CONGRATULATIONS! This is the best answer. The big cultural mistake on Karl’s part was in his method of introducing the new issue about quality control. In Japan (and generally in Southeast Asia), people do not like surprises at meetings. Most information sharing and introduction of new ideas takes place in one-on-one meetings between the parties involved in the decisions to be made. After all corrections, modifications, and additions are made in these interactions, an addition to a proposal can be put on the agenda of a later meeting at which all the people involved in the project will be present. By that time, everyone in the meeting will have had extensive opportunities to study the addition to the proposal and no one will be embarrassed or “lose face” by an aspect of the proposal that might affect his or her responsibilities but about which he or she is unprepared to comment.