1. Exchanging business cards (who offers first, how to receive, simultaneous exchange, laying them out on the table)
A business card, meishi (名刺), is treated as if it were the person's own face. If you make the order of offering, the way of receiving and the way of laying the cards on the table into one single flow, you will not be flustered in the few dozen seconds of a first meeting.
You are shown into the reception room, and as you sit waiting, the person in charge comes in. The card exchange begins from here. First stand up and move to a position where no desk or bag lies between you and the other person. Reaching across a desk to hand a card over is an abbreviated style and is avoided at a formal first meeting. Keep your card case somewhere you can take it out at once, so that no time is spent rummaging at the bottom of your bag. Before you go out, check your cards for bent corners and stains, whether the department or telephone number is out of date, and whether you are carrying more than the number of people you expect to meet.
The widely accepted practice for the order of offering is that the visiting side goes first, and the side in the lower position goes first. Between a seller and a buyer, the seller offers first. Rank is a criterion for deciding the order within one side, or when both sides have several people; the relationship of visitor and host comes first. When you hand the card over, place it on top of your card case, turn it so the writing faces the other person the right way up, and offer it with both hands at chest height. At the same time, state your company name, department name and personal name, in that order. The card is not read at the moment you hand it over, so saying it aloud has a purpose. If the other person offers theirs first, receive it first, add "moshiokuremashita" (excuse me for being slow to introduce myself), and then hand over your own.
In practice it is more often the case that both sides offer at the same time; this is called a simultaneous exchange. While offering your card with your right hand, receive the other person's card on the card case held in your left hand, and as soon as you have it, shift it into both hands. As you do so, take care not to place your fingers over the printed company name or personal name. If there is a name whose reading you do not know, it is quite all right to ask on the spot, "Shitsurei desu ga, nan to o-yomi sureba yoroshii desho ka" (excuse me, how should I read this?). If you keep on saying a guess, the wrong reading becomes fixed and is hard to correct later. In a combination of yourself and your superior with several people on their side too, the more senior people on both sides exchange first, and the more junior people exchange after them.
Once the exchange is over, take your seat. Laying the cards you received at the near edge of the table, arranged to match where each person is sitting, lets you talk without mixing up names and faces. When there is only one card, place it on top of your card case. Keep them out during the discussion, and put them away at the end in step with the other person's movements. Putting yours away first looks like a signal that you want to wrap up early. If you notice you have run out of cards, do not hide it; apologize with "Moshiwake gozaimasen, meishi o kirashite orimasu" (I am sorry, I have run out of cards), give your name aloud, and hand one over another day or send it by post. Note that a card you have received carries a personal name and contact details and so counts as personal information, so store it by the method laid down in your company and dispose of it by the prescribed procedure too.
Which side offers the card first
Situation
The side that offers first
The thinking
You have visited the other company
The visiting side
It is only right that the side who called gives their name first
A holder for carrying cards that also serves as a tray when handing one over. When giving, place the card on top of the case; when receiving, hold the case in your left hand as a tray.
the rule on who offers first
The practice that the visiting side and the side in the lower position offer first. Rank is the criterion for order within one side, or when several meet several.
simultaneous exchange
The form in which both sides offer their cards at the same time. Hand yours over with the right hand, receive with the card case in your left, and shift the received card into both hands.
laying out the cards
After sitting down, placing the cards at the near edge of the table arranged to match where each person is sitting. With a single card, place it on top of your card case.
when you have run out of cards
Apologizing for the fact, giving your name aloud, and handing one over another day or sending it by post. Merely receiving in silence leaves the other person with no contact details for you.
chodai suru (頂戴する), to receive
A way of speaking used when receiving a card. Saying "chodai itashimasu" while receiving it with both hands makes the action and the words match.
managing business cards
A card you have received is personal information including name, affiliation and contact details, so store it in line with company rules and dispose of it by the prescribed method.
Worked examples
The other side offered their card first. How do you respond?
Answer and reasoning Receive it with both hands first, add "moshiokuremashita," and then hand over your own card. Properly the visiting side offers first, but if you acknowledge that you were slow and carry on, the flow is not spoiled.
You visit with your superior, 2 of you, and 2 people come out from their side. In what order do you exchange?
