Business etiquette differs from country to country.  In this section, let’s focus on punctuality, which is a key factor in Japanese business etiquette.

Differences in Perception of Time

■ “Late” at 10:15?

I (Japanese) once gave a lecture on “Business Etiquette” in Japanese to students and graduates of Japanese Language Department at the university in Hanoi. In the back of the classroom, there were Japanese expatriates and Japanese language teachers observing the class.

“You are a company employee, working in Japan. Today you will have a meeting with a customer. Is it okay to be late or not?”

The students looked at me as if to say, “I know that.” and then they all said, “You can’t be late.” So here is my next question. “The appointment is at 10 am. At what time will you be considered late?”

A student in the front row answers.

“Being late starts at 10:20!”

This confident answer caused a stir among the Japanese people in the back of the classroom.

Perhaps sensing the atmosphere in the room, the next student I nominated moved up his answer by five minutes and responded,

“Being late starts at 10:15!”

But the murmurs of the Japanese people grew even louder, and some of them were utterly speechless. The students look back and tilt their heads in confusion.

■ Shocking Answer

So, I taught the class the correct answer.

“Being late starts at 10:00:01 (1 second past)”

This time, the front half of the classroom (the Vietnamese students) made a big fuss. “What!” “Only one second, already late?” Perhaps the shock was too great for them, and the buzzing did not cease for a while. 

In Japanese society, if you miss an appointment by even one second, you are considered late. If you’re 15 or 20 minutes late, it is going to be very difficult to regain your trust. Regardless of whether you think this kind of common sense in Japan is good or not, it is important to know this before you start working in Japan. 

Summary

This section introduced the Japanese perception of time. It is safe to aim to arrive at the meeting place 10 minutes before the appointment. Check the train schedule in advance and leave with plenty of time.　

If you are still to be late, let the other person know as soon as possible. Letting the other person know what time you are likely to arrive will help to make the most out of the waiting time. 

If you want to know more, check here!

Japanese Business Customs｜JICA-Net Library