Japan Business Etiquette Primer

Business Cards (Meishi)

Exchanging business cards remains the opening move of any Japanese business conversation. Offer and receive with both hands, and keep received cards visible on the table during the meeting. Carry a dedicated cardholder; do not fold cards or write on them in front of the other party.

Meetings

Arrive a few minutes early and wait to be seated — seniority dictates seating order. Compared with many Western contexts, Japanese meetings tend to spend more time on context and stakeholder alignment before landing on a decision. Even in English-language meetings, prefacing your recommendation with a brief rationale is appreciated.

Dining

A few rules: don’t drink before the toast, pour for your neighbor before yourself, and never stick chopsticks upright into rice. For business dinners, the host usually pays. Send a thank-you email the same night or first thing the next business day.

Dress

For major business events, a suit or jacket is the default. Startup and innovation conferences are more relaxed, but a jacket is the safe choice for a first meeting. During the summer “Cool Biz” period, open-collar shirts without jackets are socially acceptable.

Digital Touches

QR-coded business cards and LinkedIn follow-ups are increasingly common — but paper cards are still expected. Many larger firms still schedule via secretaries rather than Calendly; a polite, well-structured email signals respect and builds trust quickly.