How do I choose the correct Japanese honorific usage for emails?

Question

Just recently, in my company we acquired several devices from one of the biggest companies in Japan. We are currently re-implementing part of our systems with such new devices.

During the implementation process, I had some technical doubts regarding the use of some APIs that communicate with the devices, and weren't able to solve by myself. I relayed them to my boss (CEO) in written form, from which he rephrased and sent as an email to our contact with this company (as he was the one handling the contact).

Now, I have some other doubts, but consulting with my boss again he decided to introduce me to the contact in an email, so I could then discuss these doubts with the contact by myself without having to go with my boss every time.

However, I am uncertain of what would be the correct and professional honorific/title to use when addressing this contact, as I have few to none experience writing to people in a Japanese context. Some details to consider:

• I can see from previous emails on the thread that both my boss and this contact address each other as "-san". However, they sometimes drop the honorific and just call each other by their names.

• This contact is most likely around the age of my boss, which would mean that I am younger than him. Also, I have never spoken to, wrote to, nor met this person before.

• The email exchange is in English, and checking the thread I can't see any any professional title (like "Dr.") or similar. Also, my boss introduced me by my name and last name (without title).

At first I thought about using "Mr.", but don't know how this may be perceived in a Japanese context, nor if mirroring my boss' "-san" would be professional or out of place here.

Answer 1

One thing I can say is that Japanese people treat clients with the utmost respect. You are far more likely to be addressed as DarkCygnus様 (sama), no matter what your age or hierarchical position is, if you're a client, than as DarkCygnus-san. This is seen for example, in the general term for guest, client or customer: お客様 (okyakusama), and the associated phrase お客様は神様です (lit. "the customer is God" - not King). In communication with the travel agency that my company uses, for example, I have always been addressed as surname様 (for reference, I am a very junior employee in a large company - there are probably 6-7 levels between me and my CEO).

That the Japanese person addressed the CEO of a client company using -san (!!) In written communication, and later on had no problems dropping the honorific altogether, tells me that this is a person comfortable with not using Japanese mannerisms in English - and probably only used the -san because your CEO did. When communicating with vendors for technical support, I have had the good luck of getting Japanese people who're good at English. These people have never used Japanese honorifics when emailing me in English, and, indeed, have followed the general custom of using the form suggested by the signature. I usually use "Muru" as my signature and they in turn used their first names (which occasionally confuses me, since I use their surnames everywhere else).

As the client, it's always safe for you to use -san. But given that the contact seems comfortable without it, I'd suggest that you pick whatever level you're comfortable with, and not use Japanese honorifics in English. Use Mr. if you feel like it - you don't have to use -san.

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For reference, whenever vendors initiated communication with my team, emails in Japanese always began with:

company-name person-surname 様

(Likewise when my team initiates communication with the vendor)

The same person when emailing me in English would write:

Hi first-name

The first time, and "Hi Muru" in subsequent emails.

Answer 2

Use -san. Japanese are very particular about showing respect. Just make sure you are using his last name -san, do not use his first name. -san is equivalent to Mr. however using -san would be more respectful in my opinion. If he views you as his junior, he may respond with your last name -kun, which I highly doubt he will out of respect but just in case, do not refer back to him as -kun, only -san.

Answer 3

It depends on the (perceived) hierarchical relation between the two of you. Based on both my personal experience in Japan, mostly in academia but also personal, and also what you can be found in online references

• If the other person is well above you (like a department director or CEO to an engineer), you can use Surname-sama or, in cases where the person is a (potential) authority in a field, Surname-sensei.

  Sama (様【さま】) is a more respectful version for people of a higher rank than oneself or divine, toward one's guests or customers (such as a sports venue announcer addressing members of the audience), and sometimes toward people one greatly admires

  Sensei (先生【せんせい】) (literally meaning "former-born") is used to refer to or address teachers, doctors, politicians, lawyers, and other authority figures. It is used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill, such as accomplished novelists, musicians, artists and martial artists.

• If you are on the same level, use Surname-san

  San (さん) (sometimes pronounced han (はん) in Kansai dialect) is the most commonplace honorific and is a title of respect typically used between equals of any age. Although the closest analog in English are the honorifics "Mr.", "Miss", "Ms.", or "Mrs.", -san is almost universally added to a person's name; "-san" can be used in formal and informal contexts and for both genders.

• If you are above the other person or in good familiarity (like two classmates), use Surname-kun

  Kun (君【くん】) is generally used by people of senior status addressing or referring to those of junior status, by anyone addressing or it can be used when referring to men in general, male children or male teenagers, or among male friends. It can be used by males or females when addressing a male to whom they are emotionally attached, or who they have known for a long time.

Not using/dropping honorifics at all is usually done with really intimate relationship, and in professional context might cause the rise of an eyebrow, but if it was done by the Japanese counterpart first you can also follow.

Answer 4

This question is an old one, so presumably the OP is past the point of needing advice. But others may find themselves in a similar position.

I will say up-front, I have a Japanese degree, and spent a year of my life in Japan speaking Japanese every day. I'm saying that not to toot my own horn, but to give some authority to my advice: if you are communicating with someone in English, do not try to apply Japanese honorifics.

Many people have given you advice about how to use Japanese honorifics, but this is really quite beside the point. You are having a conversation in English. You should talk to this person the same way you'd talk to anyone else in a similar position in English. If that means calling him by his first name, fine. If that means calling him Mr. Yamamoto, also fine.

There is really no upside to using the honorifics. Even if you manage not to muff it (which can be more challenging than one would think, given the complexity of the rules), it could end up sounding strange because you choose a very formal one, yet carry on with a typically informal way of communication that Japanese people would typically not use in a business setting. What's more, it could be uncomfortable for the person simply because you're drawing attention to his foreignness unnecessarily. If you had a Mexican business partner, would you insist on calling him Señor López or peppering your speech with Spanish phrases? I would imagine you would not do this because it would strike you as somewhat condescending. I think the same instinct should guide you here.