Don’t drink that tea… doin’ biz in the new Japan

Things have changed a lot since I first traveled to Japan back in 1987. For one, Japan is cool, hip, and generally an innovator in a couple of fashion/art trends like Anime, Manga, Glasses, High Fashion. There is a live and kickin’ rave scene and not working (among a subculture) is cool. Secondly, they are no longer as tightly linked to the idea of lifetime employment which is really changing the basic philosophy of the younger workers. They are more independent, more prone to take risks, and less loyal to the mother lode: the kaisha (company).

Don’t get me wrong. Japan hasn’t had a cultural seismic shift…yet. Then again Japan is a place that values consensus and frowns on sticking out. Japan has (in my humble opinion) been a place that values consistency and reliability. That is to say, they like the trains to run on sub-minute schedules, the food always just so, everything neat (you ever go to a store in Japan?), order, and don’t like variability. Things “work as they should”. Therefore, nothing changes until there is consensus and then things changes drastically. The famous example is Admiral Perry with his black fleet ushering the lightning fast shift from a feudal Japan to a modern country. The Japanese realized they needed to modernize, and did so, creating the 2nd largest economy in the world.

So back to the cultural shift. Cultural attitudes are treated the same way in Japan. Things haven’t changed. Now another “black fleet” is upon the Japanese. A rapidly plummeting population, restrictions on immigration, and China. Japan will change, and when it does, it will be a revolution. It’s tough to figure out how it will change, but increased immigration, more diversity in all sorts of areas, and less reliance on the all-mighty kaisha is a pretty good bet. There are already 2 Japans: the salariman of yore, and the younger, hipper crowd.

Which brings me to the title. I’ve been doing deals with Japan since 1993. It is certainly a different process than in the US and Europe, but don’t drink that koolaid..er..tea…too much. Be polite, don’t exaggerate, and be aware that there are real undercurrents going on which will lead to new and exciting possibilities. Pick which Japan you want to deal with…