The 7 Keys to Communicating in Japan

Book excerpt: This book provides a practical set of guidelines for people wishing to communicate professionally in Japan, following the model of the similar book by Kelm and Victor on Brazil. Good communication requires more than knowing the language. Haru Yamada, Orlando Kelm, and David Victor, seasoned cross-cultural trainers for businesspeople, provide a guide through Victor's LESCANT model (Language, Environment, Social Organization, Context, Authority, Nonverbal, and Time). Each chapter addresses one of these topics and demonstrates how to evaluate the differences between Japan and North America, presenting examples to help people avoid common communication mistakes. The book is generously peppered with photographs to provide visual examples. The authors complete the book with a case study chapter on a business interaction between Japanese and North Americans (NA). They then gathered comments from various NA professionals working in Japan and Japanese working with US professionals about the interactions in the case, providing helpful observations about the situation. The book straddles some language and communication topics, international relations, and reaches into the business community, a strong academic program at GU, presenting us with a new opportunity to reach a wider audience.