# Training for Working with Japanese Colleagues > Training for European teams already working with Japanese colleagues, partners, or customers. Resolves the friction patterns that show up in day-to-day… - **Source:** https://www.silkdrive.com/training/working-with-japanese-colleagues - **Cluster:** cross-cultural training Takashi Kawatani, lead trainer for Silkdrive programmes on working with Japanese colleagues Training For European teams already working with Japanese colleagues, partners, or customers. Resolves the friction patterns that show up after the first few months: indirect refusal, slow decisions, silence in meetings, deals that almost close. Delivered by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute, 35+ years). [Book a Discovery Call](/book-a-call) [See the Friction Patterns](/training/working-with-japanese-colleagues#friction) Teams trained by Kawatani-sensei across 35+ years include - Toyota, teams trained by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute) - Sony, teams trained by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute) - Panasonic, teams trained by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute) - Nokia, teams trained by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute) - Mitsubishi Electric, teams trained by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute) - MUFG Bank, teams trained by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute) - NEC, teams trained by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute) - Fujitsu, teams trained by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute) - All Nippon Airways (ANA), teams trained by Takashi Kawatani (Diversity Management Institute) - - - - - - - - - Takashi Kawatani, President of Diversity Management Institute Silkdrive is the preferred European delivery partner of Diversity Management Institute (Tokyo). Takashi Kawatani-sensei leads the Japan-side curriculum and trains directly; Silkdrive scopes engagements, contributes European-side context, and runs delivery. Co-delivery in Europe began in 2023. [More on the partnership →](/about-us#partnership) Friction patterns ## Four things European teams hit when working with Japanese colleagues Each one is a specific communication or process pattern, not a personality issue. Training covers what is happening and what to do about it. ### The deal looks like it is moving and then it stalls Symptom Your Japanese counterpart is polite, attentive, says "we will consider it carefully", and then nothing happens for weeks. Follow-up emails get warm but non-committal replies. What is actually happening Tatemae is doing what it is supposed to do: preserve harmony in the room. The real position (honne) is being worked out in nemawashi and ringi behind the scenes. Pushing harder usually makes the cycle slip further. Training covers how to read the signals and how to support the internal process rather than fight it. ### You ask for direct feedback and get vague answers Symptom You want to know whether the proposal works. Your Japanese counterpart says "it might be difficult" or "we will study it" or simply does not respond to that question. You cannot tell if they are stalling or saying no. What is actually happening Direct "no" is rare in Japanese business communication; the rejection is encoded in language that European ears miss. Training covers the specific phrases that mean no, the ones that mean maybe-yes, and the ones that mean genuinely-yes-but-needs-more-time. ### Decisions feel impossibly slow Symptom A decision that would take two weeks at home is taking three months. The deal sponsor on the Japanese side is enthusiastic but cannot give you a date. What is actually happening Japanese decisions are made before the meeting, not in it. Nemawashi (informal pre-meeting consultation) and ringi (formal document circulation) take weeks. The cycle does accelerate, but only when the upstream work is done correctly. Training covers what to provide, when, and how to support the originator. ### Your emails get longer responses than your meetings Symptom In meetings the room is quiet; in email you get detailed, structured replies. You feel like you understand the team better through writing than through face-to-face conversation. What is actually happening Japanese business communication often runs deeper in writing than in real-time conversation, especially with non-Japanese counterparts. Training covers how to use that pattern: which decisions to handle by email, which by meeting, when to follow up a meeting with a written summary the Japanese side can route internally. Programmes ## Which programmes fit teams already working with Japan Most teams start with Team Communication with Japan because it is the most directly applicable. Layer on the others as the engagement deepens or specific roles need more. ### [Team Communication with Japan](/training/japan-team-communication) [Recommended starting point](/training/japan-team-communication) [Daily collaboration, meeting culture, HoRenSo, Sodan, written communication across time zones. The most directly applicable programme for teams already working with Japanese colleagues.](/training/japan-team-communication) [Programme details](/training/japan-team-communication) ### [Japanese Business Culture](/training/japan-business-culture) [Foundational programme on communication, recognition, trust building, and negotiation principles. Half-day, full-day, or multi-session.](/training/japan-business-culture) [Programme details](/training/japan-business-culture) ### [Japan Negotiation Training](/training/japan-negotiations) [Japanese negotiation principles, BaMaWa, honne and tatemae, hierarchy, silence, and consensus building. For deal leads and account managers.](/training/japan-negotiations) [Programme details](/training/japan-negotiations) ### [Japan Executive Coaching (1:1)](/training/japan-executive-coaching) [Confidential coaching for senior leaders facing a specific Japanese counterpart relationship, a stalled account, or a difficult restructuring.](/training/japan-executive-coaching) [Programme details](/training/japan-executive-coaching) Expert Trainer ## Meet Takashi Kawatani, 河谷隆司 35+ years helping professionals succeed in Japanese business culture, in partnership with Silkdrive on the EU↔Japan corridor. Takashi Kawatani, Diversity