Decision-making is a group process, with large numbers of people involved in each decision. Attending business seminars at Hokkaido University I came into contact with a professor by the name of Kikuji Yoneyama. He spoke very devotedly about the need for Japanese students to become creative in the sense that they had to start questioning existing structures. He also told a story that was given to him by a personnel manager at a Japanese Company. This example in itself shows the very complex relationship that a lot of Japanese students have to creativity, though this is viewing it from a Westernised perspective.
Japanese people are creative but in their own way.
Their attitude is that you get along by getting along. The key is to keep up a good relationship with all the group members and not try to change its direction. Authority comes with age and dedication. If one analyses the history of Japan's industry and its focus on production there is one striking fact. Japan has, since the country started to direct its industry towards production of technical components with some exceptions copied already existing products.