A Travel Companion, Not a Guide

TITLE: Japan's Cultural Code Words: 233 Key Terms That Explain the Attitudes and Behavior of the Japanese
AUTHOR: Boye Lafayette De Mente
PUBLISHER: Tuttle Publishing

RATING
5/5 "Sake"; 4/5 "Anime"; 3/5 "Karaoke"; 2/5 "Pokemon"; 1/5 "Bukkake"
SCORE 3/5

In “Japan’s Cultural Code Words”, American author Boye Lafayette De Mente seeks to provide businessmen dealing with Japan a primer on negotiations, by using key concepts in Japanese society and psychology as a window into their behavior. The book works as a traveling companion, one you dip into now and again, but likely fails in its mission to act as a guide.

The 200-plus expressions are arranged alphabetically, from ageashi (“tripping on your tongue”) to zanrei (“breaking the molds of the past”). Mr De Mente explains the origins of each term in light of Japan’s more-Orwell-than-Orwell feudal past or atomic defeat in World War II, then suggests ways foreigners can accommodate or adapt to each.

Mr De Mente’s book offers a kind of cut-away diagram into the Japanese soul, and there are insights here even for experienced Japan-watchers. However, he does at times appear removed from the grittier aspect of Japanese society—for example, he claims “Freetas” (from the English for freelancer, used in Japan to describe anyone working on freelance or short-term contract work rather than in a permanent position) are envied for their freedom, when in fact the growing number of people unable to find stable employment is considered a serious social ill.

Mr De Mente is generally balanced and fair in his description of Japanese behavior. He praises their virtues, but pulls no punches with what he sees are their fundamental faults, especially their enduring parochialism and the strange mix of smugness and envy that lace their dealings with the West. Those whose exposure to Japanese culture is limited to the occasional California roll at a Korean deli will doubtless find him overly critical, but experience teaches that his criticism is usually justified. (Full disclosure: I have lived and worked for the past 10 years in Japan).

The book is aimed squarely at the business community, and Mr De Mente attempts whenever possible to proffer potential negotiators with advice on how to handle their Japanese counterparts. This raises the book above the level or mere catalogue, even if the advice often boils down to “deal with it”.

Unfortunately, organizing the terms alphabetically rather undermines this effort. It’s a garage sale of sociology, a dusty attic with unorganized memorabilia, a primer that is 90 percent tertiary information. There are some shiny new ideas and sparkling insights, but finding them requires considerable hunting. The books offers no bulleted list of things to do, no consistent rules to follow, nothing in short that your would-be entrepreneur to wrap their brain around. Some of the information is highly abstract and esoteric, and likely wouldn’t be much use to negotiators even if it was put in an easier-to-digest format.

More to the point, the book begs the question why outsiders should go out of their way to accommodate the Japanese rather than vice versa. Particularly given Japan’s 20 years of stagnant growth and its rapidly-disappearing lead over competitors in fields such as household electronics and automobiles, it’s getting harder and harder to justify the extra effort it takes to do business with the Japanese. The demand to be treated on their own terms might have been justifiable when they lead the world; this position grows increasingly untenable the farther they fall behind their neighbors.

If a reader is patient and thorough, this reference guide will doubtless help them navigate the notoriously difficult business climate in Japan. It’s harder to say why anyone should care to try.