This is a definitive description of the fundamental changes that have taken place in the way the Japanese do business since the meltdown that began in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with specific guidelines for understanding and dealing with the changes. It covers the Western practices that have been adopted by Japanese companies in conjunction with the core traditional culture values and behavior that still distinguish the Japanese, and the measures the Japanese have taken to contend with global competition, particularly the rise of China and other Asian countries as economic powerhouses. The hundred-plus culturally pregnant key Japanese words the book identifies and explains provide a comprehensive portrait of the Japanese mindset and behavior that is essential for foreign businesspeople, diplomats, academics and students.