Episode #406: Victor Antonio You Are Wrong About Weasel Words In Japan

How should sales professionals balance certainty and humility in Japan?

In many Western sales models, the seller is taught to be direct, decisive, and confidently instructional. Victor Antonio calls the softeners that reduce certainty “weasel words”—phrases like “maybe,” “perhaps,” or “could.” His argument is simple: ambiguity weakens the buyer’s confidence.

But Japan operates on different cultural signals. The expectation of modesty and harmony—謙虚 (kenkyo: humility) and 和 (wa: social harmony)—often makes overt assertiveness feel intrusive. A style that works in the U.S. can be read in Japan as “push selling,” leading buyers to distrust both the salesperson and the solution.

Mini-summary: Japan rewards confidence, but only when it’s delivered with cultural humility and respect for the buyer’s position.

Japanese corporate buyers are rarely deciding alone. They are accountable internally and face reputational risk if a purchase fails. This creates a strong bias toward cautious evaluation. If a salesperson sounds 100% certain about outcomes that haven’t happened yet, the buyer may interpret it as exaggeration.

In other words: certainty about your experience is welcome; certainty about the buyer’s future can feel reckless. “Weasel words” create space for the buyer to feel safe. They signal honesty, realism, and partnership rather than pressure.

Mini-summary: In Japan, careful language isn’t weakness—it often reads as credibility and shared risk management.

There is a line, but it’s not black and white. The key is separating what you know from what you predict.

• You can speak with total confidence about results you have already witnessed.

• You should be more conservative when forecasting outcomes specific to this client, because you can’t fully know their internal conditions.

A confident but culturally aligned phrasing sounds like:
“This worked strongly for XYZ company. Given your situations are very similar, there is a strong probability it will work for you too.”

This preserves belief without implying arrogance.

Mini-summary: Be absolute about what you’ve seen, and probabilistic about what will happen for them.

How can salespeople show confidence without triggering buyer resistance?

A workable approach in Japan is:

1. Start humble about future outcomes.
   Avoid guarantees that sound like overreach.

2. Pile on evidence.
   Case stories, observed behavior shifts, measurable client results.

3. Use respectful probability language.
   Show conviction while acknowledging uncertainty.

This style matches Japanese expectations of 納得感 (nattokukan: sense of reasonable conviction)—buyers want to feel the logic is solid and socially safe before committing.

Mini-summary: Confidence sells when it’s backed by evidence and delivered with respectful restraint.

Because it signals intent beyond one transaction. Buyers want partners who aim for long-term credibility, not short-term wins. When you include caveats, you show awareness of real-world complexity and a willingness to share responsibility for success.

That tiny note of uncertainty reassures the buyer that you’re not selling “blarney.” It positions you as a trusted advisor who will work for results—repeatable results—rather than just a signature.

Mini-summary: A touch of doubt, used skillfully, can make your confidence feel more trustworthy.

• In Japan, confidence must be balanced with 謙虚 (kenkyo: humility) and respect for buyer risk.

• Total certainty works best for observed evidence, not future predictions.

• Probability language often builds more trust than guarantees.

• The goal is partnership and repeat orders, so semantics matter as much as solutions.

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.