By Ali Syarief
Many foreign sales managers make the same mistake when entering the Japanese market: they talk too much.
The eagerness to present confidently often blinds them to one of the most essential aspects of Japanese business communication — the art of listening.
When I say “listen to your customers,” I don’t mean waiting politely for your turn to speak.
Listening in Japan means giving your counterpart space — allowing them to share their perspectives, needs, and concerns without interruption or pressure. It’s not a passive act, but a gesture of deep respect.
True listening requires holding back the instinct to sell.
Forget your slide deck for a moment.
Instead of proving how great your product is, focus on understanding what matters to them.
Explore their priorities. Ask thoughtful questions. Test your assumptions.
And most importantly, ask yourself: Can we really help them solve a meaningful problem?
Too often, salespeople are trained to speak — not to listen. They spend hours refining their scripts, rehearsing presentations, and polishing their delivery. Yet in Japan, all of that effort can be wasted if you fail to first understand your customer’s perspective.
In Japanese business culture, decisions are rarely made on the spot. Relationships are built slowly, grounded in trust and mutual respect. One of the most effective ways to build that trust is through listening with empathy — listening not just with your ears, but with your full attention and sincerity.
There’s a Japanese proverb that captures this perfectly:
「聞くは一時の恥、聞かぬは一生の恥」— “To ask (or to listen) may bring momentary shame, but not to ask is a lifelong shame.”
This saying reflects a core Japanese value: true wisdom comes from humility — the willingness to listen and learn.
In business, it’s a reminder that long-term success doesn’t come from how persuasively you speak, but from how deeply you understand.
So, before trying to convince your Japanese customers that your product is great, ask yourself first where you can truly help them.
Because in Japan, trust isn’t built through words — it’s built through genuine understanding born from listening with heart.