Answer and reasoning The more senior people on both sides exchange first, and the more junior people exchange after them. If the junior people go first, the greeting between the senior people gets pushed back.
At a client's office you notice you have run out of cards. What do you do?
Answer and reasoning Apologize for having run out, give your name aloud, and hand one over another day or send it by post. Handing over your superior's card instead does not introduce you.
Sources and basis: ※ There is no public regulation on this. It is an organized summary of widely accepted business practice
2. The order of introductions (your own company's people first, the junior first)
Who do you introduce first? This single point decides the impression of the occasion. You learn it along two axes: inside and outside the company, and senior and junior.
When you visit a client with your superior, or bring your superior together with a visitor, the one connecting the two of them is you, the introducer. The purpose of an introduction is to make it easy for the two of them to start talking afterwards. So do not stop at giving names; add briefly the kind of information that gives a thread to pick up, such as company name, department, and the work the person handles. Conversely, do not bring up private matters such as hometown or family, or your assessment of the person, without their consent.
There are 2 principles of order. One comes from the idea of giving the information first to the person who should be raised up. Toward someone outside the company, your own company's people are the inside group, so you introduce your own company's person to the outside person first. The other concerns people within the same side: you introduce the junior person to the senior person first. If you are bringing a department manager and a new employee together inside the company, you introduce the new employee to the department manager first.
There are situations where these 2 appear to collide, namely when you bring a client's department manager together with your own company's president. Looking only at rank, the president is higher, but toward someone outside the company your own side is the inside group regardless of how high the rank is, so you introduce your own president to the client's department manager first. Rank is a criterion for deciding order within one side; it does not override the distinction between inside and outside the company. When there are several people on the same side, you introduce them in order from the most senior.
The movements of the people being introduced are settled too. Stand up before the introduction starts, and wait facing the other person while it goes on. If you produce your card partway through, or start adding remarks, the flow is broken. Give your own name after the introduction is finished, and then move on to exchanging cards. When you refer to the other person in conversation after the introduction, attach sama (様) to their name, or add their rank to their name. Calling them by rank alone, or as sochira-sama (そちら様), leaves it vague who you mean. Note that when a client asks you to introduce a contact at another company, always check with that contact and get their consent before bringing them together. Contact details belong to the person themselves and are not something to hand to a third party without permission.
Who is introduced first
Combination
The one introduced first
Reason
Your own superior and a client's contact
Your own superior
Toward someone outside the company, your own company's people are the inside group
Your own president and a client's department manager
Your own president
Height of rank does not override the distinction between inside and outside the company
An in-house department manager and an in-house new employee
The new employee
Within the same side, the junior person is introduced first
The principle of introducing your own company's person to the outside person first, and the junior person to the senior person first. Think of it as giving the information first to the person who should be raised up, and you will not hesitate.
the inside group and the outside
Toward someone outside the company, your own company's people are treated as the inside group whatever their rank. That is why even your own president is introduced to the client's department manager first.
bringing people together
The act of connecting two people who have not met. Adding their affiliation and what they handle, briefly, makes it easier for the two to start talking afterwards.
how to stand during an introduction
Stand up before the introduction starts, wait until it is finished, and then give your own name. Do not produce your card or start talking partway through.
consent to be introduced
When introducing a third party, obtain that person's consent in advance. Contact details and cards are the person's own information and are not handed over without permission.
forms of address
After the introduction, attach sama to the name, or add the rank to the name. Avoid rank alone, sochira-sama, and given names.
Worked examples
You bring together your own company's section chief and a client's department manager. Which do you introduce first?
Answer and reasoning Introduce your own section chief to the client's department manager first. By rank the department manager is higher, but toward someone outside the company your own company's people are the inside group, so the inside group is introduced first.
Inside the company, you bring a new employee to the department manager. Which do you introduce first?
Answer and reasoning Introduce the new employee to the department manager first. Within the same side, the junior person is introduced to the senior person first.
A client asks you to introduce an acquaintance of yours at another company. What do you do?
Answer and reasoning First check with that person whether it is all right to introduce them, and bring them together only after getting consent. Avoid passing on contact details or card information without permission.
Sources and basis: ※ There is no public regulation on this. It is an organized summary of widely accepted business practice
3. Visiting a client (making the appointment, arriving, your coat, reception, the meeting room, taking your leave)
A visit begins before you step through the entrance. We trace the pattern along the flow of time, from making the appointment to the parting greeting.
