Feedback Archives - Page 2 of 5 - understand-culture

Business Improvement Order

On September 22, 2021, the Financial Services Agency issued a gyōmu kaizen meirei, a business improvement order, to Mizuho Bank, which had suffered repeated system failures. Under Article 26(1) of the Banking Act, the bank had to re-examine its plans for renewing its systems and submit them by October 29.

In its own notice, Mizuho said it would strengthen the saihatsu bōshi-saku, the measures against recurrence, that it had published on June 15, and add points drawn from the failures that had occurred since August 20.

Apology and Measures

On January 23, 2026, Prudential Life Insurance held an apology press conference after more than 100 current and former employees had improperly received money. Its management apologized and explained the company’s saihatsu bōshi-saku, measures to prevent recurrence.

A public relations column in the business report of a Japanese regional bank gives the order for a written press release on such trouble. It opens with an apology, then sets out the course of events, the facts, the response to customers and the measures to come. For press conferences, the column warns against wording that sounds like an excuse.

Remorse in Court

A Japanese criminal defense law firm tells clients that whether their remorse, hansei, reaches the judge can decide between a prison term and a suspended sentence. It adds that showing remorse can lead to a decision not to indict or to a lighter sentence.

Silver and an Apology

On August 18, 2016, at the Rio Olympics, the wrestler Yoshida Saori lost the 53 kg final to Helen Maroulis of the United States and missed a fourth straight Olympic title. She wept on the podium.

Afterwards she said: “So many people supported me, and it ended with silver. I am sorry. As captain of the Japanese team, I should have won gold.”

The Six Endeavors

Inamori Kazuo, the founder of Kyocera, set down six endeavors, muttsu no shōjin. They are: make efforts second to none, be humble and not arrogant, hansei aru mainichi o okuru, live each day with reflection, be grateful to be alive, accumulate good deeds and acts for others, and do not dwell on emotional worries.

The Going-Home Meeting

Japanese school days often end with the kaeri no kai, the going-home meeting. A guide of the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education describes it as the meeting that closes the school day. The class looks back on what kind of day it was, for the group and for each pupil, and sets goals for the days ahead.

The Vocabulary of Excuses

Iiwake (言い訳): an excuse. Explaining after a failure that there was no other choice, in order to justify oneself. Iiwake suru na: no excuses. A common rebuke to someone who has failed.

Kuchigotae (口答え): talking back. Answering a parent, teacher or boss argumentatively. Herikutsu (屁理屈): fart logic. Forced reasoning made to fit.

Chikara busoku (力不足): lack of ability. Used of oneself in apologies, as in watakushi no chikara busoku de, through my lack of ability.

The Iron Fist

Hoshino Sen’ichi managed three professional baseball teams, the Chunichi Dragons, the Hanshin Tigers and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. As a manager, he was known for tekken seisai, punishment with the iron fist. Bunshun wrote that in those years this was not treated as a problem and seemed to be encouraged by society as a whole.

Hoshino himself said he used his fists “until the Chunichi years. Not at Hanshin. The people around me had become too noisy.”

Go Set It on Fire

In June 2017, the mayor of Akashi, Izumi Fusaho, berated a senior city official in charge of a stalled road-widening project. One building owner had not yet agreed to sell. Izumi told the official to burn it down, to set it on fire and get arrested.

The remarks came to light in January 2019. At a press conference, Izumi admitted them and said he had already apologized to the official. He resigned and won the mayoral by-election on March 17, 2019.

The Vocabulary of Speaking Up

Sashidegamashii yō desu ga (差し出がましいようですが): it may be forward of me, but. A cushion phrase before offering advice that may overstep. Sen’etsu nagara (僭越ながら): presumptuous as it is. Used when stating an opinion in front of superiors.

Gyaku pawahara (逆パワハラ): reverse power harassment. Harassment of a boss by subordinates.