Mentor Debates

I just accepted a two-year assignment in Japan. I'm excited but terrified. I don't speak Japanese. Everything I read says the work culture is completely different—long hours, strict hierarchy, reading social cues I don't understand. Some expats I've talked to say "just be yourself and they'll adapt to you." Others say I need to fully immerse and adopt Japanese business customs or I'll fail. My company's HR just sent me a PowerPoint about "not being offensive" that felt both patronizing and useless. How do I navigate a culture I don't understand without either being a clueless American or losing myself entirely? Is it possible to be authentically me while also genuinely respecting their way of doing things? — Lost in Translation Before I've Even Left