Culture Clash
Culture Clash
Apologies in Japan
don’t imply guiltHARUMI TANAKA, from Osaka, Japan, had accepted an assignment in Boston. His task was to explore the possibility of developing joint ventures with American firms. He had been invited by one company to spend a month and had been assigned an office and a research assistant.
He agreed on a Monday to present a business plan the following Friday. On Tuesday, the computers in the company crashed and the research assistant called in sick. Still, Harumi pushed forward and presented his plan on Friday. He began his presentation, "I'm sorry that I am not well prepared. This meeting may not be a good use of your time." He then went into a clear, interesting presentation. After the meeting, one of the American executives said, "I don't know why you had to apologize. Everyone knows about the computer crash and your assistant's illness." Harumi responded he thought the apology would be a good introduction to his presentation.
The misunderstanding in this incident occurred because apologies are interpreted differently in the United States compared to Japan. In the United States, apologies are associated with weakness and the admission of guilt. In this case, people at the meeting might interpret Harumi's apology as an admission of responsibility for a poor presentation. In Japan, apologies are less associated with weakness or the admission of guilt. Apologies show concern for the difficulties and distress people are experiencing. However, Japanese people making apologies are not claiming responsibility for the difficulties or distress.
The purpose of this column is to increase understanding of human behavior as it has an impact on the workplace. Special attention will be given to miscommunications caused by cultural differences. Each column will start with a short example of such confusion. Possible explanations will be offered to encourage thought about these issues.
Japanese like hearing apologetic language. It shows modesty and demonstrates that people are not putting themselves above others.
Before my first lecture tour in Japan, a wise colleague advised me to use phrases such as "I hope there is something in this lecture that is worthwhile. Many of you in the audience could make a better presentation." A comparable type of language Americans like to hear deals with compliments.
Differing views about apologies partly explain the bitterness among the families of sailors who died in the collision of the Ehime Maru and the USS Greeneville. The Japanese family members wanted to hear timely apologies that would have indicated the regret, concern, and empathy of Americans involved in the collision. American officials delayed their apologies because they felt they would be admitting their guilt and be exposing themselves to legal repercussions.
Richard Brislin is a professor in the College of Business Administration,
University of Hawaii. He can be reached through the
College Relations Office: cro@cba.hawaii.edu