Intercultural Training:
Understanding the Japanese Culture
Seminars: 09/10 June 2026 | 07/08 Sep | 10/11 Dec 2026
If you are planning to establish business relationships with Japanese partners, attending this seminar will save you a great deal of frustration, effort, and unnecessary expense. Social competence might do the trick when dealing with partners of similar cultural backgrounds, but this will not be sufficient when doing business with Japan.
Without targeted preparation, the unfamiliar behavior is interpreted through the lens of one’s own value system, leading to serious misunderstandings of the Japanese counterparts. At the same time, working with Japanese partners is often easier than it may appear, once you understand their motivations, intentions, and ways of thinking.
In this seminar, you will learn to recognize and understand the underlying reasons for Japanese behavioral patterns. For example, you will gain insight into how and where decisions are made, how meetings are structured, and how Japanese partners express disagreement or say “no.” You will learn what Japanese audiences expect from presentations and how you can most effectively win them over. By the end of the seminar, you will understand why Japanese partners frequently ask for additional information and details even though you feel you have already provided comprehensive explanations. You will also learn why emails sometimes remain unanswered, what can be done about it, and why it is not necessarily a bad sign if Japanese executives fall asleep during your presentation.
Seminar Objectives:
Throughout the seminar, we provide an intercultural framework for analyzing challenging situations. This will enable you to independently develop new strategies for action in the future, allowing you to manage your business relationships successfully and effectively.
After attending the seminar, you will not only be able to correctly interpret the seemingly puzzling behavior of your Japanese counterparts, but you will also gain valuable insights into your own cultural conditioning.
Seminar Contents (2 days):
- Cultural Awareness: Definition of culture, personal and social identity, self image, stereotypes and prejudice
- Intercultural Differences: Cultural dimensions, comparisons between cultures, values and culture standards, sources of conflict and misunderstanding, direct and subtle communication styles, non-verbal signals
- Practical Applications in Professional Life: Dealing with hierarchies, decision making processes, information sharing, negotiations and meetings, formal and informal settings, presentations, handling questions, customer service, establishing relationships, blending of professional and private life
- Specific Information on Japan: History, geography, religion, society, 'Nihonjinron', Japanese language, cultural pitfalls and taboos, specific questions and answers.
- Specific Demands and Preparation: Prior to the seminar, we use a questionnaire to ask participants about their previous knowledge, cultural backgrounds, the type of interactions with Japanese counterparts (customers, suppliers, colleagues) as well as any existing problems, needs and demands. The results will be considered and addressed during the training.
Trainer: Beatrix Stahlberger (Psychologist / Coach) with over 25 years of training experience on the issue of intercultural psychology in general and Japan in particular.
Number of participants: 1-6
Fee per Person: 1,100.-€ (+ VAT)
In-Company Training (also online):
Up to 12 participants 1,750.-€ (+ VAT) per day (German or English)
Registration can be done via e-mail stating:
- Name of participant
- Seminarname and -date
- Invoice address.
You will receive the confirmation of your registration within 24 hours.
Evaluations of Participants
E-Mail Feedback:
"It has been a fun and useful 2 days for all of us. It was really nice to see how my colleagues engaged on the topic, curious to learn and reflect. In the end, this ‘eagerness to learn’ is
what counts most. You managed to bring across the topic in an inspiring way, giving us ample opportunity to reflect, ask questions, play with the information received. We have already consulted
each other on a number of topics after the training, which is a good sign. I’m sure we will be in touch, as I am eager to offer another group of colleagues this opportunity."
(Bayer Crop Science - Inhouse Training)