ChatGPT said: How Bureaucratic “Explanation Sessions” in Tokyo Reveal Exactly What Not to Do in Business Presentations

I’ve just come back from one of those classic Tokyo “explanation sessions” — this time about a new Tokyo Metro subway line planned for my neighbourhood.

Previously, I attended a similar session about changing Haneda landing routes so planes now fly low over our homes.

Both had the same problems:

• No genuine interest in residents’ opinions

• Meeting design focused on obscuring, deflecting, and using up time

• Minimal, tightly controlled Q&A

In other words:
The purpose was not to explain — it was to endure.

For 日本企業 and 外資系企業 leaders in 東京, this might sound like “just government being government.” But many of these exact bad habits show up in corporate presentations too.

Mini-summary:
Government-style “explanation sessions” are masterclasses in how to waste an audience’s time — and they mirror common flaws in business presenting.

The format was textbook:

• A dense slide deck

• A presenter reading every single word on screen

• No added insight, no context, no connection

Why read slides everyone can already see?
Simple: to eat up the clock and reduce time for questions.

When Q&A finally started, they did one thing technically right and everything else wrong:

What They Did Well

They used a navigator who:

• Took the hostile question

• Paraphrased it

• Stripped out emotional language

• Then handed it to a “subject expert”

This is actually a technique we teach in プレゼンテーション研修 for handling hostile audiences.

What They Did Poorly

• Answers were evasive and vague

• Key points were dodged

• Residents left feeling ignored and frustrated

Mini-summary:
They used one good technique (question paraphrasing) but destroyed trust with evasive answers and time-wasting delivery.

You might think:
“That’s bureaucracy. We’re in business. Different world.”

Not really.

In many 日本企業 presentations, we see:

• A “navigator” announcing logistics (exits, phones, agenda)

• A President who barely knows the slides (because staff made them)

• Leaders reading slide content instead of presenting it

• Speakers turning their backs to the audience to read from the screen

• Corporate videos inserted mainly to reduce speaking time, not to add value

Result?

• Low engagement

• Low trust

• No leadership presence

Mini-summary:
Corporate Japan often mirrors government’s worst habits: reading slides, dodging questions, and hiding behind formality.

Tough questions are where brands are either strengthened or damaged.

Most presenters in Japan do one of two things:

1. Panic and answer immediately

   • Mouth reacts faster than brain

   • They say the first thing that pops into their head

   • Regret comes hours later

2. Dodge the question

   • Erode trust

   • Look defensive or unprepared

Instead, you need a cushion — a short buffer between question and answer.

Useful Cushion Techniques

• Ask them to repeat the question

• Paraphrase the question to confirm understanding

• Make a neutral comment:

  • “That’s a very important consideration.”

  • “Thank you, that’s a key point we need to address.”

This buys you five seconds of thinking time — enough to:

• Calm down

• Choose a clear structure

• Decide what you can say confidently

Then:

• Explain the logic behind your approach

• Be transparent about what you know and don’t know

Mini-summary:
A short cushion between question and answer creates space for better thinking and more professional responses.

Trying to bluff your way through is a brand-killer.

Instead, say:

“I don’t have that level of detail with me right now.
Let’s exchange business cards after this session, and I’ll get that answer for you. Who has the next question?”

This only works if:

• The question is highly specific, and

• It’s reasonable that you might not have the data on the spot

If it’s a fundamental question inside your core topic and you don’t know the answer, that’s a wake-up call on your preparation.

In those cases:

• Admit you should know

• Apologize briefly

• Commit to follow up

Audiences don’t expect perfection—but they do expect honesty.

Mini-summary:
Admitting you don’t know is far better than bluffing. Honesty preserves your credibility; bluffing destroys it.

Every time you stand up to speak, you’re putting your:

• Personal brand

• Professional reputation

• Company’s brand

on public display.

To protect and enhance that brand:

• Prepare thoroughly

• Rehearse — then rehearse again

• Don’t waste time reading slides

• Use cushions to handle tough questions

• Answer honestly, even if imperfect

• Respect your audience’s time and intelligence

If you do this well, people will:

• Feel their time was well invested

• See you as a credible leader

• Be willing to hear from you again

If you ignore these principles, you’ll end up like those Tokyo “explanation sessions” — technically compliant, but emotionally bankrupt.

Mini-summary:
Presentations are brand events. Done well, they build trust; done poorly, they quietly erode your reputation.

• Government-style “explanation sessions” show exactly what not to do in business presenting.

• Reading slides and dodging questions destroy trust and brand value.

• Use a cushion between question and answer to think clearly before speaking.

• Be honest when you don’t know; bluffing is far more damaging than admitting a gap.

• Every presentation is a live test of your personal and corporate brand—treat it accordingly.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.