First you make the appointment. By telephone or by email, what you convey is the same: the business, roughly how long it will take, several candidate dates and times, and, if others are coming with you, their number and names. Only when they know this can the other side decide who will attend, which room to use, and what to prepare. Give priority to the other side's convenience on the date and time. Once it is fixed, note down the date and time, the place, the department and name of the person you are meeting, and how to get there, and confirm the arrangements the day before. Report any change or cancellation the moment you know.
On the day, arrive at the building 10 minutes early, tidy yourself in the restroom or somewhere nearby, and time your appearance at reception for 5 minutes before the appointment. If you present yourself at reception a full 30 minutes early, you end up calling out a person who is still preparing, which is a nuisance rather than a courtesy. Arriving exactly on the hour makes you late by the time it takes to walk from reception to the room. If a transport disruption means you will be late, telephone them the moment you know, explain the circumstances and your expected arrival, and ask for instructions. Email is not necessarily being read, so it is not used for urgent messages.
The practice is to take off your coat before entering the other party's building. It comes from the idea of not bringing outside dust in with you. Carry the coat you have taken off over your arm with the lining facing outward, and put your umbrella in the stand at the entrance or in an umbrella sleeve. At reception, state your company name and your own name, the department and name of the person you have an appointment with, and the time of the appointment. With these 4 things, they can put you through. There is no need to explain the substance of your business at reception.
When you are shown into the reception room, sit in the seat you are offered. There is a principle that the visitor takes the lower seat, but when the host side offers you a seat, taking it without fuss is the courteous thing. If no direction is given, wait in the lower seat. Put your bag at your feet, not on the desk or on the next chair. Do not pick up materials or notices in the room, and drink what is served only after the person in charge arrives and invites you to. Stand up and greet them when they come in.
When the business is done, bring things to a close from your side. The other party is in an awkward position to say it, so if you wait, things drag on longer than they need to. Give your thanks, put your materials away, and put your coat on after you have left the building. If they see you off to the elevator, turn to face them once you are inside and keep your head bowed until the doors close. This is because the person seeing you off stays standing until the doors close. On the day after the visit, if you send the person in charge your thanks together with a summary of what was decided on the spot and what happens next, no gap in understanding is left behind.
Timing guides for a visit
Point in time
Guide
What to do
The day before
By the evening
Confirm the date and time, place, name of the contact and how to get there
On the day
10 minutes before the appointment
Arrive at the building and tidy yourself
On the day
5 minutes before the appointment
Take off your coat, then give your name at reception
If you may be late
The moment you know
Telephone with the circumstances and your expected arrival
The next day
By around midday
Send your thanks and what was decided and what happens next
An arrangement to visit. You secure it by conveying the business, how long it will take, candidate dates and times, and the number of people coming. Priority on date and time goes to the other side's convenience.
reception 5 minutes before
The guide is to present yourself at reception 5 minutes before the appointment. Arrive at the building 10 minutes early, tidy yourself, then head to reception. Arriving too early also rushes the other side's preparations.
handling your coat
The practice of taking it off before entering the other party's building. Carry it over your arm with the lining facing outward, and put it on again on the way back only after leaving the building.
giving your name at reception
Stating 4 things: your company name, your own name, the department and name of the person you are meeting, and the appointment time. There is no need to explain the substance of your business.
waiting in the lower seat
Sitting and waiting in the lower seat when no direction is given. However, if the host side offers you a seat, taking that seat is the courteous thing.
taking your leave, jikyo (辞去)
Departing from the place you are visiting. Once the business is done, closing things from the visiting side is the form that respects the other party's time.
Worked examples
You are visiting for a 2 p.m. appointment. Around what time should you present yourself at reception?
Answer and reasoning Around 1:55 p.m. is the guide. Arrive at the building 10 minutes early and tidy yourself, then time your appearance at reception for 5 minutes before. A full 30 minutes early means calling the other party out while they are still preparing.
In the reception room you are offered what is the upper seat. What do you do?
Answer and reasoning Follow the offer and sit there. There is a principle that the visitor takes the lower seat, but offering a seat is the host side's consideration, so accepting it without fuss is courteous. Stand up when the person in charge comes in.
