Why on earth would you invest in a trip even short to Japan when your business here has not been impacted by the Mar. 11 disaster? Check what you already did :
- - I sent emails showing compassion to my business contacts in Japan.
- - I sent exclusive support emails to the CEOs of the companies I have a deal with here, even though I only met them once.
- - I requested and obtain time for a personal call to my key contacts in Japan to voice over my concern and how much I care.
- - I committed to give to charities related with catastrophe.
- - I decided and planned to tour Japan for even brief meetings with my partners as a show of care.
If traveling to Japan for business purpose is part of your usual job, chances are you already acted on point 5, or will do soon. It is still time but time has a limit.
If traveling to Japan has been a rare act because business as usual has been fine tuned and run remote, here is your chance to bond by coming and expressing your care direct. It will have a long term positive effect because :
- Japanese people are especially sensible to such "exceptional" gestures.
- Japan is still largely devoid of cynicism in the public sphere. Cynicism is a slap in the face and the face is still everything here. No criticism will come out of your showing up, empty handed (no gifts this time), but a show of compassion.
- Showing up is the strongest show of trust when you have nothing to mend.
Even if you are not a statesman, careful planning that does not interfere with your partners is essential. Trusting an agent to discuss the details of your meeting, even for 30 minutes over a cup of green tea, is a better move than an exchange of email where you may miss the real state of minds of your partners. Leave it your interpreter but brief her on why you want to make her your proxy.
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