Israel Japan | Business Guide | 2018

Israel-Japan > Business Guide > 2018 022 > General Information > Business Culture T he intriguing connection between two ancient cultures of Israel and Japan has recently become stronger and deeper. The people of Japan have been expressing more and more interest in visiting Israel,and once there, are captivated by its incredible diversity of people, flavors and colors. While the Japanese people have inhabited the same geographical location for over two thousand years,the Israeli chankonabe* emerged following its people return from the diaspora after two thousand years of exile.As a result,the Israeli business etiquette drastically contrasts with that of Japan. The Israelis, with their exuberant facial expressions and gestures, penchant for personal proximity in daily interactions, and a boisterous manner of speaking,can be downright intimidating to the newly arrived Japanese. As if being loud and in your face wasn’t enough,the Israeli practice of moving fast and pressing forward in reaching business decisions can be overwhelming.The informal behavior, such as sanctioned interruptions and empathic arguments during meetings, and the lack of rigid hierarchical relations in relatively small companies allow immediate and close physical contact and promote an environment where ideas can be discussed and developed at a much faster pace. The casual dress code eases business parties into a more candid and open mode of communication,which the Israelis see as an advantage.Not surprisingly,business meetings are routinely interspersedwith intensely personal questions. This might rightfully shock the Japanese, however for an Israeli wanting to find out absolutely everything about their future colleague is seen as an essential step towards partnership. On the other hand, as far as sales are concerned, Israelis are known for being tough and stubborn salespeople and advocates of the ‘hard sell’ approach. The entrepreneurial environment of Israel fosters the desire to discover new, better, and innovative product solutions. This is one of the reasons Israeli deadlines depend When Sushi Meets Hummus on fast progress and also the reason these deadlines often remain flexible—a potentially infuriating concept to those who come from more regimented business environments. Conversely, maintaining the same product type for prolonged periods of time, as it is customary in Japan, may be perceived as a hindrance in Israel. When the Japanese arrive to Israel from a relatively homogenous environment with the formally prescribed roles and rules, they encounter not only diversity,but also a vastly contrasting culture.It is undoubtedly daunting and disorienting to experience such extreme differences—in each cultural-behavioral scale Israel and Japan place exactly on the opposite ends of the spectrum. *chankonabe – a traditional Japanese sumo wrestlers’ dish.Chankonabe is not made according to a fixed recipe and often contains whatever is available to the cook.Basically,the dish includes almost every possible ingredient except (possibly) fruit,such as different kinds of meat,fish,tofu,vegetables,and so on. 1962-1963: in 1962, Golda Meir, the Foreign Minister of Israel, visited Tokyo, and in July 1963 relations between the two countries developed to Embassy level. Historical Moments However, in this case, the opposites truly do attract.The more different we are,the greater the willingness and the ability to understand each other.The Japanese are appreciated in Israel exactly for the qualities that the Israeli might be lacking--their composure,poised body language,reverence for privacy and personal space,economy of speech,and their preference for stability, rather than uncertainty and risk. In addition, the Japanese are respected for their advanced managerial skills (especially in larger organizations),considerable patience, long-term business planning practices, and their insatiable curiosity about the Israeli culture. While it is the comfort of Israelis in the international arena and their connections to the rest of the world, that are so attractive and beneficial to the Japanese businesses. It is difficult for the Japanese people to visit Israel,but it is even more difficult for them to eventually leave.Once they leave,their passion for Israel stays with them and they yearn to come back. So, despite all the barriers, our reciprocal respect, coupled with the mutual fascination and the desire to learn from each other, is a formidable foundation for a relationship with an immense potential that will certainly last for many years to come. // How Japanese and Israelis can overcame the differences in business culture and behavior? Sophiya Gugelev (Berezansky)