Tokyo and tech through the eyes of a split pea

word vs writing

Elections for your local representative are coming up in Japan, and apparently the concept of a manifesto is making waves. I find this interesting, because in Japan the written agreement isn’t perceived as having much strength. In fact, when I was packing up in California to move to Tokyo to join my current employer, I had nothing in writing guaranteeing any sort of employement — no handshakes, no signed contracts — just their verbal offer. I realized my ‘mistake’ while still in the states, and requested some form of written offer which was quickly DHL’d, but in their view it was simply a ‘formality’ with no real value. Things are changing, with a more challenging, competitive, demanding, and arguably more self-serving culture, the Japanese are beginning to accept that ‘the word’ just doesn’t go as far as it used to. You can’t rely on the other party’s conscience to not bail out in this increasingly agressive business environment.