How to Do Business in 12 Asian Countries 10. What will you need to know in 2010 or 2020 to work in Asia? As Hans Koehler pointed out in his Preface, we live in changing times. In this century China and India are changing the economic balance of the world. But many of the cultural tenets presented in Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: Asia took hundreds or thousands of years to develop. These stable precepts help us understand why people behave differently around the world, and they will help you to avoid global marketing faux pas | 62 Kiss Bow or Shake Hands Asia The prejudice against foreigners can even be directed at nativeborn Japanese. Often Japanese who spend too much time studying abroad are stigmatized for not being Japanese enough. One important aspect of Japanese behavior is apology. Not only do individuals apologize for missteps but companies do as well in the person of their highest-ranking officers . Japan has its own unique belief system called Shinto. Shinto means the way of the gods yet it is not always categorized by Westerners as a religion in part because Shinto lacks an official religious text or a system of ethics to live by. The Japanese are surprisingly tolerant of religious differences and may even practice both Buddhism and Shinto concurrently. Many people are married in a Shinto ceremony but select a Buddhist funeral. Cultural Note Like many industrialized countries Japan has had a declining birth rate. Japan s population is expected to begin shrinking by 2007. Efforts by the Japanese government to encourage citizens to have more children including tax breaks and maternity leave have failed to halt the decline. The low birthrate will lead to a dearth of young workers by 2050. Because there will be fewer workers contributing to government social insurance programs this is expected to cause severe problems. It may even force the Japanese to allow guest workers to enter Japan. Christianity less than 5 percent and other religions under 20 percent are also present in Japan. There is no official religion. The Japanese tend to adapt their religion to modern life for example they will have new businesses blessed. Another change is in the view of suicide. Suicide was accepted in older Japanese traditions whenever one had brought intolerable shame upon oneself. The official policy in Japan today is to discourage suicide. Nevertheless Japan has a high suicide rate. Despite a martial history Japan has not had an army since the end of the Second World War. The 2003 decision to .
