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Drinking tea served at a business meeting against Japanese ethics.

By on August 19, 2018

Did you know that many of Japan’s long-held beliefs about good manners revolve around tea? Here’s one you probably didn’t know.

When you visit a Japanese office on business, it is customary practice to be served a cup of tea or coffee. But Japan’s unspoken protocol dictates that drinking it is a breach of Japanese rules on etiquette.  Here’s why.

KNOW YOUR STATUS:  

The status relationships in business determines how one should interact with each other and how they expect others to treat them. If you are making a sales call with the intention of soliciting business, that puts your position lower than the customer you are visiting.  Therefore, drinking the tea outright creates the impression that you are positioning yourself as equals.  Customers reign supreme in Japan so such gesture by a salesman is viewed unfavorably.

There is exception to a rule. If you were offered a refreshment while waiting for your car to get fixed at a service shop, that makes you the customer. It is therefore alright to drink it.

Twenty to thirty years ago, this was common in a business setting but with most businesses now conducted online, the number of people doing face-to-face calls has seen a sharp decline. You can be forgiven for not knowing this business ethic. Even a young business coach at Six Stars Consulting, a company offering corporate training and seminars admits to not knowing this age-old Japanese ideal. 

If in doubt as to when is it ok to drink and when is it not,  take the advice of Junko Tanaka who teaches business manners to newly hired employees for Global Knowledge Network: 

“Do not drink when you are not asked to.  Drink only after you’re told. Say itadakimasu before touching the cup and lastly, don’t drink everything.”   

About Hana Takahashi-Stewart