With Bulgarian Business Partner in Japan【BLOG ENGLISH】

I’m now visiting some potential customers together with my Bulgarian business partner in Japan this week.

Bulgarians business situation in Nov 2016

Bulgaria’s business total amount is USD 30 billion and the total amount of property valuation is USD150 billion. Most of Bulgarian people have property,
which they obtained during the communist days. So the property value is larger than business amount – which is only growing now after Communism has ended.

I was surprised that the public school teacher’s salary is only EUR300 per month.

And there are large cost differences between Sofia (Capital) and Provdiv(regional city about 1.5 hours by car from Sofia.).
Therefore business’t can utilise the low costs of the regional cities, such as labor and office space, but they can market and sell their products in the Capital Sofia.

Communism ended in 1989, and they joined the EU in 2007. So Capitalism had just starting to grow now. There are not a lot of business industries, so many of the Bulgarian young people are going to study abroad and trying to find good jobs abroad.

My Bulgarian business partner is also one of those who is challenging abroad.

Bulgarian business man’s struggles in Japanese way of business

Let me introduce some conversations I had with him during his stay in Japan.

MK= Masahiko KUMADA
PA=Partner (who is Bulgarian)

MK : We had a Japanese style dinner (Motsu-hot pot) on TATAMI yesterday. Did you like it ? (TATAMI is when you are sitting on the floor, with no seat,perhaps you have a cushion)
PA : It was delicious but I couldn’t stand up for around 45 minutes after having my dinner yesterday.

PA : I struggled in how to handle business cards.
MK : When we meet first time, we bow to each other and exchange business cards. They should not do it from behind the table. Rather, We should move to the side of the table. Furthermore, we should not pass the business card from “up to down”, instead we should exchange it around the navel. And if you want, you are able to shake hands with them.Furthermore we should have business card holder, and the business cards should be inside the business card holder. It means that you are respecting the person. If you do exchange cards, you should make sure the senior person’s business card is on top of the card holder. Others should be put simply on the table. And then when the meeting is over, all business cards, on the table or on top of the card holder, should be put away inside the business card holder.Putting the business card in a breast pocket and writing something on the card is not welcomed. Since business card is his/her face.
PA : Wow, tough.

Let’s enjoy business in Japan.

Masahiko KUMADA / MAC

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