Tokyo Japan Essay, Research Paper

Trip to Tokyo, Japan

Trip to Tokyo, Japan

Purpose of Trip:

I will be traveling to Tokyo, Japan for six months on a business trip. I will be

traveling with five other members of my organization at Lucent Technologies to assist

Lucent- Japan in their process of developing and implementing an Indirect Channel in

their country.

Since I will be living in Tokyo for six months, it is expected of me to research and

learn as much as possible about the Japanese culture and the proper etiquette

expected of me as a representative of Lucent Technologies, Inc.

Flight Information:

To search for the best priced Round Trip Airline ticket, I received six different

quotes of prices with two different airlines, United Airlines and Northwest Airlines. The

two ends of the pricing spectrum are non-stop, direct flights from Newark International

(EWR) to Tokyo, Japan Narita (NRT). The total cost of my round trip ticket is $1362.50

and my flight schedule is as follows: (www.cheaptickets.com)

Wednesday Jan 3, 2001

United Airlines Flight #: 837

Departs Newark: 9:00am Arrives Tokyo: 5:05pm (1/4)

Saturday June 30, 2001

United Airlines Flight #: 852

Departs Tokyo: 4:00pm Arrives Newark: 7:28pm

Employment Information:

I will be employed by Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Indirect Channel) USA and sent

to assist Lucent Technologies Japan, Ltd. in establishing an Indirect Channel in Japan.

The Indirect Channel is responsible for distributing Lucent products through Authorized

Dealers or phone stores. Lucent Japan does not currently have an Indirect Channel in

place and five of us from various departments within my organization, will be going to

Tokyo to assist them in this process.

I will be working directly with the legal department and with other members of my

organization to establish applications and contracts for Authorized Dealers. I will also

be working with the person responsible for performing day to day duties in the

Contracts/Legal Department in Japan to help establish a daily routine, similar to ours in

America.

Lucent Technologies Japan, Ltd. Mori Building, No. 25

4-30 Roppongi 1- Chrome

Minato-ku, Tokyo Japan

Money & Costs:

Cash is still widely used in Japan, although credit cards are widely used

in Tokyo, and other major cities.

The currency in Japan is the Yen. The exchange rates on August 1, 2000 were

$1.00 (United States Dollars) is equivalent to 109.680 (Japanese Yen). (Universal

Currency Converter)

Time:

The time zone in Japan is GMT/UTC, plus nine hours. (Lonely Planet, p.7)

The City of Tokyo:

Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, is the third largest city in the world and is

currently occupied by 12 million people. (Japan National Tourist Org, p.2) Tokyo is a

vast conurbation spreading out across the Kanto Plain from the Tokyo-wan Bay.

(Lonely Planet, p.8) The city of Tokyo was almost completely rebuilt after an

earthquake devoured most of the city in 1923 and again after US air raids struck during

World War II. (?Tokyo,? p.320)

The city is split between the flashy, glitzy, commercial and business districts

located west of the central Ginza shopping area, and the more down to earth

residential neighborhoods are to the east of the Ginza.

Tokyo is said to be very westernized and foreigners will find many international

companies represented there. The Japanese Immigration Bureau reported that 42,802

Americans lived in Japan in 1999. (Immigration Bureau).

Some attractions that I would like to see while I am living in Tokyo are the Tokyo

National Museum, which holds the largest collection of Japanese art; the Senso-ji

Temple, a Buddhist place of worship and the Shinjuku, which is west of the center

(Ginza) and is Tokyo?s present day entertainment corner.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Tokyo is a very overcrowed city and searching for rental houses and apartments

is very difficult for foreigners. Foreign renters are required to pay a non-refundable

deposit, called a ?reikin? apart from the deposit and you need to have a guarantor, or a

citizen to ?take responsibility? for you. (?Tokyo?, p.315)

Since I am traveling on business, I will not have to rent something in my name

nor worry about getting a guarantor. Lucent will provide my co-workers and myself with

a company owned apartment to stay in while we are working there. Since space is

limited, all six of us (3 male & 3 female)will share a two bedroom apartment, a few

blocks from our office building.

Apartment Location: 7-14-4 Roppongi

Minato-Ku, Tokyo Japan

Transportation:

Transportation in Japan is quickest using the rail or subways. Train maps are provided

in English at big stations, so language will not be too much of a burden when using the

train. Busses are a conveient way of transportation if you are traveling a short

distance, however, the bus stop signs are not in English. Our office building is within

walking distance from our apartment, so we will not have to concern ourselves with

subways and trains on a daily basis to get to work. We will have to use public

transportation to go shopping and for leisure purposes since we are living in a section

of town that is primarily office buildings and hotels, block after block.

Culture & Etiquette:

The Japanese have a very different culture than the United States. In

researching the Japanese culture, I have found many interesting everyday etiquette

facts. One of the main things that the Japanese thrive on is politeness. Crime rates

are very low in Tokyo, especially for the number of people who live there and much of

this stems from their polite and respectful manner. Also, the people in Japan bow a lot.

Visitors are not expected to know the complexities of the bow, however, it is considered

rude to ignore the greeting or over bow. Another rude gesture in Japan is blowing your

nose in public. It is better to excuse yourself and go to the restroom and blow you nose

in private. (Planet Tokyo)

Where and when shoes are worn in Japan can be confusing. Generally, shoes

are not worn in Japanese homes, temples, and various other public places (including

restaurants). Planet Tokyo, a company that publishes visitor guides, suggests that

foreigners follow the lead of the locals in these situations since the customary rules are

so complex.

Hygiene:

Western-style restrooms are found in the larger department stores and many

restaurants, however, a Japanese-style toilet requires one to squat and aim facing the

raised lid. Not every restroom stocks toilet paper in Japan, so it is necessary to carry

tissues or toilet paper around with you when in public. (Planet Tokyo, p.2)

The number of public baths has declined in Tokyo, however, the custom is still

prevalent. Man and women bathe separately except in outdoor hot springs. Foreigners

are generally guided through the process, if they wish to partake. The water in the bath

is very hot and the Japanese do this to relax their bodies and let peace enter their soul.

(?Japan,? p.33)

Although the Japanese have many customs and daily rituals that are quite

different than ours in the United States, Tokyo is a city that is highly industrialized, plus

most of the Japanese speak English, since they are taught the language at a young

age in school. It will be very smart to have an English-Japanese dictionary handy just

in case, but Tokyo does not seem to be a city to be scared of as an outsider.

CheapTickets.com. Online. Available: http://www.cheaptickets.com. 5 August 2000.

Immigration Bureau: Statistics on Foreign Residents. Number of Non-Japanese

Residents in Tokyo by Country, as of 1999. Ministry of Justice Office,

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Japan. January 2000.

?Japan,? The World Book Encyclopedia. 1998 ed., Vol 11, p.32-58.

Japan National Tourist Organization, Travel Bureau. Travel Tips. Tokyo, Japan.

2000, p. 2.

Lonely Planet. Destination: Japan. Travelers Guide to Japan. Melborne, Australia.

?Tokyo?? The World Book Encyclopedia. 1998 ed. Vol 11, p.312-320.

Universal Currency Converter. Xenon Labs. Online.

Available: http://www.xe.net/ucc/convert.cgi. 1 August 2000.