Japanese negotiation communicates indirectly. Direct refusal is rare because saying “no” explicitly causes loss of face and damages relationships. Instead, reluctance appears through signals: expressions of difficulty (“that would be challenging”), conditional language, silence, hesitation, or changing the subject. “We will consider it carefully” often means “no.” Learning to read these signals—and to send your own interests through similar indirect means—is essential.
The stated position (tatemae) may differ from true interests (honne); discovering what someone really needs requires attention to what they do not say as much as what they do. This indirection is not dishonesty but a different communication system that preserves relationships while conveying necessary information.
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