会議と交渉Meetings and Negotiation
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Understand and produce the basic structure of a Japanese business meeting, including opening the meeting, working through an agenda, and closing with a summary of decisions.
- Make a proposal using conditional and hedged proposal language such as 〜たらどうでしょうか and 〜のはいかがでしょうか.
- Raise an objection or express disagreement indirectly, using softening expressions rather than blunt refusal.
- Offer and accept a compromise, using language that acknowledges another person's position before proposing an adjustment.
- Manage turn-taking in a meeting: signal that you would like to speak, yield the floor, and invite a quiet participant to contribute.
- Summarize a decision or set of decisions clearly at the close of a meeting, using appropriate keigo carried over from Chapter 6.
- Read and interpret simple meeting minutes (議事録) and identify the agenda items, decisions, and follow-up actions they record.
- Participate in a simulated meeting that includes at least one proposal, one objection, and one negotiated compromise.
Communication Scenario
Emma's internship has begun, and she has been invited to sit in on a planning meeting for the organization's autumn recycling awareness event. The meeting includes 田中さん (her supervisor), 佐藤さん (a colleague who tends to speak quickly and interrupt), and 鈴木さん (a quieter colleague whose opinion is rarely asked for directly). The agenda includes choosing a date, assigning responsibilities, and agreeing on a budget. Emma has been asked to take notes and, if she has a relevant idea from her research, to propose it politely at the appropriate moment. During the meeting, 佐藤さん and 田中さん disagree gently about the budget, and the group must reach a compromise. This chapter teaches you the tools Emma needs: proposing an idea without sounding pushy, disagreeing without sounding rude, managing turns in a group conversation, and summarizing what the group has decided.
- The learner follows the structure of a typical planning meeting from opening to close.
- The learner makes a hedged proposal and responds to another person's proposal.
- The learner expresses disagreement indirectly and works toward a compromise.
- The learner manages turn-taking, including yielding the floor and drawing out a quiet participant.
- The learner reads simple meeting minutes and writes a short summary of decisions and follow-up actions.
Core Vocabulary
This chapter's vocabulary supports agendas, proposals, objections, compromise, scheduling, minutes, and follow-up. All items below are active for production.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 議題 | ぎだい | agenda item | noun; often with 〜について話し合う |
| 提案する | ていあんする | to propose | する-verb; the central verb of this chapter |
| 反対する | はんたいする | to object, to oppose | する-verb; usually softened in practice, see Language Focus below |
| 調整する | ちょうせいする | to adjust, to coordinate | する-verb; used for schedules, budgets, and compromises |
| 妥協 | だきょう | compromise | noun; often with 〜点を見つける |
| 決定する | けっていする | to decide, to finalize | する-verb; used at the close of a meeting |
| 議事録 | ぎじろく | meeting minutes | noun; the written record of a meeting |
| 予算 | よさん | budget | noun; common negotiation topic |
| 日程 | にってい | schedule, dates | noun; used for scheduling discussions |
| 担当 | たんとう | responsibility, being in charge | recycled from Ch. 6; used with 〜を決める |
All items above are productive at this chapter's level. 担当 is recycled from Chapter 6 in a new discourse context.
れんしゅう — Practice: Write one original sentence using each vocabulary item above, in a context involving a meeting agenda, proposal, objection, compromise, or set of minutes.
Script and Orthography Focus
This chapter's script focus is kanji for agenda, proposal, adjustment, decision, minutes, and follow-up, along with the layout conventions of simple meeting minutes.
Japanese meeting minutes (議事録) typically list, in order: the date and attendees, each agenda item (議題) with a brief note on the discussion, the decision reached (決定事項), and follow-up actions with the person responsible (担当). This chapter's Reading Practice section presents minutes in this format. Furigana appears only on 議題, 提案, 調整, and 決定 the first time each appears, matching this volume's exceptional-furigana policy.
Continue using Arabic numerals for dates, times, and budget figures, as in earlier chapters.
れんしゅう — Practice: Before reading the meeting minutes in Reading Practice, predict what four or five section headings the minutes are likely to contain, based on the pattern described above.
Pronunciation and Listening Focus
Proposals and disagreements in a Japanese meeting are often produced with a rising, trailing-off intonation on phrases such as 〜と思うのですが… or 〜かもしれませんが…, leaving space for the other person to respond rather than stating an opinion as a flat conclusion. In this chapter's Listening Practice, listen for this trailing intonation as one signal that a speaker is offering an idea for discussion rather than announcing a final decision.