The person in charge saw you off to the elevator. What do you do after you get in?
Answer and reasoning Turn to face them once inside and keep your head bowed until the doors close. The person seeing you off stays standing until the doors close, so turning your back first leaves the feeling unreturned.
Sources and basis: ※ There is no public regulation on this. It is an organized summary of widely accepted business practice
Check quiz
Q1 | Who offers first
You exchange meishi (名刺), business cards, with your contact at a company you are visiting. Which side offers first?
The person with the higher rank offers first
Whoever entered the room first offers first
The side receiving the visit offers first
The visiting side offers first
AnswerD. The visiting side offers first
The widely followed convention is that the visiting side, the side in the lower position, offers the meishi first. Rank is the criterion for ordering people within one side, or when both sides have several people; the visitor-host relationship comes before it.
Q2 | How to hand it over
Which is NOT appropriate when handing over your own meishi (名刺)?
Say your company name, department and name in that order as you hand it over
Hold it in both hands and offer it at chest height
Offer it with one hand across the table while remaining seated
Rest it on your card case, turned so the text faces the other person the right way up
AnswerC. Offer it with one hand across the table while remaining seated
At a formal first meeting you stand up and move so that no desk or bag is between you before handing it over. Passing it one-handed across a table while seated is an abbreviated form, and the text easily ends up upside down from the other person's view.
Q3 | How to receive one
Which is NOT appropriate when receiving someone's meishi (名刺)?
Hold it where your fingers do not cover the text, and take it at chest height
Say 「頂戴いたします」 (chōdai itashimasu — "I gratefully receive it") before taking it
Once received, shift it into both hands
Grip it firmly with your thumb over the face bearing the company name and the person's name
AnswerD. Grip it firmly with your thumb over the face bearing the company name and the person's name
A meishi stands for the person's name itself, so you do not place a finger over the company name or the person's name. Gripping over the text in an effort to hold it securely is the common slip; holding the margin means you will not drop it either.
Q4 | Simultaneous exchange
You and the other person end up offering cards at the same moment. Which is the appropriate movement?
Pull your own card back and offer it again after they have finished handing theirs over
Wait until they withdraw their hand, and finish handing yours over first
Offer yours with both hands and have them place theirs on the table
Offer your card with the right hand while receiving theirs on the card case in your left, then shift theirs into both hands
AnswerD. Offer your card with the right hand while receiving theirs on the card case in your left, then shift theirs into both hands
Simultaneous exchange happens often in practice; giving with the right hand and receiving with the left means neither movement has to stop. After receiving, always shift the card into both hands and do not leave the other person's card held in one hand.
Q5 | Saying who you are
Which is appropriate to say while offering your meishi (名刺)?
Wait for them to introduce themselves and then repeat the same content back
Give your company name, department and name in that order, with a greeting
It is all printed on the card, so offer it in silence
Give only your personal name
AnswerB. Give your company name, department and name in that order, with a greeting
A card is not read at the moment it changes hands, so saying it aloud matters. Working from the larger unit down — company to personal name — is easier to catch. If your name is hard to read, give its reading on the spot.
Q6 | How is it read
You cannot tell how to read the name on a card you have received. What should you do?
Email later to ask how it is read
Keep using the reading you have guessed
Do not ask at the time, and thereafter avoid the surname and address them by job title only
Ask on the spot: 「失礼ですが、何とお読みすればよろしいでしょうか」 ("excuse me, how should I read this?")
AnswerD. Ask on the spot: 「失礼ですが、何とお読みすればよろしいでしょうか」 ("excuse me, how should I read this?")
Asking on the spot is not rude; if anything it reads as interest. Keeping to a guess lets a wrong reading settle in and become hard to correct later. Using only the job title is a way of dodging the question.
Q7 | Several people each side
You and your manager — the two of you — visit a client, and two people come out from the other company. Which is the appropriate order for exchanging cards?
You exchange with both of them first, then your manager does
Start with whoever is sitting closest to whom
Start from their most junior person, and from your most senior person
The two senior people exchange first, then the junior ones
AnswerD. The two senior people exchange first, then the junior ones
With several people on each side, the usual order is to begin with the senior person on each side. If the junior people go first, the greeting between the seniors is pushed back. Proximity of seats is not a criterion.
