Business and Education


Business Context


            In Japan, greeting individuals is very important in Japanese culture, especially at work, 

where it holds central importance in Japanese society. The work ethic in Japan is shaped by

collectivism and hierarchy. You will rarely see someone getting fired; in Japan, you will never
see someone getting fired unless for disloyalty. You will most likely see someone get fewer
hours to do random, non-work-related tasks to get them to quit or be convinced to retire earlier
than expected. This being said, work in Japan is highly important, and the work etiquette is very
much a reflection on how you feel about the community.

When greeting at a workplace in Japan, there is a “The Golden Trio” rule you need to
follow. The Golden Trio has 3 phrases for good first impressions, which matter a lot in Japanese
workplaces. First, start with Hajimemashite (Nice to meet you), my name is [your name], then
immediately, Osewa ni natte orimasu (Thank you for your continued support). After they state
their name, you would say, Yoroshiku onegai shimasu (I look forward to working with you).


From a very young age, you would be put into uniforms, from elementary school all the
way until you retire. In a workplace, men will need to wear dark colored suits (Black, navy,
gray), with a white dress shirt under the suit, along with a tie and dress shoes. For women, the same color palette but with a shirt matching the blazer, along with a light-colored dress shirt and
short black heels. Hair and accessories are also very important aspects of appearance in the
workplace. Hair, in general, is not allowed to be dyed other than natural hair colors like black,
brown, and blonde. For men, maintaining grooming is very important. For women, if your hair is
shorter than shoulder length, then it’s acceptable to be kept down, but if longer, it’s required to
be tied up in either a ponytail or bun. 


The practice of giving gifts is very prominent in Japanese culture. Whether it’s someone
new you’re going to meet or someone you are going to visit. It’s a sign of appreciation and a
form of respect. Depending on the gift and the presentation of the gift are usually seen as how
much respect you have for this person/company. The most common type of gift is snacks
(Omiyage) from a certain area, and Temiyage is more of a personal gift with meaning.
When getting a job in Japan, I think the 3 biggest difficulties would have to be the
language barrier, although English is being taught in Japan from elementary school and up, and a
lot of our words are variations of English words embedded into our vocabulary. Next would be
the work culture, as the majority of the things I mentioned above are primarily not seen in
American companies or in general, for example, the idea of everyone in uniform or gift giving is
not seen in American companies, nor in everyday life. The last difficulty I could see as an
American getting a job in Japan is cultural adaptation, in Japan work is very prominent in
everyday life; there are many studies mentioning people overworking, which affects mental
illness. I think people from America, including myself, are not fit to work in such highly
demanding areas where our competition is people with a high work ethic and the willingness to
stay overtime to finish the job.

If I had someone from Japan come and work for me, I would take it as a learning
opportunity, since I do not know the language well enough to work in Japan, but I do know
enough to have a conversation in Japanese. With this upper hand, I wouldn’t have a language
barrier, which is the biggest barrier. I’d teach the employees, with all due respect, about us
culture, but also allow their culture into this company. It’s best not to strip all culture away from
a person, but to allow it. Other than that, I think time will help us better learn from one another
and teach each other how our different cultures work out in the long run.


Education systems


            The Japanese education system consists of 12 years, starting in April and ending in March, with the option of upper secondary education, like in America, college is optional. The education system is very similar to the Western education system. Kindergarten is from 3-5, Elementary is from 6-12, Middle School or Junior High School is from 12-15, and finally High School is from 15-18. As noted above, higher education is similar in America, where universities are typically 4 years, with 2 years for master's and 3 years for doctoral degrees. The education system in Japan has recently become free for all students from elementary level to high school education, with the legal requirement for all children to go to school.  

            In Elementary and middle schools in Japan, schools prohibit students from bringing their own lunch; each week, students are assigned to prepare and serve lunch to their fellow classmates. This helps with nutrition and skills in their later life. The best thing about Japanese lunch is that, unlike Western school lunches, Japanese dinners are not frozen; they are made from scratch to ensure good nutrition. You do not need to pay for education, but you are required to pay 4,343 yen monthly, which is equivalent to $27.25 US Dollars. Once in high school, you are allowed to bring your own lunch.



