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A long email from Japan arrived in the computer of Bill Perkins, who worked in an office in London. The message
was from a company in Tokyo that Bill's company had just sent a large order to. Bill read it once and then once
(注1) named Steve to read. Steve read it and also looked
again, looked puzzled, and then gave it to a colleague"
confused. The letter began by praising the English company. () It then mentioned that some goods had been
damaged during shipping (2) to Japan, and then the letter happily 34
(v) This kind of letter may work well in Japan, 35 it is not very successful as international
communication. The letter 36 the reader to read between the lines to understand the problem and to
sympathize with the company. (5) Of course, it also wanted Bill and Steve's company to rectify the trouble. But
the letter did not spell out
(4) that message very
37 . So Bill and Steve were thinking of just ignoring it. But
then they received more correspondence from the Japanese company, this time with a specific request for action. It
was an hour later when a second letter arrived that contained 38 for the first confusing letter. It also stated the
intent of the Japanese company concerning the damaged goods. They wanted the replacement items shipped as soon
(25) would foot
as possible with no charges. Bill and Steve were happy once again because their insurance company
the bill 16), and the goods would arrive in about ten days.
(2) The Japanese company didn't follow the standard international business pattern in its communication. But
the English company was 39 , too, because they hadn't realized that there was a deeper meaning to the letter.
Bill and Steve had only looked at the communication's surface. It seems to me that both sides could benefit from a
seminar on international understanding.
(1) colleague:
(2) shipping: (**) *
(注3) rectify: 対応する
(注4) spell out : 詳しく述べる
(5) insurance company
(注6) foot the bill: 費用を払う
t
(Terry O'Brien et al. Simply Reading, Simply Writing NAN'UN-DO)
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