Speaking some Japanese will immediately show respect and help you succeed in Japan's business environment. But understanding the culturally-appropriate use of the language will take you even farther. It will help you build trust, make meaningful connections and maintain relationships. Professionals traveling to Japan must also understand cultural expectations, communication styles, and unspoken rules that shape every interaction.
This online seminar, jointly organized by Arai Academy of Japanese Studies and Japan Expert Insights, is designed for professionals who want to study Japanese and develop cultural awareness they can immediately apply during business trips to Japan.
Why Language and Culture Matter in Japanese Business
Language and culture are inseparable. The way Japanese is spoken in professional settings reflects hierarchy, relationship-building, and social expectations. Without cultural awareness, even grammatically correct Japanese can lead to misunderstandings.
This seminar helps participants understand how Japanese language is used in real business contexts and how cultural norms influence meetings, negotiations, and professional relationships.
What You Will Learn
Participants will gain:
- Practical insight into Japanese language use in professional and business settings
- Understanding of cultural concepts that influence communication and behavior in Japan
- Strategies to avoid common misunderstandings during business trips to Japan
- Greater confidence when interacting with Japanese colleagues, clients, and partners
- Knowledge that can be applied immediately, even during short-term visits
Who Should Attend
This seminar is ideal for:
- Professionals planning business trips to Japan
- Executives, managers, and team leaders working with Japanese companies
- Learners of the Japanese language seeking real-world application
- International professionals involved in consulting, sales, or cross-border collaboration
- Anyone who wants to communicate more effectively and respectfully in Japan
Seminar Format
- Online seminar
- Designed for international professionals
- Accessible from anywhere
Maya Matsuoka - Japan Expert Insights
With first-hand experience in Japanese corporations and semi-governmental organizations, Maya Matsuoka understands the frustrations foreign professionals face when working in Japan. What often looks inefficient, indirect, or unclear from the outside, usually follows a coherent internal logic that is rarely explained explicitly.
In 2023 she established Japan Expert Insights, a firm that provides customized courses and advisory programs for corporations and individuals working in or with Japan. Maya’s work focuses on the cultural dynamics that shape Japanese business practices: how decisions are made, how communication works, how trust is built and how expectations are formed within organizations.
Through the training programs of Japan Expert Insights, she has helped international professionals navigate Japan more effectively, achieve better outcomes and expand their businesses in the Japanese market.
She earned her MBA from GLOBIS University, Graduate School of Management in Tokyo, Japan.
Mineko Arai - Arai Academy of Japanese Studies
Mineko has been teaching Japanese for over 20 years. She was a lecturer at top UK universities like the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, the University of Sheffield, and She was also employed by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office to prepare diplomats for postings to the British embassy in Tokyo.
She is now the director of the Arai Academy of Japanese Studies and created the Arai Method, which helps Japanese learners speak naturally, behave like a native and gain confidence as quickly as possible.
The academy has provided corporate training to the British Museum, as well as executives and business leaders at companies like Deloitte, Sony, Dentsu and Mitsubishi UFJ Bank.
She was also voted best online tutor at Vidalingua.
She earned an MA in applied Japanese linguistics from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and an MBA in Education Management from King's College London.
Whether you are preparing for your first business trip to Japan or looking to deepen your professional effectiveness, this seminar provides essential language awareness and cultural insight for working successfully in Japan.
