You may think you’ll just get to know the culture as you work, but the more you understand now the easier things will be for you later on. Here is an edited version of an article written by Dr. Tsuyoshi Akiyama, a psychiatrist and member of the CLAIR Counseling System Committee in Tokyo. This article introduces some aspects of the Japanese workplace culture, and highlights how this might be different from workplaces in our countries. It might not apply to all cases but it does give you an idea of what you may encounter.
UNSPOKEN RULES
The Japanese Workplace - Various things are done with an “unspoken rule” in Japan. In the Japanese workplace, the workers know one another’s background fairly well and people tend to consider it unnecessarily tedious and ineffective to bind everything by rules.
The JET - Many JETs come from cultures where one another’s background is not well known, and they might consider it natural to have clear cut rules. The moment a JET hears “A rule isn’t definite”, the JET thinks “What an ineffective system! It is necessary to improve it immediately!” Many JETs probably ask their Contracting Organizations for clarifications of the rules.
AUTHORITY, HIERARCHY
The Japanese Workplace - Authority and hierarchy exists in the Japanese workplace. However, Japanese tend to avoid speaking clearly about this. To clarify authority and hierarchy means to emphasize the difference in each other’s positions and thus destroys the “harmonious” work environment. Japanese also have the tendency to avoid clarifying individual responsibility, authority and achievement. There seems to be many cases where JETs are not clearly told about the differences in authority and hierarchy between themselves and the Japanese colleagues (to the Japanese workplace the JET is considered an assistant of the JTE).
The JET - Many JETs have the tendency to insist strongly on one’s own personal rights. If the limit of authority isn’t clearly stated, the JET believes, “I can decide everything myself as it is my right to do so.” Here, it’s not so. Sorry about this.
LEARNING METHOD
The Japanese Workplace - Japan has a very restricting hold over the Japanese education system. Education at Japanese schools are regulated in various ways and colleagues are not given much flexibility in regard to teaching methods. Another cultural issue is, in Japan, unless you are very confident about your capability, it is considered important not to be conspicuous and not to deviate from ordinary, already-in-place methods. So JETs, who dare propose new methods, can be considered“inadvertently confident” or “making a reckless comment.”
The JET - In general many non-Japanese people use games and other experiential methods and do not rely on text teaching alone. This is to relax and activate the participants. Also culturally, it is commonly required to make proposals regardless of your experience or capabilities. If you are not making any new proposals to improve your work, you may be considered, incapable, apathetic or not interested. Indeed, JETs may be seeing many Japanese colleagues in this light.
RULES
The Japanese Workplace - In Japan, when there is a rule, you are expected to abide by it publicly. If you want to break it, you should do it quietly. To break a rule openly means to challenge the authority who made the rule in the first place. If you are breaking a rule quietly, and challenging the authority clandestinely, it might be considered “mature behavior” in Japan. An open challenge to authority is an exceptional event that should not take place often.
The JET - If a rule is not appropriate (in the JET’s mind), JETs think they do not need to abide by it. JETs usually stay in Japan for only 1 to 3 years, so it does not make sense for them to keep a rule which they do not consider appropriate. Also to ask to change a rule is a part of ordinary social behavior and not an open challenge to authority. Also JETs may be bewildered and very frustrated that they are requested to abide by the rules while many Japanese people are breaking them quietly.
BELONGING
The Japanese Workplace - In Japan, on’es origin (e.g. family or education) is very much emphasized. It takes time for one to get accustomed to a completely new work environment and be accepted by the office. As such, some Japanese employees may not consider JETs (who stay in Japan only for 1 to 3 years) their partners (there are exceptions though).
The JET - JETs come to Japan to work as teachers. When they work, they naturally expect that they will be treated equally with other colleagues and accepted as member of the team.
IMPORTANCE OF THE GROUP VS. THE INDIVIDUAL
The Japanese Workplace - In Japan it is considered very important that the group functions well. Group function is a pre- requisite of individual function. The effort to maintain and develop group cohesion is highly evaluated. If you show too much of a disruptive behavior and disturb the group cohesion, you may receive a very negative evaluation.
The JET - For non-Japanese people, one’s career is built up individually. It is not appealing if a JET writes that they kept with job group discipline in Japan diligently for 2 years. They would rather write that they “introduced new ways to improve methods of teaching” or that they, “started a new project in the community,” as it would be more impressive. Thus, JETs would like to do things in which they can show and appeal their capabilities or achievements.
