Episode #45: Boozing Your Way To Sales Success In Japan

Are client dinners and late-night drinking still necessary to win sales in Japan?

Many sales professionals in Japan still feel trapped in an old playbook: endless late-night drinking, client entertainment, weekend golf, and being “always on” for the customer. The unspoken belief is, “If I don’t entertain, I won’t sell.”

In Japan, you often hear salespeople say, “I gave my liver for my company,” or “I gave up my weekends for golf with the client.” For foreign sales professionals, the question is even sharper: Do I really have to destroy my health and family life to succeed in Japanese sales?

The short answer: No. The business environment has changed. Compliance rules have tightened, younger buyers value their private time, and both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) are rethinking what “relationship building” really means.

Mini-summary: You don’t need to sacrifice your liver or your personal life to sell successfully in Japan. The rules of engagement are changing, and you can win by focusing on value, not volume of alcohol.

There is a fundamental difference between buying business through entertainment and building a professional relationship based on value.

In the past, some salespeople believed that if they kept taking the buyer out for expensive dinners and entertainment, the business would naturally follow. But consider this: in many Japanese companies, the buyer you are entertaining will rotate to a different division every few years. All those nights of wining and dining can disappear with one internal transfer.

In addition, your “guy” may now be a “gal.” Many younger professionals — both men and women — place a much higher value on private time and work–life balance. Spending long evenings drinking with a salesperson is not high on their priority list, no matter how generous the entertainment budget might be.

Today, professional trust comes more from credibility, responsiveness, and problem-solving than from how much you spend on dinner.

Mini-summary: Entertainment can’t replace value. Sustainable relationships in Japan are built on trust, reliability, and results, not on how many nights you take the client out.

How are compliance rules and corporate culture changing client entertainment in Japan?

Many companies in Japan now operate under much stricter compliance rules. This is true not only for finance and heavily regulated industries, but increasingly across sectors.

Some examples:

• Gift giving is being restricted. At one client visit to Mazda, bringing a simple box of cookies led to a very polite but firm refusal — the company’s compliance policy did not allow staff to accept the gift.

• Financial services are heavily monitored. In finance, staff entertainment is tightly controlled and recorded. Free-flowing, unreported client entertainment is no longer acceptable.

• Expense accounts are shrinking. The “good old days” of big entertainment budgets have largely disappeared. In the 1980s and 1990s, overseas visitors to Japan were often used as an “excuse” to go out on the company’s dime. Today, that culture is fading as cost control and governance tighten.

These shifts affect both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) operating in 東京 (Tokyo) and across Japan. The risk of being seen as crossing the line into bribery is simply too high.

Mini-summary: Compliance and cost control have transformed client entertainment in Japan. Companies are less willing to accept gifts or lavish hospitality, making value and professionalism even more important.

Is client golf in Japan still a smart investment of time?

Client golf used to be a core part of relationship building in Japan — and in some cases, it still is. But for many busy executives and salespeople, it has become hard to justify:

• Travel to and from the course can be long.

• Tee-off may only start at 9:00 a.m., after the obligatory coffee.

• There’s a long lunch break in the middle.

• There is often a bath and then dinner at the end.

In reality, an entire day and night are consumed. And if, like many of us, you are a “hacker,” you may spend more time searching for your ball in the rough than networking with your client.

The promised “relationship-building opportunity” may be far less effective than people imagine — especially when compared to focused, high-quality business conversations.

Mini-summary: Golf can be pleasant, but it is often an inefficient way to build relationships. For many professionals in Japan today, the time investment is hard to justify.

While heavy drinking and full-day golf outings are declining, short, purposeful, and lighter-touch meetings are increasingly effective and appropriate:

• Lunch meetings:

  • Usually involve little or no alcohol.

  • Allow time to build rapport and understand the client’s needs.

  • Are often more compatible with compliance rules, with the bill sometimes split between parties.

• Breakfast meetings:

  • Less common with Japanese clients because many travel long distances to work.

