Tips

Imagine you're listening to a Japanese colleague explain a decision. They speak for thirty seconds. You catch some words. You think you understand where it's going. Then the last word arrives — and it's the verb. The action. The entire point of the sentence. And it changes everything you thought you'd understood. This isn't a translation problem. It's a structural one. Japanese sentences are built differently from English — and once you understand how, the language starts to

You're in a meeting with a Japanese colleague. You present your proposal. They nod. They say "はい" (hai) after every point you make. The meeting ends on what feels like a positive note. Then nothing happens. No follow-up. No decision. No next step. This isn't a communication failure. It's a language misunderstanding — and it's one of the most common ones that professionals working with Japan encounter. What "はい" actually means In English, "yes" signals agreement. When someone

For many busy professionals in The Hague and across Europe, the journey to learning Japanese begins with a fundamental choice: Should I learn through the Direct Method (Japanese-only), or the Indirect Method (using a bridge language such as English)?

Does "Kento-shimasu" mean Yes or No? Understand the logic behind Japanese indirectness and improve your business communication. Our experts in The Hague decode the "three layers" of this common phrase to help European executives build stronger professional relationships with Japanese clients.

As a professional navigating the business landscape of the Netherlands and wider Europe, you already know this: language is more than a communication tool—it is a strategic asset for building trust.