How Japanese timekeeping could improve your business
by Ryoko Iwamoto
Cultural insight agency Tokyoesque examine the unique perception of time in Japan and the effect it has on business
Recently, we heard the news that Yoshitaka Sakurada, Japan’s Olympic Minister, faced backlash for being late to a meeting by just a couple of minutes. Although this might be the result of over-politicisation given Sakurada’s position and situation, punctuality is certainly expected in Japan, particularly within a business context.
In this article, Tokyoesque outlines some of the ways in which the notion of time fulfills an important cultural role and what to bear in mind when working with Japan.
The Japanese put more emphasis on punctuality compared with Brits
It is true that the idea of always being punctual is not a solely Japanese construct. In both personal and professional contexts, this is also something that is expected in the UK. The Japanese obsession with punctuality, however, might sound fairly extreme compared with the lower overall level of fastidiousness we see in the UK. In other parts of Europe the attitude may be even more laid back. We can see how levels of expectation regarding punctuality vary between British and Japanese cultures by looking at how it was sensationally reported on in the UK when a Japanese railway company apologised for allowing a shinkansen (bullet train) to depart 20 seconds earlier than the scheduled time. Despite the fact that Japanese railway companies usually apologise when trains are running late, not when they leave early, it’s not surprising to see how seriously the Japanese take punctuality.
It’s not uncommon to see passengers explicitly displaying their anger and issuing their complaints to station staff when trains are delayed or cancelled in Japan. This is partly because punctuality and the good public transport system are taken for granted. Therefore, even the slightest inconvenience can be viewed as being an outrageous incident. This social context around infrastructure in Japan sets local expectations for punctuality quite high.
Timing is an essential part of customer service
Punctuality can be a core part of customer service as well. Japanese courier companies tend to let customers choose the most convenient time slots to receive packages. For example, Yamato Transport allows customers to do this. The delivery fee will be calculated based on several factors; the size/type of package, distance/location, and whether or not a time slot for delivery has been specified. Since the company delivers punctually within the requested time slot, customers can ensure they receive their package even when they’re on a tight schedule. It is easy to request a re-delivery if a customer happens to miss the slot they selected.
How to stay punctual? Act ten minutes earlier
There is a phrase that Japanese people use — “juppun mae koudou”, which literally means “act ten minutes earlier”. This comes across as sounding like even being just on time is not good enough. The idea is that you have to aim to be there ten minutes earlier to ensure you’re on time, because unexpected things could happen along the way — the train could arrive three minutes later than anticipated, for example. It should be noted, however, that it’s considered equally rude to try and begin a meeting prior to the scheduled time, so it’s advisable to wait somewhere nearby until you are invited to participate.
The high expectations that Japanese people have around punctuality don’t only apply within the context of business meetings. When new graduates join a Japanese company, for example, they typically go through a series of basic training that often includes tips on appropriate business etiquette. In addition to this, they receive detailed instructions on aspects such as how to exchange business cards (yes, there is even a specific and commonly accepted way of doing this). One of the very first things graduates are told is about the importance of punctuality. This becomes particularly crucial when colleagues start off in a lower position, such as if they’re new to the company or if they’ve taken on a more junior position (kouhai). But this only applies within the context of internal company relations. In terms of meeting with clients, there is no emphasis on age or level of experience. The power dynamic shifts towards the client, and their needs come first.
The “Punctuals” vs. the “Always Lates”
Simply because it’s regarded as common sense in Japan, this doesn’t mean that all Japanese people prioritise time management. There is always someone who arrives late for a meeting. In fact, a debate has kicked off on social media between “punctual people” and “those who are always late.” The latter group insist that it’s an inherent part of their personal nature that they’re always arriving late. As a result, they’re asking punctual people to appreciate the fact that they would eventually get there to meet up. On the other side of the coin, the group of punctual people is thrashing them by saying it’s just common sense. These debates were retweeted more than 17,000 times on 28 February alone and this demonstrates that the concept of time management is something Japanese people are really obsessed with.
What to do if you end up being late for a meeting in Japan?
Whilst having solid time management skills and being punctual sound like common sense, these examples might tell us that the Japanese expectation for punctuality is much higher than the norm in the UK. If you do end up being late for a business meeting with a Japanese person even though you made every effort to arrive on time, simply apologise in order to demonstrate how much you respect their time. Yes, being late is certainly frowned upon and it’s perceived as unprofessional, but that alone doesn’t mean it would end the deal.
Queuing for quality and a new experience is common
What might come across as contradictory is the fact that Japanese people are often willing to wait in long queues when it comes to trying out a new item at a restaurant or cafe. One recent example would be the way customers have reacted to the new Starbucks cafe, Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo, which opened its doors on 28th February this year in Nakameguro, Tokyo. According to some tweets, the new shop has experienced such a high degree of popularity that people have to wait between three and four hours to even get a seat. Starbucks cafe in Japan has a general reputation of always being busy, which makes it more difficult to relax. In fact, in order to mitigate this criticism, Starbucks Japan has announced plans to increase the number of cafes from the existing 1,400 up to 1,700 by 2021. The new cafe encourages more people to visit by promoting the luxuriousness of the service and products. This puts forward an alternative Japanese perception of time, where people are willing to wait for quality as well as the opportunity to personally experience something new and unique.
Tokyoesque can help you understand business culture that is unique to the Japanese market, and enable you to maximise your impact whilst avoiding cultural misunderstandings in a business context.
Contact Tokyoesque to see how your business would fare in Japan today