Q8 | Placing cards on the table
You sit down after exchanging cards. Which is NOT appropriate handling of the cards you received?
When there is only 1, rest it on top of your card case
Slip them between your documents straight away so as not to lose them
Keep them out for the duration of the meeting and put them away as it ends
Lay them on your side of the table in the order the people are seated
AnswerB. Slip them between your documents straight away so as not to lose them
Tucked between documents, you cannot check names during the meeting and they get carried off and lost. Laid on the near edge of the table matching the seating order, you can talk without mixing up names and faces.
Q9 | When to put them away
The meeting is drawing to a close. When is it appropriate to put away the cards on the table?
If the discussion looks like running long, it is fine to put them away partway through
Put them into your card case after the meeting ends, matching the other person's movements
Put them into your case before the other person does, so your packing up is done
Leave their card on the table, say goodbye and leave
AnswerB. Put them into your card case after the meeting ends, matching the other person's movements
Cards stay out for the duration of the meeting and are put away carefully at the end. Putting them away first reads as a signal that you want to wrap up, and leaving one behind is the same as never having accepted it.
Q10 | When you have run out
At a client's office you realise you have run out of cards. What should you do?
Apologise for having run out, introduce yourself verbally, and hand one over later or post it
Pretend you forgot your card case and avoid the exchange altogether
Hand over the card of the manager who came with you instead
Just accept their card and say nothing in particular about having run out
AnswerA. Apologise for having run out, introduce yourself verbally, and hand one over later or post it
The proper course is to say you have run out, introduce yourself, and deliver or post a card afterwards. Your manager's card is your manager's and does not introduce you, and simply accepting in silence leaves the other person with no contact details for you.
Q11 | Storing cards you receive
Which is appropriate for managing meishi (名刺) received in the course of work?
A card is just paper, so there is no need to treat it as personal information
They were handed to you personally, so you may share them with anyone at your own discretion, inside or outside the company
Treat them as personal information containing names and contact details: store them under company rules and dispose of them by the prescribed method
When no longer needed, throw them out with the general rubbish
AnswerC. Treat them as personal information containing names and contact details: store them under company rules and dispose of them by the prescribed method
A card carries a name, affiliation and contact details, which is personal information. Whatever the circumstances in which you received it, follow the company's storage and disposal procedures. Do not pass cards outside on your own judgement or throw them away as they are.
Q12 | Preparing your cards
Which is NOT appropriate when preparing your cards before going out?
Keep the card case in a fixed place in your bag where you can take it out immediately
Take the cards left over from your last visit still in the case, without checking them
Put more cards in the case in advance than the number of people you expect to meet
Check each card for bent corners and marks before you leave
AnswerB. Take the cards left over from your last visit still in the case, without checking them
Cards left sitting in the case may have bent corners, or an out-of-date department or phone number. They stay in the other person's hands from the moment you hand them over, so always check condition and quantity before you leave.
Q13 | Order of introductions
You introduce your own manager and a contact from a client company to each other. Who is introduced first?
The higher-ranking person first, to the lower-ranking one
The older person first, to the younger one
Whoever arrived first, to the one who arrived later
Your own manager first, to the client contact
AnswerD. Your own manager first, to the client contact
To someone outside, people from your own company are your own side, so you introduce your own side first and give the information to the other party. Rank and age are criteria for ordering within one side; the inside/outside distinction comes first.
Q14 | Introductions within the company
You introduce a department head and a new employee from the same company. Which order is appropriate?
It makes no difference which comes first
The new employee first, to the department head
Start with whichever side has more people present
The department head first, to the new employee
AnswerB. The new employee first, to the department head
Within one side, the junior person is introduced first, to the senior. Giving the information first to the person to be elevated is the same thinking as introducing your own people first to an outsider.
Q15 | While being introduced
Your manager is introducing you to a client contact. Which behaviour is appropriate?
Stand facing the other person during the introduction, then give your own name and offer your card once it is finished
Wait seated until the introduction is over and stand only when called
Start adding details of your background partway through the introduction
Cut in while your manager is still speaking, produce your card first and hand it over yourself
AnswerA. Stand facing the other person during the introduction, then give your own name and offer your card once it is finished
An introduction is your manager setting the scene, so wait until it is finished before moving on to naming yourself. Producing a card or starting to talk partway through breaks the flow. You stand up before the introduction begins.
