Departments
朝に弱い
ASA NI YOWAI
"weak in the morning"
While individuals vary, perhaps it is correct to say that there are “a.m. cultures” and “p.m. cultures.” For example, I have spent some time in Latin America, which is definitely a “p.m. culture.” It is common for business dinners in Latin America to begin at nine or ten o’clock in the evening--on a weeknight. Germany, on the other hand, is said to be an “a.m. culture,” in which waking early is the norm.
Japan is definitely a p.m. culture, especially where work habits are concerned. If you have ever spent time in a Japanese office, you have probably noticed that most people tend to arrive late. Nine o’clock seems to be the norm; and some employees drag themselves in as late as nine-thirty or ten.
The flip side, of course, is that Japanese employees work late into the evenings; and office work is often followed by drinking and socializing out on the town. This means that an employee may not arrive home until nine, ten, or eleven in the evening.
If you are scheduling a meeting with clients or business partners in Japan, you would do well to remember this “p.m. orientation. If you request a meeting first thing in the morning, you might find that some of your participants are less than alert—or even arrive late. Many Japanese persons will complain that they are asa ni yowai--which literally means “weak in the morning.”