Even though the 2022 World Cup has come to an end, some memorable moments left a lasting impression. Japanese soccer players and fans made headlines during their time in Qatar due to their unique tidying actions. Interviews with Japanese fans showed that their decision to clean up after themselves and other fans boils down to a simple term, “atarimae.”
Atarimae is a Japanese term that encompasses the idea that something should be natural, obvious or commonplace. For the Japanese, it was just natural for them to leave the World Cup stadium and dressing room in a cleaner state than how they found it.
At Planet Depos, our promise to deliver best-in-class customer service is our “atarimae.” It’s naturally ingrained in us to provide the best experience possible when scheduling a deposition or providing other court reporting services.
Our atarimae doesn’t stop at the borders though. As a global court reporting company, Planet Depos prides itself on providing impeccable, white-glove service to all whether a deposition is in-person or remote, domestic or international.
This is especially true when scheduling an international deposition in Japan, as it can be difficult to navigate the local protocols and strict requirements and regulations. That’s where we come in.
“Japan has strict regulations regarding where you can take depositions; in other countries, you can take a deposition at a law firm, or a conference room at a hotel,” explains Meredith Weisel, senior scheduling manager. “But in Japan, depositions can only be taken at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo or the U.S. Consulate in Osaka, and there is one conference room for use at each location.”
Approval for conference room use at either location can take up to six to eight weeks, as availability is scarce. To help with this, the Embassy and Consulate are now allowing remote and hybrid depositions with their permission. Whenever you are inside the Embassy or Consulate though, there are additional rules to follow, like strict entry and exit times, and a designated lunch hour that must be adhered to.
Luckily, Planet Depos has court reporters and legal videographers that live full-time in Japan that are well-versed in these protocols and are happy to share their knowledge. We also have close relationships with interpreters based in Japan.
“Our on-the-ground court reporters and videographers in Japan can do it all, including Realtime, same-day rough ASCIIs and expedited transcripts,” says Weisel. “They have perfected the art of providing crystal-clear audio to remote attendees during hybrid depositions in Japan, which is invaluable to everyone involved. They are also great at providing advice to clients on the whole process, double checking that they have the equipment and resources they need and even offering lunch recommendations to those involved in a deposition!”
If you have an upcoming deposition in Japan, we invite you to experience Planet Depos’ atarimae for yourself. For more information or to schedule, contact us at international@planetdepos.com or schedule your international deposition online.