Identification of Problems through Examination of Communication at Overseas Japanese Corporations

The field of intercultural communication studies involves identification of various phenomena that may occur when communication is undertaken between people with differing cultural backgrounds, and research on relevant mechanisms, causes, solutions, etc.

One primary aspect of my studies is joint research involving examination and analysis of communication between local employees and Japanese employees in Japanese corporations that have expanded to China, the United States and Southeast Asia. One fascinating facet of the results of this research is that, in contrast to the assortment of unique phenomena encountered in each country, numerous local employees in many of the countries expressed the same opinions regarding the communication styles of Japanese people.

For example, many people are impressed by the ability of Japanese employees to understand their superiors’ instructions and achieve suitable results even when such instructions are not explained clearly, as expressed in the saying “a word is enough to the wise.” However, in cultures where such inferred understanding is not commonplace, many people point out the vagueness of instructions from Japanese superiors. On the other hand, many local employees praised the Japanese tendency to discover causes and wholeheartedly work toward improvement measures when problems occurred, as opposed to their own local tendency to defend oneself and place blame.

Pursuing Education that Acknowledges Various Cultures and Cultivates a Respectful Mindset

The aim of my research is to elucidate communication processes that occur when Japanese people come into contact with other cultures, and intercultural communication is becoming ever more important as globalization and advanced information technology usage increase.

At the School of Information and Communication, we utilize a cross-disciplinary approach in our dedicated efforts in order to help students attain academic knowledge and advanced education to tackle various problems related to interpersonal communication within our information society. In particular, I want to cultivate students who will deepen their understanding of their own cultures and take the characteristics of each type of media into consideration as they express their own thoughts and ideas as widely as possible using their own unique words and methods of expression.

Globalization and advanced information technology usage are progressing further, and we have reached an era in which people with differing cultural backgrounds coexist even within Japan. Moving forward, I want to further promote communication-related education that acknowledges various cultures and cultivates a respectful mindset.

Profile

Associate Professor, School of Information and Communication, Meiji University
Field of specialization: Intercultural communication studies
Research topic: Japanese-style communication and multiculturalism