Q16 | What to say in an introduction
Which information is appropriate to add when introducing someone?
The other person may not want to know, so give only the name and add nothing else
Focus on private topics such as their home town and family
Convey how the person is rated and spoken of inside the company
Briefly add what helps the conversation along: company, department, the work they handle
AnswerD. Briefly add what helps the conversation along: company, department, the work they handle
The point of an introduction is to make it easy for the two people to start talking afterwards. Affiliation and role are enough to give them a thread. Private matters and internal ratings are not raised without the person's consent.
Q17 | Asked for an introduction
A client asks you to introduce them to a contact at another company. What should you do?
Check with that contact whether an introduction is all right, and bring the two together once they agree
Photograph the card you received and send the image
You know them, so give out the contact details on the spot
Refusing would cause friction, so say nothing and simply call both to the same meeting
AnswerA. Check with that contact whether an introduction is all right, and bring the two together once they agree
An introduction works only with both sides' agreement. Contact details belong to the person, so they are not passed to a third party without permission. Sending a photo of the card is equally a transfer of information without permission.
Q18 | How to address them
After introductions, which is NOT appropriate when addressing the client contact in conversation?
Say the name with the reading they gave
Say 「そちら様」 (sochira-sama, "you there") because you cannot remember the surname
Say 「◯◯様」, the name with -sama
Say 「◯◯部長」, the name with the job title
AnswerB. Say 「そちら様」 (sochira-sama, "you there") because you cannot remember the surname
「そちら様」 leaves it unclear who you mean when several people are present, and it also tells them you have not remembered the name. The basis is to use the person's name, with the job title added if they have one.
Q19 | Introducing yourself
You are asked for a short self-introduction at the start of a meeting. Which content is appropriate?
Centre it on your hobbies and how you spend weekends, to warm up the room
Give company and department, your name, and the scope of your role in this piece of work, concisely
Go through your career year by year in detail from when you joined the company
Skip the company name because it is on the handout, and give only your name
AnswerB. Give company and department, your name, and the scope of your role in this piece of work, concisely
A self-introduction exists so that the people present know who to ask about what. Conveying your affiliation and your scope of responsibility achieves that. Detailed career history and hobbies are for when the setting and the time allow.
Q20 | Rank and introductions
You introduce a client's department head and your own company president to each other. Which order is generally appropriate?
The president is the highest-placed person in your company, so the order does not matter
The president outranks him, so do not introduce your president and introduce only the client's department head
Either order is fine and neither is rude
Regardless of rank, introduce your own president first, to the client's department head
AnswerD. Regardless of rank, introduce your own president first, to the client's department head
To someone outside, your own side is introduced first as your own people, whatever their rank. Rank is the criterion for ordering within one side and does not override the inside/outside distinction.
Q21 | Making an appointment
Which content is appropriate to give when arranging a visit by telephone?
Offer a single date and time that suits you and have the other side fit in with it
Give the purpose, the rough duration, several possible dates and times, and how many people are coming
Even if others are coming with you, the number of people can wait until the day
Give only the date and time, and explain the purpose verbally on the day
AnswerB. Give the purpose, the rough duration, several possible dates and times, and how many people are coming
Only once they know the purpose and duration can the other side decide who will attend and which room to use. Offering several options speeds up the scheduling. The number of visitors affects seating and materials, so tell them in advance.
Q22 | What time to arrive
For a visit scheduled at 2 p.m., which is a good target time to present yourself at reception?
Exactly 2 p.m.
About 1.30 p.m.
About 1.55 p.m.
About 2.05 p.m.
AnswerC. About 1.55 p.m.
Five minutes before is the guide for presenting yourself at reception. A full 30 minutes early pulls your host away mid-preparation and is a nuisance. Arrive at the building 10 minutes early and get yourself in order. Exactly on the hour means you are late by the time you have walked from reception to the room.
Q23 | What to do with your coat
You are wearing a coat on a winter visit. Where is it appropriate to take it off?
