It is impossible for a foreigner to communicate effectively with I Japanese

The complexity and alien nature of the Japanese language inevitably makes communication difficult, but the vast majority of senior British, executives with Japanese companies in Britain have achieved a facility of communication with their Japanese colleagues which has surprised them, especially as only a very small minority already knew, or have learned to speak, Japanese.

Japanese company dominates the entire life of its staff

In Japan children study hard under strong parental pressure to enter the best universities from which they join the best companies. Girls, seeking a marriage partner, want young men, who work for the best companies. "In Japan your job is a social marker, in the UK your work is what you do; in Japan your work is who you do it for," - explains Stuart Fletcher of United Distillers Group (Japan) Ltd.

The Japanese are sexist

The treatment of women in Japan has frequently provoked criticism in the West. Although the typical Japanese housewife has important, financial responsibilities (including investing the family income), she is generally confined the house and plays a very small part in her husband's working life. However, accusations that the Japanese are sexist may no longer be justified for two reasons.

First, Japanese men tend to treat Western women in the same way that they treat Western men, making little differentiation between the two; secondly and more significantly, there is evidence that Japanese women are joining the workforce of Japanese companies in increasingly responsible roles.

The Japanese never fire their staff

The attitude of a typical Japanese company to the question of laying off workers is expressed by Akiro Fujii of Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corporation in Tokyo: "firing... No, w-e never do this... absolutely never. We offer an assurance of security." Hiroshi Toda of Nomura Securities Co. Ltd. agrees: "Here in Tokyo, there is little difference in the treatment and salary of good and bad people. We don't fire staff."

Japanese companies employ as many Japanese and as few foreigners as possible

"If we had enough Japanese who spoke good English, then we wouldn't employ any foreigners at all", - a senior Japanese at Nomura in London is alleged to have remarked. However, Nomura and many other Japanese companies now have extensive localisation programmes which depend on employing a large number of locals (nearly 90 per cent of over 700, in Nomura's case). Foreigners are employed not only because they are comparatively, but because the Japanese recognize, that for many tasks foreigners can be as able and as dependable as they are.

'There is no reason why a foreigner should be loyal to a Japanese company'

Loyalty to one's company has become a dated concept in the West, cynically seen as indicative of a time serving less ambitious person, who has never been offered employment elsewhere. With the increasing prevalence of headhunting, reasons for loyalty to a company are often questioned and found wanting. As a result, many British executives have little loyalty to a British company, why should they have loyalty to a Japanese company?

But the vast majority of British executives contributing to this survey expressed considerable loyalty to Japanese employers, at least, for the foreseeable future.

The Japanese always impose their way of doing things

To outsiders, the Japanese have a specific and inflexible approach which cannot be adjusted for different conditions, Japanese success in many markets has resulted from their disciplined approach and resistance to other influences. However, in practice, the most successful Japanese companies have combined the best of British with the best of Japanese.

At Iseki UK, a small motor vehicle distributor, "the company have adopted certain British management methods to comply with UK commercial practice. At first, there were cries of in Japan we do this...", but British staff insisted: "Yes, but in Britain we do this..." Now, Japanese trainees are sent to learn British management methods.