Business Cards In Japan

Business cards (: and the practices that go with them are a big thing in Japanese business culture. No respectable Japanese sarariiman is without one. Cards are exchanged early on when two people meet and are almost always presented with two hands, the name turned to face the recipient, and with eye contact shared between the two parties whilst sharing a slight bow (JXN).

As you’ve learned before, there is a wide variety of obscure kanji used in Japanese names, and thus they are usually read aloud during the exchange. Having received the card, you should read it carefully noting the katagaki, literally shoulder writing, the details of the company, position, rank, etc. This information tells you a lot about the social standing of the person so you can choose the appropriate level of language when addressing him or her.

There is a strict etiquette surrounding business cards. For example, they should not be written on at all whilst in the presence of the giver of the business card as it is considered to be very rude. Equally, they should not be fiddled with or shoved into a trouser or shirt pocket, but rather kept visible on a table until the end of the meeting.

By: Philip Seyfi

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Philip Seyfi is the founder of the Japanese learning community NihongoUp. More of his articles can be found at his Japanese culture blog.