Blog RSS https://intxel.com/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 05:44:48 +0000 FeedCreator 1.8.3 (obRSS 3.4.2) en-GB Write a New Year's Haiku! http://intxel.com/blog-1/457-write-a-new-year-s-haiku Diana Tue, 05 Jan 2021 20:03:02 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/457-write-a-new-year-s-haiku San Mitsu http://intxel.com/blog-1/455-san-mitsu Every year in December the Japanese public selects a kanji to represent the social mood of the year.

It's no surprise ...]]> Diana Mon, 14 Dec 2020 21:55:44 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/455-san-mitsu Hanko Use Persists in Offices http://intxel.com/blog-1/437-hanko-use-persists-in-offices The custom of using hanko to approve documents is further limiting Japan’s capacity for remote working. Requiring these traditional seals ...]]> Diana Thu, 14 May 2020 20:57:43 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/437-hanko-use-persists-in-offices Working Remotely in Japan http://intxel.com/blog-1/436-working-remotely-in-japan Diana Sat, 02 May 2020 00:23:54 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/436-working-remotely-in-japan Japanese Shinnenkai http://intxel.com/blog-1/427-japanese-shinenkai Now that you're had a Bonenkai, it's time for a shinnenkai!

]]> Diana Sun, 05 Jan 2020 23:17:38 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/427-japanese-shinenkai lol in Japanese http://intxel.com/blog-1/424-lol-in-japanese LOL has become ubiquitous in the virtual shorthand standing for laugh out loud. This is fine if the person you ...]]> Diana Sun, 17 Nov 2019 23:55:25 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/424-lol-in-japanese Japanese Women Warriors - Updated http://intxel.com/blog-1/369-japanese-women-warriors Tadashi Yanai, the 70-year-old billionaire founder and CEO of Fast Retailing, concluded a recent interview with CNN (September 19, 2019) ...]]> Diana Sun, 29 Sep 2019 00:00:47 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/369-japanese-women-warriors India, Japan, U.S. – Contrasting Assumptions http://intxel.com/blog-1/423-india-japan-u-s-contrasting-assumptions Diana Sat, 14 Sep 2019 21:13:37 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/423-india-japan-u-s-contrasting-assumptions RISK http://intxel.com/blog-1/421-risk And what does this have to do with culture anyway? If you work across cultures and want to have any influence, ...]]> Diana Mon, 19 Aug 2019 00:22:30 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/421-risk SUBSIDIARIES SUCK! http://intxel.com/blog-1/417-subsidiaries-suck That is if you are ambitious.

I recently had an interesting exchange with an old friend who is now working at ...]]> Keiko Suzuki Wed, 10 Jul 2019 20:23:20 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/417-subsidiaries-suck The Emperor Plants Rice http://intxel.com/blog-1/415-the-emperor-plants-rice What would you do while waiting to be enthroned as Emperor?

]]> Diana Wed, 19 Jun 2019 01:13:35 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/415-the-emperor-plants-rice Women in Japan http://intxel.com/blog-1/414-women-in-japan  

Think Japanese women are unhappy? Think again...]]> Diana Tue, 14 May 2019 00:11:12 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/414-women-in-japan Good-bye Heisei Era http://intxel.com/blog-1/409-good-bye-heisei-era  Hello Reiwa! ]]> Diana Sun, 28 Apr 2019 21:59:02 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/409-good-bye-heisei-era Hierarchical versus Territorial http://intxel.com/blog-1/412-hierarchical-versus-territorial  

 A new way of looking at Japanese and American priorities?

]]> Diana Tue, 19 Feb 2019 06:27:18 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/412-hierarchical-versus-territorial Where did Fortune Cookies originate? http://intxel.com/blog-1/411-fortune-cookies China?

Not a chance.

California?

Maybe, but probably not…

]]> Diana Mon, 04 Feb 2019 22:30:04 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/411-fortune-cookies 2018 Kanji of the Year http://intxel.com/blog-1/407-2018-kanji-of-the-year The character chosen to characterize Japan for 2018 may surprise you!

