Stop Asking Permission: What Japan Can Learn from Trust-Based Work Cultures
When I was in the U.S., I spoke with several American managers who had Japanese expats working under them. One of them made a striking comment:
“Japanese employees ask for permission for everything.”
At the time, I brushed it off — maybe they were just being cautious or polite, I thought.
But then when I returned to Japan, I realized — it was true.
It wasn’t just caution. It was a culture shaped by control, hierarchy, and a lack of real empowerment.
This blog covers:
1. Why Do We Always Ask for Permission?
2. From Effort to Ownership
3. What Trust-Based Cultures Do Differently
4. U.S., Germany, and Japan: A Culture Comparison
5. Trust Requires a Different Kind of Leadership
6. The Missing Piece: Engagement and Discretion
7. Wrap up
1. Why Do We Always Ask for Permission?
In Japan, structure and discipline have long been seen as the backbone of good work. From organizational hierarchies to approval systems like the ringisho（稟議書）, we’ve built a culture that values harmony, consistency, and process.
Japan’s workplace culture leans heavily on control — clearly defined workflows, mandatory reporting, and an emphasis on visibility and presence. Practices like 報・連・相（ほうれんそう） — reporting, informing, and consulting — are central to operations.
These routines reduce risk, build consensus, and ensure transparency. However, they also lead to over-caution and excessive approval-seeking.
Here are a few reasons why Japanese employees often feel the need to ask for permission:
Control-oriented management: Leaders tend to withhold decision-making authority, limiting employee empowerment.
Fear of accountability: When everything requires approval, it becomes harder to act — and easier to wait.
Membership-based employment: Job roles aren’t strictly defined, and employees are expected to rotate across departments — from Sales to HR, for example — which often leads to shared, collective responsibility.
No deviation from the plan: Japanese teams value sticking to plans. Changing direction midstream feels like a major event — one that requires permission.
✅I once heard an American manager at a Japanese manufacturing company say:
“The Japanese are like world-class soldiers. Give them a clear plan and good management, and they’ll execute it flawlessly.”
He meant it as a compliment — and in many ways, it’s true.
✅But my American boss once told me something that stuck with me even more:
“If you need me to hold your hand to cross the street, I don’t need you. I’m paying for experience — and I expect you to use it to make decisions.”
That mindset — which values initiative, discretion, and accountability — shows just how different trust-based work cultures can be.
2. From Effort to Ownership
Based on my experience working in both the U.S. and Japan with global teams, I’ve come to believe this:
The true driver of productivity is working with purpose, clarity, and the freedom to make decisions that matter.
After all, productivity is measured by output per person, per hour — not by how busy someone looks or how late they stay.
This idea has become urgent in recent years. In 2023, Germany overtook Japan in nominal GDP, despite German workers putting in significantly fewer hours per year.
In the short term, this outcome may reflect external factors — such as the weak yen and rising inflation in Germany.
However, in the long run, the explanation lies elsewhere. Germany’s edge didn’t come from working harder — it came from better structures, clearer alignment, and greater trust in how work gets done.
In high-performing organizations like Google, one of the most critical success factors is what they call “psychological safety” (心理的安全性) — the ability to speak up, take risks, and make decisions without fear of punishment or shame.
But what creates that kind of safety?
At its core, it comes down to trust — trust from managers, teammates, and even clients.
When employees feel trusted, they take initiative. They make decisions. They don’t waste energy asking for permission or trying to cover themselves.
Empowerment isn’t just a privilege — it’s what allows professionals to perform at their best. In fact, it’s the foundation of psychological safety.
3. What Trust-Based Cultures Do Differently
In trust-based cultures, employees are expected to make decisions. Discretion isn’t an exception — it’s the norm. Professionals are trusted to choose how, when, and where to deliver results.
This doesn’t mean chaos. It means:
Clear expectations
Aligned purpose
Freedom in execution
Accountability for outcomes
It demands a different kind of leadership — one that enables, not oversees.
When people are trusted to act, organizations move faster, adapt quicker, and uncover better solutions — because decisions don’t get stuck in a hierarchy.
4. U.S., Germany, and Japan: A Culture Comparison
Source:
OECD: Average Annual Hours Worked per Worker (2023)
The U.S. values autonomy and innovation: Employees are trusted to perform without constant supervision (And that’s why you are hired) — but they’re also held accountable. If you can’t deliver, you're out.