  • A 7:30 a.m. breakfast could require a 5:30 a.m. departure from home, so be mindful of this when suggesting early starts.

• Office-based meetings and virtual calls:

  • Ideal for detailed discussions about solutions, implementation, and results.

  • Allow you to demonstrate competence, responsiveness, and value without the distractions of entertainment.

The key is to focus on client-centric conversations: what they need, how you can help, and how you will deliver.

Mini-summary: Moderate, time-efficient meetings like lunches and focused office or online discussions are more aligned with today’s Japanese business realities than long nights of entertainment.

How can you win sales in Japan without relying on entertainment?

To succeed in Japan without overusing entertainment, you must shift your strategy from “buying goodwill” to “delivering value.” That means:

1. Understand the client’s real needs.
   Ask questions, listen actively, and clarify the outcomes the client is responsible for in their organization.

2. Deliver reliability and quality.
   Japanese clients — especially in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) — place huge importance on consistency, accuracy, and follow-through.

3. Do exactly what you say you will do.
   Under-promise and over-deliver is a powerful strategy in Japan. Reliability builds deep trust faster than entertainment.

4. Follow up thoroughly.
   Keep the client updated, anticipate issues, and be proactive. This demonstrates genuine partnership and care.

Ultimately, even the most entertained buyer must report to a boss. That boss is focused on results, not on how many times their subordinate enjoyed a free dinner.

Mini-summary: You can do very well in Japanese sales by focusing on needs analysis, value creation, reliability, and proactive follow-up — not on entertainment.

How does this connect to リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training)?

Sustainable success in Japan today depends on engaged, self-motivated, and inspired employees — not just heroic salespeople entertaining clients.

At Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo, we help both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) develop:

• リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training):
  So leaders can inspire teams without relying on outdated “do as I say, not as I do” cultures.

• 営業研修 (sales training):
  So salespeople can build relationships and close deals based on trust, consultative selling, and value — not entertainment.

• プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training):
  So professionals can clearly communicate value to demanding buyers in Tokyo and across Japan.

• エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching):
  So senior leaders can adjust their mindset and behaviour to succeed in Japan’s evolving business environment.

• DEI研修 (DEI training):
  So organizations can create inclusive cultures that engage younger talent who value fairness, diversity, and work–life balance.

Mini-summary: Modern sales performance in Japan is powered by strong leadership, advanced sales skills, confident presentations, and inclusive cultures — not by excessive entertaining. Dale Carnegie Tokyo builds these capabilities.

About the Author — Why listen to Dr. Greg Story?

Dr. Greg Story is President of Dale Carnegie Training Japan. Over his career, he has moved from academia to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking, and people development.

Originally from Brisbane, Australia, he never imagined he would earn a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making or become a 30-year veteran of Japan.

A committed lifelong learner, Dr. Story is a recognized thought leader in leadership, communication, sales, and presentations. Through his published articles in American, British, and European Chamber journals, and through his podcasts and videos — “THE Leadership Japan Series,” “THE Sales Japan Series,” and “THE Presentations Japan Series” — he shares practical insights for global businesspeople working in Japan.

Since 1971, he has studied traditional Shitoryu Karate and is currently a 6th Dan. His guiding principle is Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道 – both pen & sword), applying martial arts philosophies and strategies to modern business leadership and performance.

Mini-summary: Dr. Greg Story brings three decades of Japan experience, cross-industry expertise, and a unique “pen & sword” philosophy to helping leaders and salespeople succeed in Japan without sacrificing their health or values.

• You do not need heavy entertainment to succeed in Japanese sales; value, reliability, and follow-up matter more.

• Compliance and cultural shifts in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) are reducing the role of lavish client entertaining.

• Short, focused meetings — especially lunches and high-quality business discussions — are more effective than all-day golf or late-night drinking.

• Investing in リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training) creates engaged, self-motivated employees who grow your business.

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.