“I explained everything clearly. Why is my boss saying it was not communicated?”
This is a sentence I’ve heard countless times from international students and
foreign employees in Japan. Let me tell you one very real story.
A foreign employee (let’s call him Alex) was working at a Japanese company.
One day, his boss asked him: “Can you handle this task?”
Alex replied confidently: “Yes, no problem.”
He understood the task in his own way, completed it, and submitted the result on time.
Then came the feedback.
“This is not what I expected.” “Why didn’t you ask me?” “We thought you understood.”
Alex was shocked. He replied: “But… you didn’t say that!” “I already explained my idea!”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
This is where many foreign employees start to feel frustrated or even think: “Japanese people are too vague.”
What actually went wrong?
The problem was not English or Japanese ability. It was the definition of “communication.”
In many Japanese workplaces, saying “Yes/Hai” does not mean “I fully understand everything.”
Silence does not mean agreement.
Explaining your idea is not enough. They expect confirmation of shared understanding.
What Alex should have said was something like:
“So, my understanding is A, B, and C. Is that correct?”
“Are there any points I should pay special attention to?”
“Can you show me an example of the expected outcome?”
💡The key lesson (very important)
In Japanese companies, “I explained” does not mean “it was understood.”
Good communication means:
- Repeating
- Confirming
- Paraphrasing
- Asking even when you think it’s obvious
This is not because Japanese colleagues doubt your ability. It’s because they value risk prevention
and shared expectations more than speed.
Something to bear in mind for international students & foreign employees:
If you remember just ONE thing, remember this:
Always confirm, even if it feels redundant.
Especially when:
- Instructions are abstract
- Deadlines are long
- The task affects other people
Asking more questions in Japan is often seen as responsible, not incompetent.
Finally, if you ever feel:
- “I said it, but they didn’t get it”
- “They should have told me earlier”
Don’t blame yourself and don’t blame Japan either. Instead, adjust how you communicate.
That small shift will save you stress, trust and your career in Japan.
