Customer Service Japan Style: How to Become a Good Sales Person in Japan
The Japanese Greengrocer You have all seen him. Whether you live in Japan, or you go to Japan on business and happen to wander down to the basement of a department store, you have all met the greengrocer. He greets customers with a hearty “Irasshai!” (welcome) and shouts out his wares—all day long. He usually […]
World’s First! Offering Out-of-Print Manga with Ads for Free in Japan
World’s First! Offering Out-of-Print Manga with Ads for Free in Japan By Ryoji Shimada, staff writer The Jcomi site (now https://www.mangaz.com/), which is presided over by manga artist Ken Akamatsu known for such works as Negima! Magister Negi Magi and Love Hina, has become a topic of conversation for its free distribution of out-of-print manga […]
International Students Flock to Japan's Only School of Sushi
International Students Flock to Japan's Only Sushi School By Ryoji Shimada, staff writer "Now prepare and arrange the platter (14 sushi pieces and 2 hosomaki rolls) in 15 minutes!" At the sound of the cheerful order from senior instructor Ken Kawasumi, the 5 students set to work at once. Ian Valdivieso (age 27) is from […]
Business of Commercial Public Bath House in Japan
Public Bath Business in Japan Commercial public bath houses, called sento, are common in Japan. In recent years, however, the number of sento have gradually declined in number, mainly because more people now have bathing facilities at home. Nonetheless sento are indispensable to those who do not have baths at home, and they still play […]
What is "mottainai"?
The “MOTTAINAI” Campaign and Prof.Wangari Maathai The MOTTAINAI Campaign is an environmental project initiated by Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Maathai. She was highly impressed by the Japanese word “MOTTAINAI” when she first visited Japan in February 2005 and proposed that “MOTTAINAI” should be used as an icon and keyword for environmental protection activities […]
Cool Japan Business Going International
By a Japanese scriptwriter The Japanese Sense of “Viewer Service” Is Appreciated Today various forms of pop culture in Japan are being called collectively Cool Japan, and are known worldwide. To my mind, manga is what started the whole Cool Japan phenomenon, which today encompasses the whole world of film and video, from animation on […]
Elements necessary for fully functioning members of society in Japan
The people working to resolve the problems caused by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, as a result of the huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11, are people who work for a company in the private sector. Without a strong sense of responsibility, they would be unable to continue to do […]
Necessary things in order to enjoy life in Japan
Japanese people tend to have gloomy expectations for the future. According to a poll done by Japanese Trade Union Confederation, 90 percent of respondents said they had misgivings about their current life and future, with only 8.5 percent replying that Japan will be better off in one year's time. Similar trends can be seen in […]
Made in Japan means "high quality"
What does "Made in Japan" mean? Since its start as a men's shirt shop in 1993, Maker's Shirts KAMAKURA (Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture) with a policy of "offering surprisingly quality shirts at 4,900 yen" has continued to make garments that are particularly about being "made in Japan." The business that started out in a small office […]
Japan's Future Business: 21 Businesses Find Success with Heart and Soul
Japan's Way of Human Resource Development New IT Companies Practice "Hitozukuri" (People-Making) Globalization of corporate activity is rapidly advancing in Japan, pressed by the rise of the newly emergent nations. It may be meaningful to think anew about the value contained in doing things "the Japanese way," today when we need to build another advantage […]