Japanese Conference Networking Phrases

A useful Japanese conference introduction is 〇〇社で〇〇を担当している〇〇と申します。先ほどのご発表について伺いたいです — “I am [name], responsible for [role] at [company]. I would like to ask about your presentation.”

Good networking is specific and permission-based. The goal is not to collect the most cards; it is to create a reason for one relevant follow-up.

Key takeaways

• Prepare a 20-second self-introduction.
• Mention the event, talk or shared problem.
• Ask permission before joining a group.
• Treat business cards as professional identity documents.
• Ask open questions, then listen.
• End politely before the conversation becomes forced.
• Record only relevant notes and consent status.
• Follow up with one promised item and one small next step.

In this guide: vocabulary | introduction | cards | groups | questions | follow-up | scripts | practice

Essential networking vocabulary

Correct pronunciation: gohappyou.

Preparing before the event

Prepare three versions of your introduction:

• 10 seconds: name, company, role.
• 20 seconds: role plus relevant problem.
• 45 seconds: role, proof and reason to connect.

Research speakers and exhibitors using public professional information. Do not pretend to know someone or scrape private attendee data.

Bring enough cards when cards are expected. Tokyo's official business guidance emphasizes business-card exchange and professional product materials at first meetings.

Useful pre-event question:

参加者への営業連絡や名刺情報の利用について、ルールはありますか。
Sankasha e no eigyou renraku ya meishi jouhou no riyou ni tsuite, ruuru wa arimasu ka.

Introducing yourself

Basic:

初めまして。〇〇社の〇〇と申します。
Hajimemashite. [Company] no [name] to moushimasu.

Role:

物流業界向けのAI製品を担当しています。
Butsuryuu gyoukai-muke no AI seihin o tantou shite imasu.

Reason:

先ほどのご発表で、[topic] の事例に関心を持ちました。
Sakihodo no gohappyou de, [topic] no jirei ni kanshin o mochimashita.

Mutual contact:

〇〇様からご紹介いただきました。
[Person]-sama kara goshoukai itadakimashita.

Never invent a referral. If pronunciation is difficult, let the badge and business card support the introduction.

Business card exchange

Ask:

名刺交換させていただけますか。
Meishi koukan sasete itadakemasu ka.

Present:

〇〇社の〇〇です。よろしくお願いいたします。

Receive:

頂戴いたします。ありがとうございます。
Choudai itashimasu. Arigatou gozaimasu.

Confirm name:

お名前は [reading] 様でよろしいでしょうか。
Onamae wa [reading]-sama de yoroshii deshou ka.

At a meeting table, place cards neatly where they help remember names. At a standing event, protect them in a card case rather than stuffing them casually into a pocket.

The exact ritual matters less than attention and respect, but Tokyo and EU-Japan business guidance both treat card exchange as important in first meetings.

Joining and leaving group conversations

Join:

お話し中、失礼します。私も [topic] に関心があり、参加させていただけますか。
Ohanashi-chuu, shitsurei shimasu. Watashi mo [topic] ni kanshin ga ari, sanka sasete itadakemasu ka.

Ask for introductions:

皆様のお名前とご所属を伺ってもよろしいですか。
Minasama no onamae to gosh ozoku o ukagatte mo yoroshii desu ka.

Correct spoken form: goshozoku.

Leave:

お話しできて大変勉強になりました。次のセッションが始まるため、失礼します。

後ほど、約束した資料をお送りします。
Nochihodo, yakusoku shita shiryou o ookuri shimasu.

Do not disappear immediately after asking for a favor.

Conference questions and small talk

About the presentation:

この取り組みを始めたきっかけは何ですか。
Kono torikumi o hajimeta kikkake wa nan desu ka.

導入時に最も難しかった点は何ですか。
Dounyu uji ni mottomo muzukashikatta ten wa nan desu ka.

Correct spoken form: dounyuuji.

成功をどの指標で測っていますか。
Seikou o dono shihyou de hakatte imasu ka.

