Business in Japanese way.

After I was officially appointed by Wilson I started my sales
activities in 1970 as Japan Sales Representative of Far Eastern
 Textile Ltd.in Taipei Taiwan.
It seems that Japanese way of conducting business has
its own way. Everything I learned from FETL or American
way of business did not work. When I approached the potential
costumers in Japan, the 1st question I was asked was always
"Shogaicho Alimasuga?" (Do you have a letter of recommendation
by any other company?) If my answer was"Ni-desu"*NO*
the request for an appointment would be turned down.
Particularly those medium or small size companies.
I decided to change my sales techniques by selecting only
those famous and giant companies.

From telephone directory, I listed the top 10 Shosha namely
Mitsu-I Mitsubishe Marubani I-tochu I-toman Kane-Matsugosho
Ni-chimen and Ni-sho-Iwai-i giant trading Houses. The
next I selected the famed Department Stores like Mitsu-Goshi
Takashimaya Sei-bu and one by one I approached their foreign
Department and introduced my self as Japan Sales 
Representative of FETL.  They all heard the name & knew
that FETL was one of the top10 Textile Manufactures in Taiwan. 
Surprisingly enough that no one rejected my request for
an appointment.

I concluded that I could do better with people in top echelon
who speak English and could communicate well in conducting
my sales.