Interview with : Bernard Delmas, Chairman of Michelin Japan and General Secretary of the CCFIJ

Is there anything you absolutely must do or know when you come to work in Japan?

Bernard Delmas - You have to take the time to get to know someone and to make yourself known, and that involves the ritual of the business card. You hold out your card with both hands, and treat other people's cards with a great deal of attention and respect. That's why it's better to put it in front of you than to put it away. This allows you to know the name and rank of the person you are talking to. You should also avoid exchanging cards again in the hours or days following the first meeting. It would be frowned upon.

How do you negotiate with your Japanese counterparts?

B. D. - By taking your time. The Japanese attach a great deal of importance to the stability and duration of relationships. Especially as a decision is prepared well in advance, through nemawashi, a kind of lobbying aimed at informing and convincing. At the official meeting, everything has already been decided. A disagreement at that point would be incongruous. On the other hand, admitting one's mistakes will always be considered a form of wisdom.

Can we use humour?

B. D. - Certain subjects, such as anything to do with the Emperor, should not be treated lightly. And it's best to avoid starting a presentation with a comic anecdote on the pretext of lightening the mood. It risks falling flat. On the other hand, the Japanese are direct, amusing and chatty after work, over a drink, and it's important to share these moments with them.