Kim Black – Culture Rebekah Dibble – History Shawn Cox – Government Ben Cutler – The Church...

Kim Black – Culture Rebekah Dibble – History Shawn Cox – Government Ben Cutler – The Church Ken Hill – Technology Jenny Johnson – Economy Sara Schow – Banking and Business

Map of Japan

Speed Train Rice Fields

Oyster Farms Tokyo

Regional Differences & Diversity

Population Comparisons

61126

1,250

7 40

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

Population in Millions

ThailandJapanChinaHong KongSingapore

Customs & Etiquette

Remove shoes, two kinds of slippersNo tippingRestrooms, B.Y.O.T.P.Importance of gifts, often foodSlurping, chopsticks, and other dining

advice

Religion

51%43%

1%5%

ShintoBuddismChristianOther

Shinto

Shinto (the way of the gods)

Shinto does not have a founder nor does it have sacred scriptures like the sutras or the bible

The kami are the objects of worship in Shinto. They are sacred spirits and can take various forms such as natural elements like the sun, mountains, trees, rocks, and the wind.

Shinto

In contrast to Western religions there are no absolutes in Shinto, even though there is a most important goddess, the Sun goddess.

A written code of ethics and morals does not really exist in Shinto; but the Confucian ethics had melted together with Shinto over the centuries.

Nowadays, the people seek support from Shinto and visit shrines in order to pray for good fortune and to avoid evil spirits

Buddhism

Originated in India in the 6th century BC. Buddhism consists of the teachings of the Buddha, Gautama Siddhartha.

Its central theories are that human life is full of suffering due to worldly desires, illness, death and the loss of loved ones. By getting rid of desires and attachments, one can achieve the state of enlightenment (Nirvana) and escape suffering and the circle of reincarnations.

Buddhism

Buddhism was imported to Japan in 538 or 552 in form of a present from the king of the friendly Korean kingdom of Kudara (or Paikche).

The new religion was welcomed by the ruling nobles while the common people did not understand its complex theories.

Nowadays about 90 million people consider themselves Buddhists in Japan.

History of Japan

Feudal Centuries-Five Main PeriodsKamakura Period (1185-1333)Muromachi Period (1333-1576)Momoyama Period (1576-1600)Christian Century (1543-1640)Tokugawa Period (1600-1867)

History of Japan (cont’d)

Modern History and It’s Applications to BusinessEmperor Meiji-Westernization and

Industrialization (1867)WWIIRecovery Program and Success of the

Japanese EconomyEconomic Stagnation, Corruption, the Asia

Crisis

History of Japan (cont’d)

Japan TodayEconomyRumors that Japanese Prime Minster is

about to Resign

Government

Constitutional Monarchy 3 Branches of PowerLDP (Liberal Democratic Party) is the

main political partyEmperor became only "symbol of the

state” by the Constitution of 1946

Three Branches

Cabinet (Executive): Prime Minister & cabinetDiet (Legislative):

House of Representatives (500 members)

House of Councillors (252 members)

(Members elected by the people)Judiciary: Supreme Court and lower courts

Prime Minister

YOSHIRO MORI

AGE: 62 PARTY: LDP FACTION: Fukuda DISTRICT: Lower House UNIVERSITY: Waseda

Japan is "a divine nation with the emperor at its center"

Establishing the Church

On September, 1, 1901, Heber J. Grant (then a member of the Quorum of Twelve, and newly called president of the Japanese Mission) led his three companions to a secluded spot in a small grove situated on the slope of one of the rolling hills lying south of Yokohama, to dedicate the land of Japan to the preaching of the gospel.

Translating the Book of Mormon

On January 11, 1904, President Ensign asked all of the missionaries to begin translating different sections of the Book of Mormon.

By September 15, they had completed the First Book of Nephi —forty-nine English pages.

The first translation of the Book of Mormon was completed on March 21, 1906, but the corrections and revisions took longer than the original work.

Because he was dissatisfied with his early sections, Taylor revised the entire first translation, and this took from May 1906 until December. The finished product was off the press on October 6, 1909. Five thousand copies were printed.

The Church During WWII

In 1924 the Japanese Mission was closed after a twenty-three-year history.

On January 1, 1946, Emperor Hirohito issued a proclamation that he was not a divine or quasi-divine person and that the Japanese people were not superior in any way to other races and peoples.

In the spring of 1947, the First Presidency called Brother Edward L. Clissold to go to Japan to investigate the possibility of re-opening the mission, and was set apart as mission president on October 22, 1947.

The Tokyo Temple

On September 13, 1980, ribbons were cut for the temple open house. On September 15, the public phase of the open house began. 48,000 visitors visited the the ten-million-dollar edifice.

The temple was dedicated on Monday Oct. 27, 1980.

On June 11, 2000 President Hinkley dedicated the Fukuoka mini temple.

The Church Today

Since 1996, five new stakes have been created in Japan bringing the total number of stakes in Japan to 30.

Missionary work in Japan continues to progress despite cultural and social hindrances

Technology Transfer

Immediately after World War II, technology transferred mainly from the US to Japan.ConstitutionRebuilding of their economyCapitalism

Diffusion of technology has since then reversed.

Technology Transfer

Toyota Manufacturing TechnologyJIT (Toyota System)mid-1970’s

TQM – Deming PrizeOriginally a way to compete with USIn 1956 Japan adopted Quality as its

national slogan

PokemonSony Playstion2

Japan’s Economy

GDP-0.5% 3rd quarter+0.8% 4th quarter

Business investment for 4th quarter 2000 posted its biggest gain in almost 4 years

Net export: -0.3% in 4th quarterDebt projected to reach 666 trillion yen ($5.6

trillion) which is approximately 130% of GDPIn February, S&P cut Japan’s debt rating from

AAA to AA+

Japan’s Economy

BOJ (Bank of Japan) set short-term borrowing rates to 0.15% from 0.25%

BOJ made official statement on changing policy: targeting money supply instead of targeting interest rates.

April 2: Japanese Yen falls to its lowest level in 2.5 years.

Japanese Quarterly GNP 1990-2000

Current: 0.8% (4th quarter 2000)

Japanese Unemployment 1980-2000

Current unemployment: 4.9%

Real Estate Valuations

1990 2001 % ChangeNationalAll 100 72.30 -27.7%Commercial 100 54.20 -45.8%Residential 100 85.30 -14.7%Industrial 100 87.50 -12.5%TokyoAll 100 28.70 -71.3%Commercial 100 21.00 -79.0%Residential 100 36.50 -63.5%Industrial 100 41.90 -58.1%

Japanese CPI

Nikkei 225: Last seven months

Nikkei 225: Two decades

Japanese Banking System

The United States has an estimated 8500 commercial banks – Japan has fewer than 100.

Bank ConsolidationCurrent State of Japanese Banking

System

Greetings

HandshakeTraditional bowBusiness Cards

Introductions

Say “How do you do?”, not “Hello”Use Last names, plus sanCorporate titles and ranks are very

important

Entertaining

Business entertaining is usually after business hours and rarely in the home

Allow your host to order for youChopstick etiquette

Helpful Hints

Nodding is very importantQuiet, dignified and modest behavior is

essentialProximitySit erect with both feet on the floorDo not compliment Japanese publicly

Conducting Business

Be introduced through an intermediary Gift givingTake your time in getting acquaintedObserve Japanese meeting protocolBe aware of communication differencesGiri, mutual obligation