10 Things to Note When Doing Business with a Japanese Company

「日本企業とのビジネスで留意すべき10カ条件」
10 THINGS TO NOTE WHEN DOING BUSINESS WITH A JAPANESE COMPANY
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第1条：信頼
Point 1: Trust
「日本人は、信頼を重視し、約束したことはどんな些細なことでも必ず実行する。
また第一印象を重んじるため、最初の会合や取引では入念な準備が必要だ。」
Japanese people value their word and keep their promises down to the smallest matters. They set particular store by first impressions, so you need to prepare very carefully for the first meeting or the first transaction

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第2条：原則
Point 2: Principles
「たとえ簡単な内容でも、交渉や情報交換は非常に綿密に、原則に忠実に行われる。日本企業は取引先の現場訪問を希望し、開発体制や組織を視察する。日本企業は一度信頼関係を構築すれば、安定したパートナーシップを約束するものだ。」
Even on simple matters, exchanging information and negotiating takes a long time and is very thorough, and the work is done strictly by the book. Japanese companies often ask to come to the place of business in person to inspect the partner's organisation and production capacity. Once you have earned a Japanese company's trust, they are very steady and loyal to their trading partners
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第3条：我慢強さ
Point 3: Patience and endurance
「日本企業とのビジネスでは我慢強さが求められる。小規模注文が続いても、ある時点で大規模になるものだ。ベトナム企業は最初の小規模取引で辛抱できず、将来の顧客を失うケースが多い。」
Dealing with a Japanese company demands patience. Small orders continue steadily until at some point they become large in scale. Often, after the first few small orders, the Vietnamese business lacks the perseverance to continue and becomes lukewarm in its business dealings, and so loses a good customer for the future.
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第4条：交流
Point 4: Making contacts
「日 本での見本市・交流会参加は、既存の顧客との関係維持のみならず、新たな顧客獲得につながる。だが契約違反にならぬよう、展示品は事前に既存顧客の許可を 得るべきだ。見本市で商品を紹介・販売する際に、スタッフが客の前で飲食するのは不可。常に立って笑顔で客を迎え、感謝の言葉を忘れずに。」
Taking part in trade fairs in Japan is very important; it not only brings new customers but also maintains business relationships with existing ones.
However, taking part in fairs in Japan is usually very expensive, and the product designs you choose to display should be discussed and agreed in advance with your long-standing customers, to avoid breaching earlier commitments about designs.
When introducing or selling at the stand, the person in charge of sales must not eat or drink in front of customers (at the stand). They must always stand, smile and greet customers warmly and thank them (even if the visitor only glances at the stand and walks on.)
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第5条：丁重かつ周到に
Point 5: Courtesy and attentiveness
「日本人は交渉前に顔を合わせ、客を丁重にもてなす。食事への招待、空港の送迎は特別な印象を与える。」
Japanese people set great store by meeting in person before discussing cooperation, and are very attentive in looking after customers. Inviting them to a meal and meeting or seeing them off at the airport makes a particularly good impression.
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第6条：名刺交換
Point 6: Exchanging business cards
「日本は世界で最も名刺を使用する国である。名刺がない、切らしているということが絶対ないように。」
Japan is one of the countries that uses business cards most in the world. So you must absolutely never be without cards or run out of them
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第7条：日本語
Point 7: Japanese
「日本人は相手が日本語を話すことを好む。互いの距離が近いように感じるからだ。日本語を身につけるか、簡単な言葉をいくつか覚えておくと良い。」
Japanese people like partners who speak Japanese. Learn Japanese, or a few simple words, so that the two sides feel closer.
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第8条：メモ
Point 8: Notes
「交渉や意見交換終了後、合意メモを作成し、相手方に送るとよい。また日本人は、電話をしたときに応答者がいない、あるいは期待した応対が得られないと不安に感じやすい。対応できる担当者を常に用意する必要がある。」
After negotiating or agreeing on something, you should also write up a summary of what was agreed and send it back to your partner.
Japanese people feel very uneasy about a partner when they call the company and nobody answers the phone, or the answer is not up to standard. So you must always have someone on duty who can answer customers.
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第9条：贈答・祝賀カード
Point 9: Exchanging gifts – Greeting cards
「日本人にも贈答の習慣がある。正月やお盆には食品、年末には飲料を贈るのが適当。会社創立記念日やクリスマス、正月には祝賀カードを送ると良いが、事前に届くよう注意しよう。」
Japanese people also have the custom of giving gifts. At New Year or the Vu Lan festival food is appropriate, and at the end of the year drinks. On the company's founding anniversary, at Christmas and at New Year send greeting cards, but note that they must arrive before the day itself.
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第10条：品質・形式・衛生
Point 10: Quality – Presentation – Cleanliness
「どんな商品でも、外見美しく、清潔にしなければならない。包装も基準通りにする。他国に比べ日本では、贈答品など一部商品は、価格のうち包装費が高い割合を占める。」
Goods of any kind must look good and be clean. Product packaging must be very careful and up to standard, attractive in appearance and the right size, so as to be appealing and convenient for the user. Compared with other markets, in Japan there are some gift items where packaging accounts for a higher share of the product cost.

Source: Fb Pham Quyen

See also: Japanese Translation Practice