Management Institute, Japanese cross-cultural training expert ### Today - President, Diversity Management Institute (1989 to present) - Founder, Success Japan Initiative - Host of 'Japan Spirit', English-language internet show - Trains Fortune 500 clients, business associations, and government bodies across 20+ countries ### Publications & Recognition - Author of 13 books, incl. Winning Together at Japanese Companies (Beyond-Global, 2015) and titles published by Nikkei, PHP, and SANNO - Creator of 10 e-learning products on Japanese business culture - 13,000+ students enrolled across Udemy courses, 4.4★+ ratings - Global HR Excellence Award, World HRD Congress 2011 ### Background - Lecturer in international business, Sanno Institute of Management - Special Advisor, Japan Overseas Enterprises Association - Visiting researcher, ISIS Malaysia (Institute of Strategic and International Studies) - Doctoral studies, Human and Organizational Development, Fielding Graduate University (USA) Pricing & Formats ## Indicative pricing Priced per group session, never per participant, so the per-person figure follows from the group size rather than being a rate. Sessions cap at ten because they are interactive; a larger team runs as more groups. Starting figures, excluding VAT, with travel and accommodation billed separately, and the final amount confirmed in writing after the intake call. Most Common Multi-session programme From €7,600 4 sessions, 2 groups of 10, over 2 to 4 weeks - €380 per person for the whole programme - Typical engagement €11,400 to €19,000, three to five groups of ten - Online, the format most programmes run in - The sum of its sessions, with no separate minimum Full day on-site From €3,500 6 to 7 hours, one group of up to 10 - €350 per person - Travel and accommodation separate Half-day on-site From €2,700 4 hours, one group of up to 10 - €270 per person - Travel and accommodation separate Half-day online From €1,900 3 hours, one group of up to 10 - €190 per person [Book a Scoping Call](/book-a-call) FAQ ## Frequently Asked Questions Common questions from teams that already work with Japanese colleagues. ### We work with Japanese colleagues every day. Do we really need training? ### What is the format for training a team that is already working with Japan? ### Can we run training across European and Japanese team members together? ### How does Silkdrive's training differ from a generic communication-skills programme? ### Who delivers the training? ### What does the training cost? ### How quickly can we start? ### Further Reading - [Cross-Cultural Training for Japan](/training/cross-cultural-training-japan) , the full Silkdrive programme catalogue. - [Honne and Tatemae: Reading What Japanese Partners Actually Mean](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) - [Nemawashi: How Japanese Companies Actually Make Decisions](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) - [Ringi: The Japanese Corporate Approval Process](/insights/ringi-japanese-approval-process) - [Japanese Work Culture Explained](/insights/japanese-work-culture) ## Equip Your Team for the Japanese Engagement Tell us the team, the Japanese counterparts you are working with, and the friction you are seeing. We will come back with a programme proposal, named trainer, and a clear budget. [Book a Discovery Call](/book-a-call) [See Cross-Cultural Training for Japan](/training/cross-cultural-training-japan) Insights ## From our insights Deeper reading on this topic from the Silkdrive team. [Japanese Work Culture: What European Companies Get Wrong](/insights/japanese-work-culture) [Cross-Cultural Training](/insights/japanese-work-culture) ### [Japanese Work Culture: What European Companies Get Wrong](/insights/japanese-work-culture) [How Japanese work culture actually operates, hierarchy, decision-making, communication, and working hours, explained for European companies preparing for Japan engagement.](/insights/japanese-work-culture) [Apr 28, 2026](/insights/japanese-work-culture) [Patric Sawada](/insights/japanese-work-culture) [14 min read](/insights/japanese-work-culture) [japanese work culture](/insights/japanese-work-culture) [japanese business culture](/insights/japanese-work-culture) [japan work life balance](/insights/japanese-work-culture) [Honne and Tatemae: What Japanese Partners Really Mean](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) [Cross-Cultural Training](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) ### [Honne and Tatemae: What Japanese Partners Really Mean](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) [Honne (本音) is the real opinion. Tatemae (建前) is the public position. Here's how to read the gap between them in Japanese business settings, and why pushing for directness makes it wider.](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) [Apr 28, 2026](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) [Patric Sawada](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) [14 min read](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) [honne tatemae](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) [japanese communication](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) [japanese business culture](/insights/honne-tatemae-japanese-communication) [Nemawashi: How Japanese Decision-Making Really Works](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) [Cross-Cultural Training](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) ### [Nemawashi: How Japanese Decision-Making Really Works](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) [How Japanese organisations actually decide: nemawashi (informal consensus before the meeting), the ringi approval document, and what the consensus model means for a European seller's pipeline and forecast. Includes a worked pipeline example and a forecast-confidence table.](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) [Apr 26, 2026](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) [Patric Sawada](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) [25 min read](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) [nemawashi](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) [ringi](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making) [japanese decision making](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making)