Why Europeans Misinterpret Japanese 'Sumimasen' - The Hidden Trust Trap in Cross-Cultural Business

springbeautiful0704
Jun 3
2 min read

Recently, I witnessed the following scene during a joint venture meeting with German/Japanese firms.

When Mr. T, the Japanese project manager, said "Sumimasen, regarding these figures..." during his presentation, the German CEO's expression immediately darkened. After the meeting, the CEO confided in me:

"He's always apologizing, but what exactly did he do wrong? Is there something he's hiding from us?"

The Three Meanings of "Sumimasen"

The Japanese word "sumimasen" actually has three distinct meanings:

1. Apology: "I'm sorry"

Example: "Sumimasen" when arriving late

2. Attention-getting: "Excuse me"

Example: "Sumimasen" before speaking in a meeting

3. Gratitude: "Thank you"

Example: "Sumimasen" when someone makes way for you

Why Europeans Get Confused

European business culture values direct and clear communication. Particularly in Germany and the Netherlands, where "apologies are meant to clarify responsibility," hearing the habitual Japanese "sumimasen" makes them think:

"Has a problem occurred?"
"Is he prepared to take responsibility?"
"Why wasn't this reported in advance?"

Real Trouble Cases

Case 1: Negotiations with a French Company When a Japanese sales representative began with "Sumimasen, regarding the pricing...", the French side misunderstood this as "there was an error in pricing" and demanded renegotiation of contract terms.

Case 2: Technical Meeting with an Italian Company The phrase "Sumimasen, about these technical specifications..." was interpreted as "a technical problem has been discovered," leading to an unnecessary technical audit.

Three Solutions for Building Trust

1. Clear Purpose-Driven Alternatives

❌ "Sumimasen, I have a question"
✅ "I have a question about..."

2. Use Positive Introductions

❌ "Sumimasen, I have a proposal"
✅ "I'd like to share an interesting idea..."

3. Provide Context First

❌ "Sumimasen, about the schedule..."
✅ "Regarding our timeline, I'd like to discuss..."

You might think it's surprising that a single "sumimasen" could shake trust relationships. However, in international business, such small misunderstandings can often determine the success or failure of projects.

In your next meeting with Japanese companies, when the Japanese partners use "Sorry" or "Excuse me", please think in which context above is he/she using this word? Then you can ask him/her to clarify, therefore, avoiding any misunderstanding.