wherever you end up. But don’t worry about people talking about it the next day – in Japan, nobody mentions what went on the night before, as doing so is impolite.
“Wear shades of black, grey or navy, with white or blue shirts. With a good tie you can show your individuality a little”