Continue maintaining mora timing, vowel length, moraic ん, and phrase-level intonation as in previous chapters. No new pitch-accent notation is introduced in this chapter.
Grammar: Meeting and Negotiation Language
This chapter activates proposal language, conditional proposals, indirect disagreement, and summarizing decisions for productive use, building on the operational keigo introduced in Chapter 6.
Making a proposal with conditional softening
Purpose: to introduce an idea for the group's consideration without presenting it as a demand or a finished decision.
Disagreeing indirectly
Purpose: to express a differing opinion or concern without a blunt refusal, preserving the relationship and keeping the discussion open.
Offering and accepting a compromise
Purpose: to move from two competing positions toward an adjusted, mutually acceptable outcome.
Managing turns and summarizing decisions
To signal a wish to speak, learners can use a brief attention-getter such as すみません、よろしいでしょうか ("Excuse me, may I?") before stating an opinion. To yield the floor, a speaker may trail off with 〜と思うのですが、いかがでしょうか, explicitly inviting a response. To draw out a quieter participant, a chair might ask 鈴木さんはどう思われますか ("What do you think, Suzuki-san?"), using a respectful form for the other person's opinion. At the close of a meeting, decisions are typically summarized with 〜ということで決定いたします ("we will finalize it as ___"), followed by a statement of who is responsible for each follow-up action.
Grammar Practice
- Rewrite the following blunt proposal using a softened pattern from this chapter: 来月にします。
- Write one sentence expressing indirect disagreement with a colleague's proposed budget, acknowledging its value first.
- Write one sentence proposing a compromise that considers two competing concerns.
- Write a short closing statement, as a meeting chair, summarizing a decision and naming who is responsible for a follow-up action.
Model Dialogue
Setting: A planning meeting for the autumn recycling awareness event. 田中さん chairs the meeting; 佐藤さん and 鈴木さん are colleagues; エマ is the intern.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What two agenda items does 田中さん announce at the start of the meeting?
- Identify the phrase Emma uses to signal that she would like to speak, and explain what grammar point from this chapter follows it.
- What compromise does the group reach regarding the event's scale, and which two concerns does 鈴木さん weigh against each other?
Guided Practice
タスク１ — Softening sort. Read ten short opinion statements (to be provided by your instructor or drawn from the chapter's example sentences) and sort each as a direct statement, a hedged proposal, or an indirect disagreement.
タスク２ — Rewriting for negotiation. Rewrite three blunt statements (a proposal, a refusal, and a decision) using 〜たらどうでしょうか, indirect disagreement framing, or 〜ということで決定いたします as appropriate.
タスク３ — Turn map. Working with a partner, plan a four-person meeting exchange and mark where each speaker signals a wish to speak, yields the floor, or invites a quiet participant to contribute.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud at a natural pace.
きくタスク — A short budget negotiation
予算については、二つの案があると思います。一つ目は、会場を少し小さくする案です。二つ目は、印刷物を減らす案です。どちらも良いと思うのですが、参加者への案内が減ってしまうかもしれません。両方を少しずつ調整するのはいかがでしょうか。会場も印刷物も、少しだけ減らす方向で調整しましょう。
聞くタスク — Listening task: Identify (1) the two options presented for the budget, (2) the concern raised about the second option, (3) the proposal that follows the concern, and (4) the final decision.
Speaking Practice
コントロールされた練習 — Controlled practice: Choosing the right form
- 日程については、＿＿＿＿＿たらどうでしょうか。
- その案も良いと思うのですが、＿＿＿＿＿かもしれません。
- では、＿＿＿＿＿方向で調整しましょう。
コミュニケーションタスク — A short mock meeting
In a group of three or four, hold a short meeting to plan a simple event. One participant chairs the meeting, opens the agenda, and closes with a summary of decisions; the others make at least one hedged proposal, one indirect disagreement, and one accepted compromise. Rotate roles if time allows.
ひとりでもできる練習 — Solo practice: Recorded proposal and compromise
Record a 30–45 second turn as if speaking in a meeting: make a proposal using 〜たらどうでしょうか or 〜はいかがでしょうか, respond to an imagined objection with indirect disagreement, and close by proposing a compromise. Listen back and check that no statement sounds like a blunt refusal or a flat command.
