I need help - Japanese Visitors

[andrea843]

Yep have to agree with Sungoddess on this one, the windbreakers might make a nice addition to a travel bag of some sort, here take this before you get on the plane gift, but they should not be the primary gift given to a set of Japanese visitors.  Poor Bossie, will they never learn to listen to us? And because the japanese are so honor bent they will smile and exclaim and bossie will think he's done something wonderful, in the meantime, Japanese postcards will read :



Dear Mom, Visited XYZ company this morning, Weather beautiful, Administrative assistant most pleasant, Manager however, gave cheap gift that did not imply thought and therefore shows he does not honor us.   American devil!



Just shakes her head sadly in Charleston, having welcomed a Japanese visitor or two herself,,,,

[kknisley]

The jacket and a cap is an excellent departing gift.  The clock is a good welcoming gift with the basket of gourmet coffees in their rooms.



Shopping - oh lord, do those Japanese men love to shop.   One day the Japanese exec I was talking about in the earlier post, became ill with a cold.  We tried to get him to go back to his hotel but no, he wanted to go shopping.  Our Japanese consultant rather forcefully escorted him to the hotel, staying outside the front for about thirty minutes.  The big stinker slipped out the back lobby to the next block over and walked to the downtown store anyway and shopped for 3 hours.  



When the consultant got back to her office, she called his room.  No answer.  She was so upset, thought something had happened to him.  I told her that she forgot about the rear exit of the hotel and I'd bet $10 he went to Lazarus.  Yep, that's what he did!  



When he came in the next day, I scolded him and this huge 6'4", 250 lb. Japanese man, just hung his head like a little boy and then started laughing.  He was so proud of himself for outwitting us.  Men, they are the same the world over.  And they say we're sneaky.

[sungoddesslv]

Winkie,

I hope the least bossie will do is to make sure that the gift is most elegantly wrapped.  The Japanese take much pleasure and care in wrapping the package.  They also take just as much care in unwrapping them.  



As for the wrapping, it should (of course) not be red, all white or bright yellow.  I would try to stick with a pastel color.  



Other info:  Also, exchanging business cards is very important to them. Apparently only top officials carry them. Do not place the card immediatley in your pocket. This would be very offensive to them. When presenting a business card, it should be held with both hands (thumbs & first fingers) and turned where it is readable to the person receiving it. If time allows, you might consider having the backside printed in Japanese.



Although it is difficult not to do, tell your executive that it is not recommended that he try to bow back to his Japanese visitors. The degree of the bow depends on the status of the person. They do not expect us to bow to them. Ms. Baldrige differs on this; however, while living in Macon, GA we had a local company that was a Japanese company.  They provided a protocol person to explain what we needed to know when the visitors arrived.  She recommended not bowing.  

 

Hope the visit goes well.  



 

[melissa406]

This is going to sound fairly naive, but we are expecting some visitors either from Taiwan or China.  Would the same guidelines apply?



Melissa, who knows nothing about other cultures

[andrea843]

Ahh Melissa, Welcome to TAA and which is it Taiwan or China, there are actually some major differences in the two. We;ll be glad to help just let us know which country.  Even though Taiwan is part of the Republic of China, there are distinct differences in the business mentality.  you'll find the Taiwanese much more aclimated to the American way of life, while if you visitors are from china,,, that might be another ball of wax!



give us just a wee bit more information lassie and we'll be glad to help!



Andrea, Feeling decidely Celtic today! in Charleston

[melissa406]

Well, the problem is that I don't know!  The last time we had foreign visitors, we determined that they were from Taiwan, but everyone else referred to them as "the Chinese visitors" (yes, we are in the midwest).



This time it is a different group, but it is probably most likely that they are from Taiwan.  The guy who invited them goes to Taiwan on business frequently, so it does seem more likely that Taiwan is where they are from.



Melissa