Episode #64: Story San, We'll Think About It

Why do Japanese clients often say “We’ll think about it” after your proposal?

In Japan, hearing “We’ll think about it” at the second meeting is common—even when you did a professional job. Many sellers assume it means the buyer is stalling or rejecting them. Sometimes it is. But in Japan it often reflects how decisions are made inside Japanese companies (日本企業 / Japanese companies) and multinational firms in Japan (外資系企業 / foreign-affiliated companies).

Instead of treating the phrase as a brush-off, treat it as a signal: the buyer may need time to align multiple stakeholders, not just decide personally.

Mini-summary: In Japan, “We’ll think about it” is frequently a normal step in group decision-making, not a personal rejection.

Many global sales frameworks imagine two neat meetings:

1. Meeting 1: Build trust and credibility, ask questions, understand needs.

2. Meeting 2: Present the proposal, handle objections, close the deal.

That sounds tidy, but it often doesn’t match reality in Japan. The cultural and organizational context doesn’t reward a fast close. Even when trust is high, buyers may need internal consultation before committing.

Mini-summary: The “two-meeting close” model is often unrealistic in Japan because decisions rarely sit with one person.

A frequent pattern is this:
Salespeople jump straight into a pitch, overwhelm the client with features and details, and then reach the end confused when the buyer says, “We’ll think about it.”

In that scenario, the buyer may be using the phrase politely to end a meeting that wasn’t useful.

Mini-summary: Feature-dumping without strong discovery often leads Japanese buyers to end things politely with “We’ll think about it.”

Even if you sell well, why do you still hear “We’ll think about it”?

Even skilled salespeople can get this response because of insufficient clarity during questioning. That can happen when:

• You misunderstood the buyer’s real needs.

• The buyer themselves was unclear.

• A hidden objection existed but wasn’t surfaced.

In Japan, buyers may avoid direct confrontation, so unspoken concerns can remain beneath the surface.

Mini-summary: You may still hear this phrase after a strong process if any real concern stayed unclear or unspoken.

Should you challenge the buyer directly to uncover the real objection?

Some Western approaches recommend pushing back hard—forcing the buyer to admit whether they’re interested or not, and then drilling into fit, functionality, or budget.

But in Japan, this feels aggressive. The buyer is treated with high deference, and direct interrogation can damage trust.

Mini-summary: Directly challenging the buyer can backfire in Japan, even if it works elsewhere.

In Japan, decision-making is typically collective. The person in front of you may like your proposal, but they aren’t the only decision maker. Your solution affects multiple departments, so internal alignment must happen first.

This is why pressuring the buyer during the meeting is ineffective—they still need approval and buy-in from others.

Mini-summary: “We need to think” often means “we need internal alignment,” not “we are rejecting you.”

How can you respond in a Japan-appropriate way while still moving the sale forward?

Instead of pressing the person in front of you, shift focus to potential internal resistance. Ask indirectly about other stakeholders and their concerns. For example:

• “Do you foresee any internal concerns about fit?”

• “Might other sections worry about functionality?”

• “Do you expect any pushback on the financial side?”

This approach helps the buyer surface risks without losing face, and it lets you equip them to advocate internally.

Mini-summary: Ask about internal stakeholders’ concerns indirectly to stay respectful and still uncover obstacles.

What should you do immediately after hearing “We’ll think about it”?

Two steps:

1. Accept that they need time.

2. Set the follow-up meeting date on the spot.

You stay professional, preserve trust, and keep momentum—without applying pressure that could harm the relationship.

Mini-summary: Confirm next steps right away, but don’t push for a forced close.

• In Japan, “We’ll think about it” often reflects group decision-making, not rejection.

• Over-pitching features without discovery makes the phrase a polite exit line.

• Direct objection-drilling can feel disrespectful in Japan; indirect questioning works better.

• Always lock in a follow-up meeting while keeping trust intact.

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.