Reading Practice
Read the following meeting minutes, then answer the questions below. Furigana is provided only on the first occurrence of each new chapter kanji compound.
秋のリサイクル啓発イベント 企画会議 議事録
日時：来週月曜日 午前十時
出席者：田中、佐藤、鈴木、エマ
議題１：イベントの日程
佐藤より、来月第一週の提案があった。担当者の都合を確認した上で、後日決定することとなった。
議題２：予算と規模
鈴木より、会場と印刷物の両方を少しずつ減らす案の提案があった。佐藤より、参加者への案内が減る可能性についての懸念が示されたが、話し合いの結果、両方を少しだけ減らす方向で調整することに決定した。
次回までの担当：
日程の確認：田中
会場の調整：佐藤
印刷物の調整：鈴木
議事録の作成：エマ
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What two agenda items are recorded in these minutes, and what was decided for each?
- What concern did 佐藤さん raise about the second agenda item, and how was it addressed?
- According to the minutes, who is responsible for confirming the schedule, and who is responsible for the venue?
- What is Emma's assigned follow-up task, according to the minutes?
Writing Workshop
In this workshop you will write a short set of meeting minutes recording a proposal, a disagreement or concern, a compromise, and a follow-up assignment, following the minutes layout modeled above.
- Record the date and attendees at the top of the minutes, following the modeled layout.
- State the first agenda item and summarize the proposal made for it, using 提案 and related vocabulary.
- State the second agenda item and summarize any concern or objection raised, using softened, indirect framing.
- Record the compromise or decision reached, using 調整する or 決定する as appropriate.
- List follow-up responsibilities, naming who is responsible for each task before the next meeting.
- Audit your minutes for accurate vocabulary, correct kanji, consistent institutional register, and clear identification of each agenda item's outcome.
チェックリスト — Editing checklist:
- My minutes record the date and attendees at the start.
- Each agenda item is clearly labeled and summarized.
- I have recorded at least one proposal, one concern or disagreement, and one compromise or decision.
- Follow-up responsibilities are listed with the person responsible for each.
- I have used 提案する, 調整する, and 決定する accurately.
- I have checked kanji, particles, predicate form, and register consistency throughout.
Culture and Communication
The softened, indirect disagreement patterns in this chapter are sometimes misread by learners as vagueness or an unwillingness to state an opinion. In many Japanese institutional settings, this indirectness functions instead as a negotiation tool: it keeps multiple options open, protects the relationship between speakers, and allows a group to move toward consensus without anyone being forced into a public loss of face. Directness and indirectness both exist in Japanese communication; the chapter's patterns reflect one common professional convention, not a claim that all Japanese speakers avoid disagreement.
The specific rhythm of a meeting — how formally an agenda is announced, how strictly turns are managed, and how minutes are distributed — can vary by industry, company size, and individual organizational culture, and some workplaces have moved toward less formal meeting styles. The patterns in this chapter are broadly usable defaults for general institutional meetings, not the only acceptable approach.
The conditional forms underlying 〜たらどうでしょうか and the nominalizing の in 〜のはいかがでしょうか were introduced in earlier volumes; this chapter recombines them with the keigo from Chapter 6 to create negotiation-specific patterns. If a pattern feels unfamiliar, it may help to first identify the underlying conditional or nominalized clause, then add the negotiation framing on top.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: その案に反対です。 (a flat, unsoftened objection in an institutional meeting)
Correction: その案も良いと思うのですが、少し心配な点があります。 — acknowledge the proposal's value before introducing a concern, unless the setting specifically calls for direct disagreement.
Error: 来月にします。 used by a participant who is not the meeting chair, presented as a unilateral decision.
Correction: 来月にしたらどうでしょうか。 — frame the idea as a proposal for the group, and reserve 〜ということで決定いたします-style closing statements for the person actually finalizing the decision, typically the chair.
Error: Speaking over another participant without any attention-getting phrase.
Correction: すみません、よろしいでしょうか。 — use a brief signal to request the floor before introducing a new point, especially in a formal meeting.
Chapter Review
Section A — ごい (Vocabulary)
1. Write one original sentence for each vocabulary item in the Core Vocabulary table, applied to a meeting agenda, proposal, objection, compromise, or set of minutes.