            A typical school day for a Japanese student living in Japan would be that the from Monday to Friday, with the expectation being to arrive at school around 8:00 AM to take your shoes at the front of the building in their own personal cabinets with their last name, grade, and class letter (Konishi 3-A). Once headed into their designated classrooms, they will stay in the classroom except for gym while the teachers move to each classroom, unlike the Western Education Systems. With the students having their classrooms, they have the responsibilities and assigned duties to clean and maintain the area for their teachers. For Elementary and middle schools, education will continue until around lunch, when your classmates will bring a cart with food and serve you. After a meal, you will almost always see students brush their teeth and start deep cleaning (o soji) the room, where you would see the classroom swept, trash cans empty, clean the restrooms, clean the chalkboard and erasers, and pick up any trash on the floor. Following the rest of the classes until 3:00-4:00 PM, with a majority of the students staying after school for sports or other activities.



According to the research institute for higher education, Hiroshima University, the enrollment difference between females and males going to undergraduate universities is pretty significant, although we can see a significant difference starting from 1955 all the way until 2016; men are enrolled at 337,756, while women are enrolled at 280,676. This is very significant as in 1955, men were enrolled at 116,221 people vs. women at 20,246. While enrollment numbers reveal a clear difference over time, the number of graduates shows 304,248 male student graduates and 255,430 female student graduates. Using our 2016 data, we can calculate that men have a ~90.3%, while women have roughly an 84% graduation rate. According to Worldmetrics.org, Japan’s high school graduation rate is 98.7% in 2022, where only 52% will enroll in higher education. An interesting find I discovered while researching was how women are more likely to enroll in junior colleges, with women at 52,066 and men at 6,159.




The subjects taught through the Japanese education system are very similar, as they learn math, science, history, PE, music/art, etc. However, what stood out to me was how they are being taught these subjects, as I described earlier, students change their shoes upon entering the school from their outside shoes into slippers, exchanging them in and out of their cabinets (getabako), which reflects cleanliness and respect for communal areas such as the school. Additionally, cleaning the classroom and bathrooms every day after lunch is another sign of responsibility and collectivism. Not to mention how all students are in a rotation to cook and serve food for their classmates each week. This builds skill development and a community. This way of education creates a community where cooperation and maintaining social harmony is highly valued in Japanese culture.

A shoe cupboard (Getabako):

Cubby storage:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Embassy of Japan. (2022, December 9). Education System in Japan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/education-system-in-japan.html

Hays, J. (2014). SCHOOL CURRICULUM IN JAPAN | Facts and Details. Factsanddetails.com. https://factsanddetails.com/japan/cat23/sub150/item2789.html

Japan Education Statistics Statistics: Market Data Report 2024. (2024). Worldmetrics.org. https://worldmetrics.org/japan-education-statistics/

Lunch in Japanese schools. (2022, January 24). JAPAN Educational Travel. https://education.jnto.go.jp/en/school-in-japan/school-life-in-japan/lunch-in-japanese-schools/

McDonough, B. (2019, January 18). What is school life typically like in Japan? Interac Network. https://interacnetwork.com/school-life-in-japan/

Salama, O. (2025, July 22). Japan steps towards free high school education for all - Humanium. Humanium. https://www.humanium.org/en/japan-steps-towards-free-high-school-education-for-all/

Statistics of Japanese Higher Education. (2016, July 25). Statistics of Japanese Higher Education. https://rihe.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en/statistics/synthesis/

Advice and Guidance for Working in Japan and how to get a job in Japan - Global Career
Guide. (2025, May 13). Advice and Guidance for Working in Japan and How to Get a Job in
Japan - Global Career Guide. https://www.daijob.com/en/guide/expat-essentials/layoffs-and-
japan-can-you-loose-your-job/
Coto Academy. (2022, December 14). Japanese Work Culture: How is it Different from The US?
Coto Academy. https://cotoacademy.com/japanese-work-culture-how-is-it-different-from-the-us/
Quan, B. L. (2026, March 4). Dress Code Guide for Japanese Offices. Japanlivinglife.com;
Japan Living Life. https://japanlivinglife.com/articles/dress-code-japanese-offices-guide
The Etiquette of Japanese Gift-Giving and what to give! (n.d.). Nihongo Master.
https://www.nihongomaster.com/blog/the-etiquette-of-japanese-gift-giving-and-what-to-give/
ulpa. (2025, April 12). Mastering Japanese Business Greetings: Your First Step to Professional
Success in Japan. ULPA. https://www.ulpa.jp/post/mastering-japanese-business-greetings-your-
first-step-to-professional-success-in-japan

 

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