How to See Somebody Off in Japanese Business Culture and Customs

As many people who have been to Japan probably realize, the Japanese have many norms. These are hidden under a surface and therefore not visible at first sight, however, foreigners and travelers may still encounter some strange behaviors from time …

2021-06-28 | Blog |
The Changing Expatriate System: Why Local Employees in Germany are Key to Japanese Companies’ Localisation

Until a decade ago, the local offices of Japanese multinational companies were generally managed by Japanese expatriates from headquarters in Japan. As the times change, so do the trends in international Human Resources (HR), and many multinational companies (MNCs) are …

2021-06-09 | Blog |
How to Properly Take Vacation/Days Off in Japanese Companies

Taking a vacation or many consecutive days off is called “有給休暇をとる (Yūkyū kyūkawotoru)” in the Japanese language. Although employees are entitled to take paid leave by the labor law, in reality there are some limitations or obstacles if you want …

2021-06-09 | Blog |
What is the Customer Service Position at Japanese Company in Germany?

You can find customer service positions in many Japanese companies operating in Germany. However, this position is slightly different from other customer service positions in Germany in general. In this article, we will explain the characteristics of said position in …

2021-06-09 | Blog |
5 Advantages of Working for Japanese MNEs in Germany

The more than 2,000 Japanese multinational enterprises (MNEs) existing in Germany are popular working places not only for Japanese expatriates but also German or third-country nationals regardless of their Japanese language skills. However, for many European candidates, it is not …

2021-05-25 | Blog |
The Role of the Business Development Position in Japanese Companies for German/English Native Speaker

Viewing job vacancy ads for Japanese companies in Germany, one oftentimes comes across the wording “Business Development” in the job description. One may have a vague idea of what “business development” means, but what does it mean exactly? In this …

2021-05-24 | Blog |
Local HR Development Strategies of Japanese Companies in Germany

When the Japanese economy swept over the world market and many Japanese companies expanded overseas, plenty of papers addressed the topic of Japanese management policies – many favorably. However, among these, some critical opinions were also expressed, one such regarding …

2021-05-24 | Blog |
The Biggest Japanese Community in Germany: Business Life in Düsseldorf

As of 2019, there were more than 1,500 Japanese companies operating in Germany, 500 of which were located in or near Düsseldorf. In the early years post-World War II, Japanese companies began to set up offices in Düsseldorf, and in …

2021-05-24 | Blog | ,
Differences in Work Culture Between Japan and Germany

For many Germans, or for those who are used to European work culture, the Japanese work culture can be seen as very different and strange. Differences in work culture between Germany and Japan can lead to barriers and problems, especially …

2021-05-24 | Blog |
Japanese Terms to Remember When Getting Hired by a Japanese Manufacturer

When you have started working in a Japanese company, you can sometimes get confused as you often hear terms that you haven’t encountered yet at university or language school. In this column, I will summarize some of the Japanese business …

2021-05-23 | Blog |

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