Japan is heterogeneous and culturally diverse, both historically through ancient waves of immigration and in recent years due to its foreign relations and internationalization. However, Japan has socially, culturally, politically, and intellectually constructed a distinct and homogeneous identity. More recently, this identity construction has been rightfully questioned and challenged by Japan’s culturally diverse groups. This book explores the discursive systems of cultural identities that regenerate the illusion of Japan as a homogeneous nation. Contributors from a variety of disciplines and methodological approaches investigate the ways in which Japan’s homogenizing discourses are challenged and modified by counter-homogeneous message systems. They examine the discursive push-and-pull between homogenizing and heterogenizing vectors, found in domestic and transnational contexts and mobilized by various identity politics, such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, foreign status, nationality, multiculturalism, and internationalization. After offering a careful and critical analysis, the book calls for a complicating of Japan’s homogenizing discourses in nuanced and contextual ways, with an explicit goal of working towards a culturally diverse Japan. Taking a critical intercultural communication perspective, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of Japanese Studies, Japanese Culture and Japanese Society.

In Japan, evidence of the country's Westernization abounds, yet despite appearances, it has remained "uniquely" Japanese. For this reason, the uninformed Westerner doing business there will find it difficult and even frustrating to work with Japanese unless he or she gains a good understanding of Japan and its people. The author draws on his extensive bilingual and bicultural experience to provide readers with an insightful look at many key aspects of doing business with Japan, ranging from initiating and maintaining business contacts, effective interpersonal communication, decision-making styles, negotiation tactics, presentational speaking, working of Japanese multinational companies, and living and working in Japan. Businesspeople, academics, non-academics, students, and others who are interested in learning how to communicate effectively and successfully with Japanese in international business contexts will benefit from the author's sound recommendations and advice.

A textbook for students in Japanese, communication, or international studies, assuming no previous background in Japanese language or culture. Donahue (Japanese studies, Nagoya Gakuin U., Japan) first surveys the perceptual barriers to communicating between Japan and North America, then examines the Japanese communication style, differences in discourse, and images of the Japanese in the mass media. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book is the first to provide a summary of the state of knowledge about communication in Japan and the United States. Included is an overview of the major approaches used in the study of communication in these two countries, an overview of the major cultural factors influencing communication, a description of the sociolinguistic differences between English and Japanese, an examination of Japanese-American communication as a function of the cultural values learned from the two cultures, and a summary of research comparing interpersonal research in Japan and the United States, as well as research on intercultural communication between Japanese and North Americans. The book also examines communication in organizational contexts in Japan and the United States and describes differences in mass communication between the two cultures.

This book provides a practical set of guidelines for people wishing to communicate professionally in Japan, following the model of the similar book by Kelm and Victor on Brazil. Good communication requires more than knowing the language. Haru Yamada, Orlando Kelm, and David Victor, seasoned cross-cultural trainers for businesspeople, provide a guide through Victor's LESCANT model (Language, Environment, Social Organization, Context, Authority, Nonverbal, and Time). Each chapter addresses one of these topics and demonstrates how to evaluate the differences between Japan and North America, presenting examples to help people avoid common communication mistakes. The book is generously peppered with photographs to provide visual examples. The authors complete the book with a case study chapter on a business interaction between Japanese and North Americans (NA). They then gathered comments from various NA professionals working in Japan and Japanese working with US professionals about the interactions in the case, providing helpful observations about the situation. The book straddles some language and communication topics, international relations, and reaches into the business community, a strong academic program at GU, presenting us with a new opportunity to reach a wider audience.

While Japan has been on center stage of the world economy for decades, interactions between the Japanese and Westerners continue to be on the rise. Daily communication in both business and social settings is commonplace, and connections through the Internet and mobile media make what felt distant only a few years ago seem familiar. Our cultures and social norms remain vastly different, however, and professionals working in Japan are likely to confront new challenges every day. For example, what are the three biggest challenges for Westerners who go to work in Japan? How can you tell when “yes” might mean “no”? When you are the guest in a taxi, who should sit where? In the fully updated second edition of With Respect to the Japanese, readers discover not only answers to basic etiquette questions, but also how to communicate successfully with the Japanese and, in the process, earn mutual respect. John C. Condon and Tomoko Masumoto use real-life examples (from kindergarten classrooms to the boardroom) to explain the contrast between these two distinct cultures. In this essential guide to Japanese culture, you will learn how vital societal characteristics affect communication, decision making, management styles and many other aspects of work and everyday relationships.

In an accessible and original study of the Japanese language in relation to Japanese society and culture, Senko Maynard characterizes the ways of communicating in Japanese and explores Japanese language-associated modes of thinking and feeling. Japanese Communication: Language and Thought in Context opens with a comparison of basic American and Japanese values via cultural icons--the cowboy and the samurai--before leading the reader to the key concept in her study: rationality. Writing for those who have a basic knowledge of Japanese language and culture, Maynard examines topics such as masculine and feminine speech, swearing, expressions of ridicule and conflict, adverbs of emotional attitude and the eloquence of silence. Maynard provides a refreshing and entertaining perspective for interpreting contemporary Japan, sometimes in contrast to the United States.

This fully revised edition reflects the rapidly changing political, social and cultural situation in Japan. It provides a detailed description of Japanese social behaviour, values and attitudes to the individuals place in society.It also looks at attitudes to education and doing business. An invaluable resource for those who teach, study and work or trade with Japan.Also availableThailand: A handbook in intercultural communicationChina: A handbook in intercultural communicationPoland: A h

How and why is silence used interculturally? Approaching the phenomenon of silence from multiple perspectives, this book shows how silence is used, perceived and at times misinterpreted in intercultural communication. Using a model of key aspects of silence in communication – linguistic, cognitive and sociopsychological – and fundamental levels of social organization – individual, situational and sociocultural - the book explores the intricate relationship between perceptions and performance of silence in interaction involving Japanese and Australian participants. Through a combination of macro- and micro- ethnographic analyses of university seminar interactions, the stereotypes of the 'silent East' is reconsidered, and the tension between local and sociocultural perspectives of intercultural communication is addressed. The book has relevance to researchers and students in intercultural pragmatics, discourse analysis and applied linguistics.

During a year spent in Japan on a personal quest to deepen her appreciation for such Eastern ideals as commitment and devotion, documentary filmmaker Karin Muller discovered just how maddeningly complicated it is being Japanese. In this book Muller invites the reader along for a uniquely American odyssey into the ancient heart of modern Japan. Broad in scope and deftly observed by an author with a rich visual sense of people and place, Japanland is as beguiling as this colorful country of contradictions.