JAPAN

Sushi, electronic gadgets, geishas, manga and Mount Fuji: konnichiha (hello) Japan!

The country of the raising sun is an archipelago in East Asia that comprises the volcanic islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu and another 1,000 smaller islands. In Japan, tomorrow’s world goes hand-in-hand with century-old traditions and customs. Futuristic buildings are right next door to wooden houses where time has stood still.

Climate/working climate
Japan’s climate contrasts strongly from place to place. Winters are cold with a lot of snow in the north. The temperature can even drop to -40° C and cold winds from Siberia and Mongolia often cause huge snow storms. Summers are mild in the north with temperatures of up to 20° C. The southern islands such as Okinawa are a lot hotter with temperatures of at least 30° C in the summer. The mercury seldom drops below 15° C in the winter. Summers are hot and humid while winters are cool with temperatures around 5° C in Tokyo.

The relationships within Japanese companies are strongly hierarchical
The same applies to the relationships between Japanese companies among themselves. This is not just the case in the business world, but also at school, sports centres and even amongst neighbours. Hierarchy is the backbone of every Japanese system. Everything goes wrong if it is not all tautly defined. This means that it is difficult to take risks or to be creative on the Japanese work floor. A nail that protrudes will usually be hit at the same time with all the rest.

The Japanese are more prone to think that if you wish to go up in this world, you must first learn respect. This basically means that you need to work hard, be humble and ensure you do not stand out.

Facts and Figures
Capital city: Tokyo
Area: 377,835 km², 9 x the size of the Netherlands
Population: 127,000,000
Time zone: GMT/UTC +9
Currency: Yen (¥)
Languages: Japanese

If you want to know more, visit:
www.japan-zone.com
www.landenweb.net/japan