ETHNOCENTRISM
The Japanese Workplace - The Japanese workplace has absolutely no intention of introducing any foreign workplace culture suggested to them by the JET. The JET’s proposal would never be accepted. It is difficult worldwide to explain the basis of culture. Therefore, the Japanese people cannot often answer their JET’s questions on the reasons of rules and customs.
The JET - Among JETs there seems to be those who are willing to adjust and become accustomed to Japanese workplace culture and those who tend to think that the “Japanese workplace culture is wrong, therefore it is justified that I act as I consider right.” When non-Japanese people make a claim according to their cultural norm, they often make points only convenient to them.
ANXIETY
The Japanese Workplace - Many Japanese feel anxious towards their JETs. One of the main reasons for this is that they know little about their JET’s background and there is no knowing what the JET may say or do. JETs also change so frequently the Japanese colleagues must become adjusted to each JET anew. Some contracting organizations may be annoyed with having to repeatedly adjust to new JETs.
The JET - JETs may have little or no idea about their job assignments and feel anxious about their job. The anxiety can cause some paranoid interpretations. One reaction to anxiety may be that the JET shows behavior considered out of the social norm, such as not paying fees that are due, which the JET would not normally do in their own countries.
FRUSTRATION
The Japanese Workplace - The Japanese workplace does things for the JET according to the regulations and the guidelines as part of their duty, but some of the Japanese employees may detest the additional burden of having to do so much for the JETs, as they didn’t ask to be part of the JET Programme. When they receive additional complaints from their JETs, they can feel even more frustrated.
The JET - There is no written material on how JETs should be treated except for what CLAIR has published thus far. The fact that there is a variation in how Contracting Organizations treat their JETs does not seem to be conveyed clearly to the JETs either. JETs expect to receive the best treatment among the stories they hear and when their treatment falls short to satisfy such expectation, they feel frustrated and get convinced that they are being treated unfairly.
AMBIGUITY
The Japanese Workplace - Some ambiguity is taken for granted and even considered helpful in that it provides flexibility to allow case-by-case decisions. Very frequently, reasons or a decision criteria are not given. Probably the JET’s job is not explained in detail either.
The JET - In general, most JETs have less tolerance to ambiguity and do not like to adopt the “wait and see” approach. There is likely to be a lot of disagreements between the JET and the Contracting Organization regarding ambiguity, for example, the lack of a detailed job description.
WORKPLACE AND OUT OF WORKPLACE MEETINGS
The Japanese Workplace - It is not unusual to see the blurring of the distinction between the work and private life. Going drinking with your colleagues after work is common. If you do not participate in these out of work get-togethers, you may be considered unsociable or lack commitment to work well with others. Some Japanese colleagues complain that JETs do not join out-of-work get-togethers. In some other cases, the Japanese colleagues do not consider JET participants their “partners” and do not invite them to these get-togethers outside work hours.
The JET - There is a wide array of motivation for JETs to join such after work get-togethers. JETs who would like to become immersed in the Japanese culture may want to join such parties and may feel isolated if they are not invited. On the other hand, for those who think of their JET position as a temporary job, this type of commitment may become annoying.
DRINKING
The Japanese Workplace - In Japan, people are rarely given the opportunity where they can express their opinions frankly. Drinking provides an opportunity to facilitate candid communication with one another. To enhance and promote a closer relationship, it can be very effective to discuss issues just within the group or between two people after drinking. Childish or even slightly sexual behaviors can be permitted with a reason that it takes place under the influence of alcohol.
The JET - It seems like there are hardly any other cultures that use drinking to facilitate candid communication. However, permission of otherwise inappropriate behavior under the influence of alcohol seems to exist in some cultures. For other cultures, being seen drunk in public receives negative opinions. Touching females using the excuse of being drunk is not accepted by JETs.
THE GRADING OF INTIMACY
The Japanese Workplace - There is a traditional notion of “Uchi (inside)” and “Soto (outside)” in Japan. If you are considered “Soto,” you may be nicely treated as a guest but you are not thought of as a comrade. Otherwise, you are considered “Uchi”, where there is little reservation between the group members. Some JETs find it confusing to be treated as a guest with no candid discussions, as opposed to being treated as a comrade and being asked personal questions without reservation.
The JET - Most JETs find it okay to try to get to know their colleagues at a slightly deeper level while discussing work, but find personal questions such as boy/girlfriends, weight, etc. offensive (some see it as a form of sexual harassment).
PROBLEMS IN THE WORKPLACE
Problems occur due to cultural differences, language barrier, etc. It is best to resolve any issues before it aggravates. The PAs are here to assist you, but a lot of problems in the workplace are usually the result of misunderstandings and can be resolved simply by talking to your supervisor. However, if you have difficulty trying to resolve the situation yourself, then by all means consult the PAs for more assistance. But whatever you do, don’t simply ignore the situation.