About their role:

現在、どのようなプロジェクトを担当されていますか。

今後、特に注目しているテーマは何ですか。

Small talk:

このイベントには毎年参加されていますか。
Kono ibento ni wa maitoshi sanka sarete imasu ka.

どのセッションが特に印象に残りましたか。
Dono sesshon ga toku ni inshou ni nokorimashita ka.

Avoid probing salary, family, politics or other personal matters without context.

Explaining your work without pitching too early

Use problem and outcome:

私たちは、[users] が [problem] を減らすための [product] を提供しています。

現在は、[industry] で [verified result] を実現しています。

Ask relevance:

御社でも似た課題はありますか。
Onsha demo nita kadai wa arimasu ka.

If not relevant:

ありがとうございます。営業の話はここまでにします。ご専門について、もう少し伺ってもよろしいですか。

Use Japanese sales call phrases and Japanese product demo phrases only after genuine interest.

Panel and Q&A phrases

Opening:

貴重なご発表をありがとうございました。〇〇社の〇〇です。
Kichou na gohappyou o arigatou gozaimashita.

Question:

[condition] の場合にも、同じ結果が得られるでしょうか。
[Condition] no baai ni mo, onaji kekka ga erareru deshou ka.

Clarification:

先ほどの [term] について、もう少し具体的に説明していただけますか。

Keep one question to one question. Do not deliver a disguised speech.

Online conference networking

Chat introduction:

ご発表ありがとうございました。[topic] の点が特に参考になりました。後ほどLinkedInでご連絡してもよろしいでしょうか。

Breakout room:

最初に、一人30秒で自己紹介しませんか。
Saisho ni, hitori sanjuubyou de jikoshoukai shimasen ka.

Connection issue:

音声が途切れているため、チャットにも質問を書きます。
Onsei ga togirete iru tame, chatto ni mo shitsumon o kakimasu.

Do not privately message every attendee without relevance or event permission.

Networking across seniority and roles

When a group includes senior leaders and specialists, do not assume the most senior person is the right technical contact.

今回のテーマについて、実務をご担当されている方はどなたですか。
Konkai no teema ni tsuite, jitsumu o gotantou sarete iru kata wa donata desu ka.

技術面は [name] 様、導入判断は [name] 様に伺うという理解でよろしいですか。
Gijutsumen wa [name]-sama, dounyuu handan wa [name]-sama ni ukagau to iu rikai de yoroshii desu ka.

皆様のお立場を理解したうえで、適切な資料をお送りしたいです。
Minasama no otachiba o rikai shita ue de, tekisetsu na shiryou o ookuri shitai desu.

Use surnames plus san in ordinary business conversation unless the event or person indicates another form. Do not overuse titles you do not understand.

Declining invitations and requests

Networking includes saying no clearly.

Decline a meeting:

お声がけありがとうございます。現在は優先テーマと異なるため、今回は見送らせてください。
Okoegake arigatou gozaimasu. Genzai wa yuusen teema to kotonaru tame, konkai wa miokurasete kudasai.

Decline a sales pitch:

申し訳ありませんが、現在そのサービスを検討していません。今後の営業連絡も不要です。
Moushiwake arimasen ga, genzai sono saabisu o kentou shite imasen. Kongo no eigyou renraku mo fuyou desu.

Decline sharing a contact:

本人の許可なく連絡先を共有することはできません。
Honnin no kyoka naku renrakusaki o kyouyuu suru koto wa dekimasen.

Accept the other person's refusal without asking them to justify it.

Common networking mistakes

Generic self-introduction

Bad: a long company history. Better: role, relevant problem and reason for this conversation.

Asking for a meeting too soon

First establish relevance. A card exchange is not agreement to a sales demo.

Talking only to senior people

Subject-matter experts and operators often determine whether a follow-up is useful.

Collecting cards without notes

After stepping away, write one approved professional note: topic, promised material and follow-up status. Do not write on the card in front of the person.

