Relocating to Japan involves not only learning the mechanics of taking the subway or how to pay the bills. Both understanding and appreciating Japan's culture are necessary for making life in Japan enjoyable and more meaningful.

It's important to keep in mind that culture shock is experienced by both sides! Japanese colleagues find international assignees perplexing, too. Different cultural expectations and assumptions can easily lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding. Developing intercultural communication skills and understanding the meaning of culture and how it affects people will increase everyone's effectiveness in social and business situations.

It stands to reason that the smoother and easier the initial period of adjustment is, the more receptive assignees will be to new experiences and the more likely they are to enjoy their stay in Japan.

Learning a little of the host country's language is a large part of becoming familiar with a new culture. There are also practical aspects to knowing the local language that are necessary for daily life. By learning the local language, the assignee can overcome the fear of handling issues such as how to take a taxi, how to ask for a price at a store, ordering food at restaurants, etc., resulting in a sense of power through the ability to live in Japan with confidence.

The main purpose of the training is:

• to increase awareness of the diversity of cultures around the world, represented by communication styles, behaviors, or values
• to develop intercultural sensitivity and intercultural communication skills
• to develop ability to deal with cultural differences creatively and productively
• to develop appreciation of Japan's culture and cultural differences between Japan and one's home culture

For inbound transferees, our immediate objective is to help them relax and settle into their new life, while eliminating the frustrations of relocation. Next, we hope they gain a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction at having adjusted successfully. Later on, the newfound skills will lead to a deeper exploration of Japanese culture.

Target Groups

• inbound transferees and their families
• Japanese employees working with non-Japanese

Programs

• Intercultural Program
• Youth Program
• Intercultural Business Training

The knowledge, awareness, and communciation skills needed to cope with Japanese culture are addressed in our individually tailored programs. The training will also introduce participants to Japan-specific knowledge in fields such as historical background, social issues, and cultural issues. Our ultimate goal, and indeed the highest compliment we can receive, is for inbound transferees to say upon leaving that they thoroughly enjoyed their time in Japan, and for Japanese employees to have a good experience working with their colleagues from around the globe.

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