UNSPOKEN RULES
The Japanese Workplace - Various things are done with an “unspoken rule” in Japan. In the Japanese workplace, the workers know one another’s background fairly well and people tend to consider it unnecessarily tedious and ineffective to bind everything by rules.
The JET - Many JETs come from cultures where one another’s background is not well known, and they might consider it natural to have clear cut rules. The moment a JET hears “A rule isn’t definite”, the JET thinks “What an ineffective system! It is necessary to improve it immediately!” Many JETs probably ask their Contracting Organizations for clarifications of the rules.
AUTHORITY, HIERARCHY
The Japanese Workplace - Authority and hierarchy exists in the Japanese workplace. However, Japanese tend to avoid speaking clearly about this. To clarify authority and hierarchy means to emphasize the difference in each other’s positions and thus destroys the “harmonious” work environment. Japanese also have the tendency to avoid clarifying individual responsibility, authority and achievement. There seems to be many cases where JETs are not clearly told about the differences in authority and hierarchy between themselves and the Japanese colleagues (to the Japanese workplace the JET is considered an assistant of the JTE).
The JET - Many JETs have the tendency to insist strongly on one’s own personal rights. If the limit of authority isn’t clearly stated, the JET believes, “I can decide everything myself as it is my right to do so.” Here, it’s not so. Sorry about this.
LEARNING METHOD
The Japanese Workplace - Japan has a very restricting hold over the Japanese education system. Education at Japanese schools are regulated in various ways and colleagues are not given much flexibility in regard to teaching methods. Another cultural issue is, in Japan, unless you are very confident about your capability, it is considered important not to be conspicuous and not to deviate from ordinary, already-in-place methods. So JETs, who dare propose new methods, can be considered“inadvertently confident” or “making a reckless comment.”
The JET - In general many non-Japanese people use games and other experiential methods and do not rely on text teaching alone. This is to relax and activate the participants. Also culturally, it is commonly required to make proposals regardless of your experience or capabilities. If you are not making any new proposals to improve your work, you may be considered, incapable, apathetic or not interested. Indeed, JETs may be seeing many Japanese colleagues in this light.
RULES
The Japanese Workplace - In Japan, when there is a rule, you are expected to abide by it publicly. If you want to break it, you should do it quietly. To break a rule openly means to challenge the authority who made the rule in the first place. If you are breaking a rule quietly, and challenging the authority clandestinely, it might be considered “mature behavior” in Japan. An open challenge to authority is an exceptional event that should not take place often.
The JET - If a rule is not appropriate (in the JET’s mind), JETs think they do not need to abide by it. JETs usually stay in Japan for only 1 to 3 years, so it does not make sense for them to keep a rule which they do not consider appropriate. Also to ask to change a rule is a part of ordinary social behavior and not an open challenge to authority. Also JETs may be bewildered and very frustrated that they are requested to abide by the rules while many Japanese people are breaking them quietly.
BELONGING
The Japanese Workplace - In Japan, on’es origin (e.g. family or education) is very much emphasized. It takes time for one to get accustomed to a completely new work environment and be accepted by the office. As such, some Japanese employees may not consider JETs (who stay in Japan only for 1 to 3 years) their partners (there are exceptions though).
The JET - JETs come to Japan to work as teachers. When they work, they naturally expect that they will be treated equally with other colleagues and accepted as member of the team.
IMPORTANCE OF THE GROUP VS. THE INDIVIDUAL
The Japanese Workplace - In Japan it is considered very important that the group functions well. Group function is a pre- requisite of individual function. The effort to maintain and develop group cohesion is highly evaluated. If you show too much of a disruptive behavior and disturb the group cohesion, you may receive a very negative evaluation.
The JET - For non-Japanese people, one’s career is built up individually. It is not appealing if a JET writes that they kept with job group discipline in Japan diligently for 2 years. They would rather write that they “introduced new ways to improve methods of teaching” or that they, “started a new project in the community,” as it would be more impressive. Thus, JETs would like to do things in which they can show and appeal their capabilities or achievements.
ETHNOCENTRISM
The Japanese Workplace - The Japanese workplace has absolutely no intention of introducing any foreign workplace culture suggested to them by the JET. The JET’s proposal would never be accepted. It is difficult worldwide to explain the basis of culture. Therefore, the Japanese people cannot often answer their JET’s questions on the reasons of rules and customs.
