The important roles played by MEISHI

The IBO Business Matching Center receives visitors from various countries. Their national characters are varied, and there are many that participate in meetings while strongly exhibiting the cultural mores and business practices of their respective countries. Even while waiting to begin a meeting or conversation, differences between overseas people who live in Japan and those who are short-term visitors to Japan on business can be generally discerned. Newly arrived visitors from overseas invariably exhibit evidence of tension and nervousness and seem to lack the composure of mind to even observe our offices. Those with extensive overseas experiences, on the other hand, seem to be relaxed with a feeling of “I'm quite familiar with Japan and Japanese people."

When visiting your potential business contacts for the first time, it is no exaggeration to say that the evaluation of your profile has begun the minute you stood in front of your contact's office entrance. After being escorted inside, a ceremony-like exchange of business cards called MEISHI takes place in most cases in Japan. A business card expresses simply and accurately a person's social position. As such, it is necessary for business cards to possess a certain level of dignity and good taste. In other words, they can be considered as your “ambassador" conveying your first and very important message. It seems to be fashionable nowadays to have your photograph and description of corporate activities printed on business cards. However, from the viewpoint of the basic purpose of business cards, using moderate colors, fonts, photographs, as well as firm paper quality is regarded as being in good taste and elegant.

During MEISHI exchange gatherings, one may sometimes run out of business cards, but this would be tantamount to having lost one business opportunity. Therefore, you should always take into consideration the number of people you might meet at such a gathering and be prepared accordingly. You should also remember that there is a MEISHI etiquette. Business cards should never be carried bare ; they should always be kept and carried around in a MEISHI holder. Taking your card out of a firm, leather holder is not only the first inspection of your personal items but also indicates how your new contact's business card would be handled.

Generally speaking, business cards are not exchanged in foreign countries as frequently as in Japan. Therefore, it seems to be necessary for overseas businesspeople to be made aware of the importance of exchanging business cards as an integral part of business manners in Japan. MEISHI should never be exchanged while sitting down nor accepted by using only one hand. Though cumbersome, they should be exchanged while standing up, bowing slightly, extending greetings, and using both hands. If proper done, your business contact would most likely place your card on his desk or table and look at it from time to time in the course of your discussion with him to commit your name and face to memory. You should remember never to write anything on the card you just received. Just as your business contact does, you should also keep his or her card on the desk and try to commit your contact's name and position to memory on the spot until the conversation is over. The custom or ritual involving around this seemingly trivial “small printed matter" is quite effective as a business custom in Japan and should be recognized that it has the potential of performing a significant follow-up role.