In 2016 the character of the year was GOLD.  (Think ...]]> Diana Sat, 15 Dec 2018 21:51:15 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/407-2018-kanji-of-the-year Japanese Sleeping in Meetings http://intxel.com/blog-1/404-japanese-sleeping-in-meetings  

We’ve all seen it.  Japanese falling asleep in a meeting.  Sure, they close their eyes to concentrate, but when they ...]]> Diana Mon, 05 Nov 2018 22:22:01 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/404-japanese-sleeping-in-meetings Postcards Peak at Mt. Fuji http://intxel.com/blog-1/395-postcards-from-the-peak Bulldozers move mountains,

Of postcards…

]]> Diana Tue, 04 Sep 2018 20:50:52 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/395-postcards-from-the-peak Rent an “Uncle” Today! http://intxel.com/blog-1/393-rent-an-uncle-today  

Feeling lonely? Have a problem you can’t discuss with anyone you know? Just want some inspiration from someone different? Japan’s ...]]> Keiko Suzuki Mon, 13 Aug 2018 20:47:21 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/393-rent-an-uncle-today Ochugen time! http://intxel.com/blog-1/390-ochugen-time  

Think you don’t owe a gift to someone in Japan for favors they’ve done, like mentoring you or giving you ...]]> Keiko Suzuki Tue, 19 Jun 2018 18:45:18 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/390-ochugen-time Teaching Integrity http://intxel.com/blog-1/388-teaching-integrity  

Do you work with people who default to, “What’s in it for me?” We talk integrity, but how do we ...]]> Diana Mon, 04 Jun 2018 21:16:56 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/388-teaching-integrity White People for Rent! http://intxel.com/blog-1/387-white-people-for-rent  

Are you tired of your job? China may have an offer you can’t refuse – if you’re white…

]]> Diana Tue, 15 May 2018 21:33:54 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/387-white-people-for-rent Lost and Found in Japan http://intxel.com/blog-1/386-lost-and-found-in-japan  

What would you do if you found a $20 bill?  A $100 bill?  $500?  What would you do, really?

]]> Diana Tue, 15 May 2018 21:26:45 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/386-lost-and-found-in-japan Are Osakans Rude? http://intxel.com/blog-1/385-are-osakans-rude  

I was recently asked: "Why do people from Osaka appear rude when compared to Japanese from other cities?" Here is ...]]> Diana Sun, 29 Apr 2018 19:42:27 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/385-are-osakans-rude All is well with an apology! http://intxel.com/blog-1/384-all-is-well-with-an-apology  In Japan, the #MeToo moment dashed.  All is well with an apology!

]]> Diana Sat, 14 Apr 2018 01:22:10 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/384-all-is-well-with-an-apology Japanese Diligence http://intxel.com/blog-1/382-japanese-diligence Recently I was asked: Why are Japanese considered the most diligent people despite not studying a lot in university? Here ...]]> Diana Fri, 30 Mar 2018 20:50:52 +0000 http://intxel.com/blog-1/382-japanese-diligence Why are Japanese so miserable? http://intxel.com/blog-1/379-why-are-japanese-so-miserable  According to the annual United Nation’s Happiness Report which provides the “Happiness Index” for 155 counties, Japan ranked number 51 while the ...]]> Diana Tue, 20 Feb 2018 23:12:38 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/379-why-are-japanese-so-miserable When in America - Trevor Noah http://intxel.com/blog-1/378-when-in-america-trevor-noah You can be sure that when coming to America, the accent is the least of it, but check out Trevor ...]]> Diana Thu, 08 Feb 2018 07:16:14 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/378-when-in-america-trevor-noah #MeToo – JAPANESE STYLE http://intxel.com/blog-1/376-metoo-japanese-style While the hashtag #MeToo has gone viral in many countries, it has yet to gain much momentum in Japan. The ...]]> Keiko Suzuki Tue, 05 Dec 2017 18:58:04 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/376-metoo-japanese-style What's the Word? http://intxel.com/blog-1/374-what-s-the-word Every year since 1984, Jiyukokuminsha, the Japanese publisher of the annual encyclopedia “The Basic Knowledge of Current News Terms” has ...]]> Diana Mon, 13 Nov 2017 23:54:56 -0700 http://intxel.com/blog-1/374-what-s-the-word