The JET - Among JETs there seems to be those who are willing to adjust and become accustomed to Japanese workplace culture and those who tend to think that the “Japanese workplace culture is wrong, therefore it is justified that I act as I consider right.” When non-Japanese people make a claim according to their cultural norm, they often make points only convenient to them.
ANXIETY
The Japanese Workplace - Many Japanese feel anxious towards their JETs. One of the main reasons for this is that they know little about their JET’s background and there is no knowing what the JET may say or do. JETs also change so frequently the Japanese colleagues must become adjusted to each JET anew. Some contracting organizations may be annoyed with having to repeatedly adjust to new JETs.
The JET - JETs may have little or no idea about their job assignments and feel anxious about their job. The anxiety can cause some paranoid interpretations. One reaction to anxiety may be that the JET shows behavior considered out of the social norm, such as not paying fees that are due, which the JET would not normally do in their own countries.
FRUSTRATION
The Japanese Workplace - The Japanese workplace does things for the JET according to the regulations and the guidelines as part of their duty, but some of the Japanese employees may detest the additional burden of having to do so much for the JETs, as they didn’t ask to be part of the JET Programme. When they receive additional complaints from their JETs, they can feel even more frustrated.
The JET - There is no written material on how JETs should be treated except for what CLAIR has published thus far. The fact that there is a variation in how Contracting Organizations treat their JETs does not seem to be conveyed clearly to the JETs either. JETs expect to receive the best treatment among the stories they hear and when their treatment falls short to satisfy such expectation, they feel frustrated and get convinced that they are being treated unfairly.
AMBIGUITY
The Japanese Workplace - Some ambiguity is taken for granted and even considered helpful in that it provides flexibility to allow case-by-case decisions. Very frequently, reasons or a decision criteria are not given. Probably the JET’s job is not explained in detail either.
The JET - In general, most JETs have less tolerance to ambiguity and do not like to adopt the “wait and see” approach. There is likely to be a lot of disagreements between the JET and the Contracting Organization regarding ambiguity, for example, the lack of a detailed job description.
WORKPLACE AND OUT OF WORKPLACE MEETINGS
The Japanese Workplace - It is not unusual to see the blurring of the distinction between the work and private life. Going drinking with your colleagues after work is common. If you do not participate in these out of work get-togethers, you may be considered unsociable or lack commitment to work well with others. Some Japanese colleagues complain that JETs do not join out-of-work get-togethers. In some other cases, the Japanese colleagues do not consider JET participants their “partners” and do not invite them to these get-togethers outside work hours.
The JET - There is a wide array of motivation for JETs to join such after work get-togethers. JETs who would like to become immersed in the Japanese culture may want to join such parties and may feel isolated if they are not invited. On the other hand, for those who think of their JET position as a temporary job, this type of commitment may become annoying.
DRINKING
The Japanese Workplace - In Japan, people are rarely given the opportunity where they can express their opinions frankly. Drinking provides an opportunity to facilitate candid communication with one another. To enhance and promote a closer relationship, it can be very effective to discuss issues just within the group or between two people after drinking. Childish or even slightly sexual behaviors can be permitted with a reason that it takes place under the influence of alcohol.
The JET - It seems like there are hardly any other cultures that use drinking to facilitate candid communication. However, permission of otherwise inappropriate behavior under the influence of alcohol seems to exist in some cultures. For other cultures, being seen drunk in public receives negative opinions. Touching females using the excuse of being drunk is not accepted by JETs.
THE GRADING OF INTIMACY
The Japanese Workplace - There is a traditional notion of “Uchi (inside)” and “Soto (outside)” in Japan. If you are considered “Soto,” you may be nicely treated as a guest but you are not thought of as a comrade. Otherwise, you are considered “Uchi”, where there is little reservation between the group members. Some JETs find it confusing to be treated as a guest with no candid discussions, as opposed to being treated as a comrade and being asked personal questions without reservation.
The JET - Most JETs find it okay to try to get to know their colleagues at a slightly deeper level while discussing work, but find personal questions such as boy/girlfriends, weight, etc. offensive (some see it as a form of sexual harassment).
PROBLEMS IN THE WORKPLACE
Problems occur due to cultural differences, language barrier, etc. It is best to resolve any issues before it aggravates. The PAs are here to assist you, but a lot of problems in the workplace are usually the result of misunderstandings and can be resolved simply by talking to your supervisor. However, if you have difficulty trying to resolve the situation yourself, then by all means consult the PAs for more assistance. But whatever you do, don’t simply ignore the situation.