In the company, supervisors have more power than subordinates. No matter how badly Subordinate is Treated by his or her boss, and even if the subordinate complains directly to the company about it, the boss is usually not justly judged by the company. This may seem obvious, but one must be careful because hierarchical relationships are especially strict in Japanese companies.

When I was a student, I had a part-time job at the rice cake manufacturing factory. It was rather hard and boring work, but Japanese businessman like to talk about their hard ships, so I think you should try various part-time jobs if you have a chance.

Japanese companies often want to manage and monitor their employees. If you want to work freely, a Japanese company may not be the right choice for you.

If you don’t work, you don’t eat. This phrase applies well to the Japanese workplace. The Japanese are very hard on people who are lazy. I thought about this while comparing it with the Thai workplace as well.

Optimal solution is the preferred term of many Japanese businessmen. Personally, I dislike this term, but it seems to be essential for analyzing Japanese companies and Japanese society.

Seniority is one of the hallmarks of employment practices in Japanese companies. If you move from job to job, you will be regarded as a person without guts in Japanese society. When considering a career, it is better to consider the characteristics of Japanese companies as well.

Leaving a company is an important event for a businessman. There is an old saying that ‘‘it’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest’’. In this episode I discuss an amicable resignation in a Japanese company.

Unfortunately there are companies in Japan that do not respect the human rights and dignity of their employees. Some companies require new employees to perform tricks in front of other employees at banquets. Please be careful when looking for a job in Japan.

The typical Japanese middle-aged salaryman is often eager to show off his knowledge on the job. Is this phenomenon seen anywhere in the world?

When you join a Japanese company, you may be asked to clean the office during working hours. Cleaning office is not your job, so you may be confused when you receive such an order. In this episode, I explain why Japanese managers are so eager to give unreasonable work orders to their employees.