After giving your name at reception, before your host comes to meet you
Only when your host suggests it, then folded on your lap
After being shown into the reception room, folded over the back of your chair
Before entering their building, then carry it over your arm with the lining outwards
AnswerD. Before entering their building, then carry it over your arm with the lining outwards
The convention, based on not bringing outside dust in, is to take it off before entering the building. Carry it over your arm with the lining outwards, and in the reception room put it in a free space on your side rather than over the chair back. Put it on again after leaving the building.
Q24 | Announcing yourself at reception
What is appropriate to state at reception when asking to be announced?
Explain the purpose of the visit in full detail
Give only your own name
Give only the department and name of the person you have an appointment with, and not your own company and name
Give your company and your name, the department and name of the person you are meeting, and the time of the appointment
AnswerD. Give your company and your name, the department and name of the person you are meeting, and the time of the appointment
Reception needs the information required to announce you: who, from where, is here to see whom, with an appointment at what time. There is no need to discuss the substance of the business at reception, which is also a place where outsiders can overhear.
Q25 | Waiting in the reception room
You have been shown into the reception room. Which is NOT appropriate while waiting for your host?
Pick up and read the materials and notices left in the room
Sit in the seat offered, put your bag at your feet and wait sitting upright
Stand up and greet your host when they come in
Wait until your host arrives and invites you before touching the drink served
AnswerA. Pick up and read the materials and notices left in the room
The reception room is their space, so do not touch what is there. Seeing something in your field of view and picking it up to read are different things. Your bag goes at your feet, not on the table or the next chair.
Q26 | Being shown to a seat
In the reception room you are offered the kamiza (上座), the seat of honour, with "please, take this seat". How should you, the visitor, respond?
Take the seat as offered, and stand up to greet your host when they come in
Decline the offer and keep standing until your host comes in
Visitors sit in the shimoza (下座), the lower seat, so decline and move yourself to the lower seat
Sit nowhere until the other person sits
AnswerA. Take the seat as offered, and stand up to greet your host when they come in
Offering a seat is the host's thoughtfulness, so accepting it is what courtesy calls for. When no one directs you, you wait in the shimoza, but being invited is a different case. Stand up when your host comes in.
Q27 | Reporting a delay
Transport disruption means you will be late for a visit. What should you do?
Explain the circumstances at reception once you get there
An email is enough, since they will notice it and read it
For a delay of about 5 minutes there is no problem apologising after you arrive
Telephone them as soon as you know, explain, give your expected arrival and ask how they would like to proceed
AnswerD. Telephone them as soon as you know, explain, give your expected arrival and ask how they would like to proceed
They have other commitments scheduled, so the earlier they know, the more they can adjust. Email is no guarantee they are looking, so use the telephone for urgent contact. Explaining after arrival leaves them waiting without even knowing why.
Q28 | Taking your leave
Which is an appropriate way to wrap up once the business is done?
Stay as long as the conversation continues, following their lead
Once the business is finished, thank them and raise taking your leave yourself
Wait until they get up, and never raise it yourself
There is time left, so start discussing a separate matter on the spot
AnswerB. Once the business is finished, thank them and raise taking your leave yourself
The visiting side wrapping up is the form that respects the other person's time. They are in an awkward position to say it first, so waiting drags things out longer than needed. If you have another matter, make a fresh appointment.
Q29 | Being seen off
Your host has walked you to the lift. Which behaviour is appropriate?
Hold the doors and let the person seeing you off get in first
Turn your back before the doors close and face the back of the lift
Seeing you off is their job, so there is no need to react
Turn to face them once inside, and bow until the doors close
AnswerD. Turn to face them once inside, and bow until the doors close
The person seeing you off stands there until the doors close, so turning to face them and bowing once inside keeps the gesture mutual. They came in order to see you off, so putting them in the lift first makes no sense.
Q30 | Thanks after the visit
Which is appropriate to do the day after a visit?
Share the details from the card you received on personal social media to broaden your network
Make no particular contact, and get in touch again when the next matter arises
Thank them for the visit and send the contact a tidy summary of what was decided and what happens next
Send the contact's manager a written appraisal of how they handled you
AnswerC. Thank them for the visit and send the contact a tidy summary of what was decided and what happens next
Contact just after a visit does two jobs: it conveys thanks and it aligns both sides' understanding of what was decided. An appraisal sent to their manager is not something anyone asked for, and spreading card details privately is use outside the purpose for which they were given.
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