Germany blends structure with trust. Work hours are protected, for example, employees can work up to 10 hours a day, but only under specific conditions. Still, outcomes are expected. This balance of structured autonomy may be the closest fit for Japan’s next step.
Japan excels in discipline and effort, but often limits discretion
These cultural tendencies aren’t just philosophical — they show up in how work hours and economic output play out.
5. Trust Requires a Different Kind of Leadership
In Japan, longevity is highly valued. There's an underlying mindset that employees grow slowly over decades — which makes it harder for managers to fully trust or empower their teams from the start.
Many Japanese managers rise through the ranks based on personal execution. They’re excellent at getting things done — but that strength can become a weakness in leadership. It often feels faster and safer to just do the work themselves.
Giving team members discretion can feel risky or inefficient.
“What if they mess up?”
“What if I’m held responsible?”
“What if they don’t work at home?”
But trust-based leadership doesn’t mean stepping back entirely. It means shifting the focus:
From tasks to outcomes
From supervision to purpose
From control to clarity
Without this shift, top talent won’t stay. They’ll either disengage, quietly leave — or worse, stay and stop caring.
✅From “Check First” to “Own It”
Moving away from approval-based culture doesn't mean abandoning structure. It means evolving from a culture of checking first to one of owning outcomes.
Let’s take a look at how this can work:
📊Funny Story: The Sushi Myth
In Japan, becoming a sushi chef traditionally required decades of training. You’d start by cleaning the kitchen, then cooking the rice — and only after many years, you might finally be allowed to make sushi.
But today, sushi-making machines have become incredibly advanced. They can produce high-quality sushi with impressive consistency. Even sushi-making has become a science.
As a result, some people have started to question the old belief:
Do you really need decades to become a good sushi chef?
This challenges more than just tradition. In many Japanese workplaces, it’s still hard to trust young or junior employees. Older generations often guard their knowledge, expecting others to silently observe and “steal” the skills over time.
But maybe the myth has been busted.
It’s time to ask — do we really need to wait decades to be trusted? I don’t think so.
6. The Missing Piece: Engagement and Empowerment
Japanese workers are often praised for their dedication, but international engagement surveys tell a more sobering story.
✅Employee Engagement in 2025: Japan vs. U.S. vs. Germany
According to Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report, employee engagement levels vary dramatically across countries — and Japan continues to rank among the lowest in the world.
Country Engagement Rate
🇯🇵 Japan - 7%
🇺🇸 United States - 32%
🇩🇪 Germany - 12%
🌍 Global average: 21% (2024)
✅ Why Japan’s Engagement Remains Low — and What Empowerment Has to Do With It?
There’s no single explanation. COVID-19 created isolation. Strict compliance enforcement stifled communication. Fear of harassment accusations discouraged honest feedback.
But one root cause, in my view, is a lack of empowerment.
When employees feel micromanaged, over-monitored, or constantly required to seek permission, it erodes engagement. People disengage not just because of workload, but because they feel powerless.
At the same time, I’ve also seen pushback from junior employees who say, “I don’t want to be told about purpose,” or “Don’t expect me to take responsibility.” They hesitate to take ownership because they associate it with blame or stress.
So, empowerment alone isn’t a magic solution. But given the choice between being boxed in by rules or being empowered to contribute meaningfully, most people—especially talented ones—prefer the latter.
7. Wrap up: Stop Asking Permission — Start Building Trust
As discussed in Chapter 4, in the U.S., managers empower and coach their team members — but if you can’t deliver, you’re out.
In contrast, in Japan, it’s extremely difficult to let someone go. Involuntary termination is rare; companies typically issue a resignation recommendation instead. This low job mobility may contribute to the lack of empowerment in many workplaces.
Japan’s strengths lie in its structure, commitment, and strong work ethic. But structure alone isn’t enough. In today’s complex, fast-changing world, innovation and engagement come from purpose, trust, and empowerment.
If you’re working in Japan, understanding the cultural dynamics is essential.
And if you’re a manager — I sincerely hope you’ll become a role model who empowers your team.
Let’s stop asking for permission.
Let’s start building trust.
💬 What about you?
Have you ever struggled with trust or empowerment at work — either in Japan or abroad?
How did you build trust with your team, or how did someone earn yours?
Share your story in the comments — I’d love to hear your experience.
And if this resonated with you, please consider sharing it with someone who might find it helpful too !!