A message that works perfectly well in New York, London, or Singapore may not have the same impact in Tokyo.
The language barrier is only part of the reason.
How a leader communicates — the level of directness, the amount of context provided, the choice of words, and even what is left unsaid — can shape how a message is received by Japanese employees, customers, business partners, and the media.
Having spent more than 25 years as a journalist interviewing CEOs, policymakers, economists, and other leaders from Japan and around the world, I have seen this from both sides.
And one lesson has stayed with me:
Effective global communication is not simply about speaking the same language. It is about understanding how your message will be received.
A Global Message Does Not Always Travel
Many multinational companies invest considerable time developing their corporate messages at headquarters.
The message is carefully crafted, approved, and communicated across markets.
But what happens when that message reaches Japan?
Sometimes it is translated almost word for word. The English may become perfectly accurate Japanese — yet somehow the message loses its impact.
Why?
Because communication is not just about words.
A message that sounds confident and decisive in one culture can sound overly assertive in another. Conversely, an attempt to be diplomatic can sometimes become so cautious that the core message disappears.
The challenge for global leaders is therefore not simply:
“How do I say this in Japanese?”
It is:
“How will this be understood in Japan?”
That is a very different question.
Japanese Audiences Listen Differently
One of the most interesting things about communication is that audiences do not simply receive information. They interpret it through their own cultural and professional expectations.
This becomes particularly important when executives communicate with the media.
A foreign executive may come to an interview with three carefully prepared global messages. But a Japanese journalist may approach the conversation from a very different perspective.
What does this mean for Japan?
How will Japanese customers or employees be affected?
Is the company truly committed to this market?
What is the executive not saying?
Preparing for an interview in Japan therefore requires more than reviewing talking points.
It requires thinking about the conversation from the perspective of the person on the other side of the table.
Clarity Matters More Than Perfect English
There is another misconception I often encounter in global business communication: that strong communication requires sophisticated English.
It does not.
Some of the most effective leaders I have interviewed were not necessarily the most eloquent speakers.
What made them effective was something else.
They knew what they wanted to say.
They could explain complex ideas simply.
And they understood what their audience needed to hear.
This is particularly important for leaders working across cultures.
Your goal should not be to sound impressive.
Your goal should be to be understood — and remembered.
Communication Becomes Critical in a Crisis
The stakes become even higher when something goes wrong.
An accident, product issue, cyberattack, business disruption, or corporate controversy can suddenly put a leader in front of employees, customers, regulators, investors, and the media.
In these moments, there may be no perfect answer.
Information may still be incomplete.
Yet people will judge the organization partly through the words and behavior of its leaders.
What do you know?
What don't you know yet?
What are you doing about it?
And do people believe you?
In a crisis, communication is not an accessory to leadership.
It is leadership.
Don't Just Translate. Communicate.
Global leaders operating in Japan do not need to become Japanese.
Nor should they abandon the communication style that makes them authentic leaders.
But they do need to understand the environment in which their words will be heard.
Sometimes that means being more explicit.
Sometimes it means providing more context.
Sometimes it means changing the order in which a message is delivered.
And sometimes it simply means stopping to ask:
“How might this sound to the person listening?”
That small change in perspective can make an enormous difference.
Through Speak with Style, I will share observations and practical insights drawn from more than 25 years in international journalism — from media interviews and executive communication to presentations, crisis communication, and communicating across cultures.
My aim is simple:
To help leaders communicate across cultures with clarity, confidence, and impact — and to help bridge Japan and the world through better communication.