The only thing people care about during a job interview in America, is one’s ability. Whether you can work or not is determined by that one thing. For this reason, the skills and experience acquired by the applicant are important. Surely, in Japan, they also care about your experience and skills, but it doesn’t seem to be as important”.

Americans tend to have a clear vision of their career. For that reason, they change job often. In Japan, you can improve your knowledge and skills via training, upon entering a company, which might feel odd to Americans.

In Japan, the company covers the commuting costs! That’s really nice. In the U.S., paying for yourself is the norm, In America, it is also common to move around by car. It may be hard to see it happen, but it would be nice if the work places there paid for gasoline. Tokyo has lots of train lines, so using them is convenient”.

Covering commuting costs in Japan is normal. In the U.S. it’s the opposite. In Japan, too there are many people using cars, but commuting costs are paid. We should be thankful to Japanese companies for the support they create for workers.

“Business associates are not friends. You don’t have to worry about having a good time with your colleagues or your boss. I feel that Japanese people are more worried about human relations than they are about the work itself. When you work, it’s normal to have contacts with many people, regardless of how you feel!”

Certainly, Japanese people are sensitive when it comes to workplace relations. In a management-run survey of over 5000 full-time employees working in companies, various corporations, and government offices, it was revealed that “human relations” were the most prominent cause of stress.

“Americans can adapt to any person. I think it was because we grew up with people of different races and religions. Well, Japanese people don’t really talk about their private life so there is no way to connect (laugh)”

“Japanese people have the habit of going drinking after work? There are some people who open up at the table after a few drinks and their personality changes. I got a little jealous that they can switch it on and off so easily. The drinking parties the company organizes are a little annoying to be honest, but I can feel I’m part of the company and we can get to know each other, so I think it’s good that we have that opportunity.”

Going out for drinks after working hours with your coworkers is typical of Japanese company workers. There are a lot drinking parties for the end of the year and new year organized by the companies.

In America that is not common. Even if the company is having a party, it’s optional for workers to be there. There is a physical problem, which is driving to the company, so they cannot drink. There is an annoying feeling, but looking at Japanese people at these drinking parties, and unwind, made foreign workers feel a little jealous. I wish they could open up the same way.