Section B — もじ (Script)
1. Write the readings for 議題, 提案, 調整, and 決定 from memory, then check them against this chapter.
Section C — ぶんぽう (Grammar)
1. Explain, in your own words, the difference between 〜たらどうでしょうか and 〜はいかがでしょうか, giving one original example of each.
2. Write three original sentences: one hedged proposal, one indirect disagreement, and one compromise or decision statement.
Section D — どっかいりかい (Reading comprehension)
1. Look again at the meeting minutes in Reading Practice. Summarize, in English, each agenda item, its outcome, and the follow-up responsibilities assigned.
Section E — かくこと (Writing)
1. Complete your set of meeting minutes following the Writing Workshop steps, as part of the Practical Performance Task below.
Section F — はなすこと (Speaking)
1. Present or record the mock meeting or solo practice turn from Speaking Practice, as part of the Practical Performance Task below.
Practical Performance Task
パフォーマンスタスク
会議と交渉 — Negotiating a decision in a real meeting
Complete both parts below to demonstrate control of this chapter's systems.
- Written meeting minutes: Write a short set of minutes (following the Writing Workshop steps) recording at least one proposal, one indirect disagreement or concern, one compromise or decision, and a list of follow-up responsibilities. Audit it using the Writing Workshop checklist before submitting.
- Spoken mock meeting: Participate in a three-to-four minute simulated meeting with a partner, instructor, or small group, including at least one hedged proposal, one instance of indirect disagreement, one accepted compromise, and one clear turn-taking signal. Close the meeting with a summary of the decision reached.
Assessment focus: accurate use of hedged proposal language; appropriately softened disagreement; a clearly negotiated compromise; correct turn-taking signals; consistent institutional register carried over from Chapter 6; accurate use of this chapter's vocabulary; comprehensible pronunciation with appropriate negotiation prosody; and correctly formatted meeting minutes.
Answer Key
Vocabulary and Script Review
Open-ended for original sentences; check readings for 議題 (ぎだい), 提案 (ていあん), 調整 (ちょうせい), and 決定 (けってい) against this chapter.
Grammar Practice
Model answers: (1) 来月にしたらどうでしょうか。 (2) その予算案も良いと思うのですが、少し高いかもしれません。 (3) 予算のことも日程のことも考慮して、規模を少し調整するのはいかがでしょうか。 (4) それでは、来月第二週に開催するということで決定いたします。会場の準備は田中さんにお願いいたします。
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- 田中さん announces the schedule (日程) and the budget (予算) as the two agenda items.
- Emma uses すみません、よろしいでしょうか to signal she would like to speak; it is followed by an indirect disagreement pattern (〜と思うのですが) raising a scheduling concern.
- The group agrees to make the event's scale only slightly smaller; 鈴木さん weighs the budget (予算) against the preparation time (準備の時間).
Listening Practice — Model summary
The two budget options are reducing the venue size and reducing printed materials; the concern raised is that reducing printed materials might reduce information reaching participants; the proposal is to adjust both options slightly rather than fully choosing one; the final decision is to reduce both the venue and the printed materials by a small amount.
Reading Practice — Comprehension
- Agenda item 1 (the event's schedule) was left pending confirmation of the person in charge's availability, to be decided later; agenda item 2 (budget and scale) was decided as a small reduction to both the venue and printed materials.
- 佐藤さん raised a concern that reducing the scale might reduce information reaching participants; after discussion, the group agreed to reduce both the venue and printed materials only slightly, addressing the concern while still adjusting the budget.
- 田中さん is responsible for confirming the schedule; 佐藤さん is responsible for coordinating the venue.
- Emma's assigned follow-up task is preparing the minutes (議事録の作成).
Chapter Review — Sections A and B
Open-ended; check against the Core Vocabulary and Script and Orthography Focus sections above.
Chapter Review — Section C
See the grammar explanations and model answers above.
Chapter Review — Section D
See the Reading Practice comprehension answers above.
Chapter Review — Sections E and F, and Practical Performance Task
These are open-ended production tasks. Evaluate the written minutes against the Writing Workshop checklist above, and evaluate the spoken meeting against the assessment focus listed under the Practical Performance Task.
Looking Ahead
いまできること — What you can do now
You can follow the structure of a planning meeting; make a hedged proposal; express disagreement indirectly; offer and accept a compromise; manage turn-taking; and read and write simple meeting minutes. Chapter 8 turns to official documents and notices, building on this chapter's institutional register control to read and produce policies, guidelines, and formal announcements.