Assuming polite language means interest

Phrases such as 検討します can mean genuine consideration or a polite close. Ask for a concrete next step without pressure:

もし関心があれば、来週までにご連絡いただく形でよろしいでしょうか。
Moshi kanshin ga areba, raishuu made ni gorenraku itadaku katachi de yoroshii deshou ka.

Sending a generic bulk follow-up

Mention one real point from the conversation. If no relevant point exists, do not pretend the exchange was personal.

Measuring networking quality

Track quality rather than card count:

A small number of specific, consented follow-ups is more valuable than a large unqualified list.

Follow-up after the event

Send within one or two business days:

件名：[Event] でのお話のお礼

[Name] 様
昨日の [event] で、[specific topic] についてお話しいただき、ありがとうございました。[specific insight] が特に参考になりました。お約束した [material] をお送りします。もしご関心があれば、来週20分ほど情報交換のお時間をいただけますでしょうか。ご都合が合わない場合は、どうぞお気遣いなくお知らせください。

Avoid attaching large unsolicited files. Use an approved link and state why it is relevant.

Complete networking scripts

After a talk

You: 貴重なご発表をありがとうございました。〇〇社で物流AIを担当している〇〇と申します。導入時のデータ品質のお話が特に参考になりました。
Speaker: ありがとうございます。
You: 最初の3か月で、どの指標を最も重視されましたか。
Speaker: エラー率です。
You: ありがとうございます。私たちも似た課題に取り組んでいます。名刺交換させていただけますか。後ほど関連事例を一つお送りします。

Joining a group

You: お話し中、失礼します。私も製造業のデータ連携に関心があります。参加させていただけますか。
Group: どうぞ。
You: ありがとうございます。〇〇社の〇〇です。皆様はどの部分を担当されていますか。

Ending

You: お話しできて大変勉強になりました。次のセッションが始まるため、失礼します。お約束した資料を明日お送りします。

Contact-data and consent checklist

Before adding a contact to CRM or marketing:

• Record where the card/contact came from.
• Note the exact follow-up promised.
• Respect event privacy terms.
• Do not subscribe them to newsletters without proper basis/consent.
• Suppress contact after a clear refusal.
• Protect photographed cards and attendee exports.

Networking permission is not unlimited marketing permission.

Practice plan

1. Deliver 10-, 20- and 45-second introductions.
2. Ask three questions about a presentation.
3. Join and leave a group politely.
4. Exchange cards and confirm name pronunciation.
5. Write one personalized follow-up.

Practise a conference introduction, repeat a group-joining scenario, and try a panel Q&A with fictional contacts.

Build supporting skills with Japanese speaking practice with AI, how to practice speaking Japanese alone, Japanese shadowing practice, and a 30-minute Japanese study routine.

Related workplace Japanese

• Japanese product demo phrases.
• Japanese sales call phrases.
• Japanese performance review phrases.
• Japanese salary negotiation phrases.
• Japanese meeting phrases.
• Japanese client meeting phrases.
• Japanese conversation at work.
• Best Japanese apps for work.
• Best free Japanese conversation apps.
• Best apps to learn Japanese speaking.
• Japanese interview keigo phrases.

Final checklist

Confirm:

• Relevant person/topic.
• Short introduction.
• Permission to join/contact.
• Business-card handling.
• One meaningful question.
• Promised material.
• Follow-up channel and timing.
• Event privacy/solicitation rules.
• CRM and opt-out status.

End with:

本日はありがとうございました。お約束した資料を明日お送りします。今後ともよろしくお願いいたします。

How we researched

We checked Tokyo's official business guidance, JETRO startup/business-matching material, EU-Japan Centre business meeting protocol and official trade-council guidance on 22 October 2026.

This article provides language and networking workflow practice, not privacy, anti-spam, employment or legal advice. Follow organizer and organizational policies.

Sources

• Tokyo official business guidance
• JETRO Startup
• JETRO business matching/services
• EU-Japan Centre meeting protocol
• Trade Council business culture guidance

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