Episode #174: Selling Through Others In Japan

Even when you are sitting face-to-face with buyers in Japan, you may not be selling directly to the true decision makers. Many sales professionals assume that being in the room with “the buyer” means they are close to closing. In Japan, that assumption can quietly derail your deal.

This page explains why “direct selling” is often an illusion in Japanese organizations, how consensus decision-making works behind the scenes, and what to do when you hear the classic phrase: “We’ll think about it.”

In many Japanese companies (日本企業 — Japanese companies), the person in front of you is rarely the final authority. Even if they manage the relationship, they are often acting as an information collector rather than a decision maker.

When direct selling is real:
If you are dealing with a “one-man shachō” (ワンマン社長 — one-man president / owner-boss)—the founder-owner who makes unilateral decisions—then the person you meet may truly be the final authority. But these cases are uncommon.

What’s more typical:
Decision power is distributed. A buyer may look senior, confident, and engaged, but still must consult unseen stakeholders inside the organization before any commitment can happen.

Mini-summary:
In Japan, being in the room doesn’t necessarily mean you are “selling direct.” More often, you are selling through the people in front of you.

Even when a president or top leader approves your solution, internal gatekeepers can block execution.

Example from training sales:
A company president may want leadership or sales training, but HR (人事部 — Human Resources department) may delay, resist, or quietly stop the program from moving forward—sometimes even against orders from the top.

This happens because HR and other departments hold operational control, budget authority, and internal influence. If they are not aligned, your deal stalls.

Mini-summary:
Top-down approval is not enough in Japan. Unless operational stakeholders agree, the sale won’t proceed.

In the West, “We’ll think about it” often means a polite dismissal. Some American sales cultures teach aggressive push-back tactics to overcome it.

But in Japan, the phrase is often literal.

Many buyers say this because:

• they cannot decide alone

• they must consult section heads and division leaders (課長・部長 — section managers / division managers)

• internal consensus (合意形成 — consensus building) is required

In other words, the people you met are not rejecting you. They are preparing to brief others you may never meet.

Mini-summary:
In Japan, “We will think about it” usually signals internal consultation, not evasion.

How should we respond without going into “arm-wrestle mode”?

Aggressive closing can backfire in Japanese business culture. Forcing a decision risks loss of face (面子を失う — to lose face) and damages trust.

Instead of pressuring, shift your mindset:

You are now selling through your interlocutors to the hidden decision makers.

A simple, respectful question works best:

“I’m sure other sections or divisions will be involved in this decision. From their point of view, are there any people who might need more information to feel comfortable buying?”

This does three powerful things:

1. Acknowledges the consensus process

2. Invites them to surface hidden objections

3. Positions you as a partner, not a pusher

Mini-summary:
Don’t force decisions in Japan. Help buyers prepare to persuade the internal stakeholders you can’t meet.

Your goal is to identify objections that exist outside the room.

Hidden stakeholders might worry about:

• budget optics

• workload impact

• risk of change

• relevance to their division

• political positioning inside the company

Once these hesitations are voiced, you can equip your buyers with:

• clear answers

• examples

• data

• internal-friendly framing

Because you likely won’t present to those stakeholders directly, your buyers must become your advocates.

Mini-summary:
The real win is not closing in the room—it’s preparing your buyers to “close” internally for you.

Why must this be planned early in the meeting?

Japanese meetings often run on strict schedules. In large firms, a one-hour meeting is common, and the room may be booked right after. When the hour ends, the next group may literally be waiting outside with half-open laptops.

So this “selling-through” phase cannot be left to chance. It must be planned from the start:

• build rapport efficiently

• diagnose needs clearly

• present tightly

• reserve time to explore internal stakeholders and objections

Mini-summary:
If you don’t deliberately create space for consensus-support planning, the meeting ends before it starts.

What mindset wins sales in Japan?

Consensus (合意形成 — consensus building) is the default system. Your buyers are accountable to multiple voices, not just their own preference.

Sales success comes from:

• respecting the internal process

• anticipating who else matters

• uncovering likely objections early

• empowering your buyers to handle them confidently

When you do this well, you dramatically increase your chance of winning.

Mini-summary:
In Japan, you succeed by enabling consensus—not by overpowering it.

• In Japan, the people you meet are often information gatherers, not final decision makers.

• “We will think about it” usually means internal consultation, not rejection.

• Your job is to sell through your buyers to hidden stakeholders you may never meet.

• Plan early to surface objections and equip your buyers to win internal consensus.

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 (外資系企業 — multinational / foreign-affiliated companies) ever since.