By adopting a patient and polite manner most cultural pitfalls can be easily avoided.
Japanese companies tend to be hierarchical and showing respect to senior executives is a key part of building a good business relationship.
Exchanging business cards or meiji is expected when meeting a Japanese contact for the first time. An Irish executive's name card should be clean and translated into Japanese for your contact on one side. When receiving a card from a Japanese contact, it should be closely studied before pocketing it to show respect.
Corporate entertainment is an important part of "getting to know" a partner or customer, so a willingness to meet after work for golf, a meal or even karaoke can open doors.
But bear in mind it often takes longer to establish a business relationship in Japan than in other countries such as the US. However, once established, these relationships tend to be fairly resilient.
Due to the hierarchical nature of Japanese business, company chief executives should probably only get involved at the latter stages of detailed negotiations. Getting them involved too early runs the risk of delays as a Japanese executive of equal rank would then need to be present at this stage.
It is often better to develop links through all levels of a company, a process known as nemawashi (washing around the roots).
Also, avoid losing your temper with Japanese partners since they may interpret this as a sign of weakness or, worse, an insult. And remember: long silences are common during negotations in Japan, where building a consensus among staff before taking a decision is valued.
