The base of Japanese society is hierarchy and respect. In Japan a name is everything, particularly the name of your company or place of business. In most countries personal identity and individual names are most important,  Japan places most emphasis on group identity, meaning that the organization you are part of is almost more important than you are. Rank also matters here. So much so that the entire style of conversation, down to and including the number of bows and how deep they go, is decided by who you are within the group you are a part of. Customs and rituals are not just formalities, but rather constitute an important bonding element between individuals and organizations.
If you want to crack the Japanese market you should understand Japanese corporate organizational structure, and meishi are valuable tools in this quest.
Meishi (pronounced may-she) is the Japanese equivalent of a business card. The word meishi is written in two kanji characters; "mei (name)" and "shi (thorn or needle)." The use of the character for "thorn" came from the fact that ancient Chinese carved their names with needle-like splinters of bamboo or other wood. As most Japanese names are written in kanji, meishi are used extensively in Japan. There are many different kanji characters that have the same pronunciation, and sometimes it is hard to know which characters are actually used by just hearing it. Meishi are necessary in Japan as they make clear how a person's name is written.
The cards provide valuable information (name, company's name, job title, company address, phone/fax number, email address and so on). A usual Western business card shows the employee's name, with his title underneath in smaller print, and the company name and address in the corner. A Japanese meishi, however, will normally have the company name first, then the person's rank, and finally his name, reflecting the relative importance of the three elements.
No respectable business person can work without business cards in Japan. They give the owner identity. No matter how capable a person maybe, without a business card they will be dismissed as of little importance. Japanese business people involved in the international marketplace will normally have bilingual meishi, with English on one side and Japanese on the other. Usually they also have 2 cards, a company one and a personal one; if you were presented by both, count yourself as being complimented. Cards have a standard size 90 x 55 mill and it is common for Japanese businessmen to have an English version on the reverse side.
| 
