Report: Working in Japan as an Expatriate: Practical Guidance towards Achieving Assignment Success

This report offers practical guidance to EU-based organisations that are considering investing in expatriate assignments as a means towards exploring and exploiting business opportunities in Japan. In this report we illustrate the risks, challenges and opportunities faced by EU-based organisations preparing to invest in sending employees on expatriate (‘expat’) assignments to Japan.

Accordingly, we present examples of how EU-based SMEs have recently used their investments in expat assignments to successfully establish market positions for their products and services in Japan. Discussing these examples, and drawing on interviews and case studies, we offer practical step-by-step guidance designed to encourage EU-based SMEs to look beyond perceived threats of business failure and identify opportunities for business success as they consider designing and investing in expat assignments to Japan.

About the Experts

Prof. Dr. Keith Jacksonis a Tutor / researcher at SOAS University of London and Professor of Management at Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan. He is a qualified practitioner (CIPD) in international human resource management, with thirty years of experience of working as an expatriate manager, interim manager and management consultant in several countries across Europe, Asia and the Middle East and North Africa. His areas of expertise include: international human resource management, talent management, cross-cultural communications, and professional development. Between 2017 and 2019, he authored and co-authored four Reports and presentations for the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation.

Mr. Keita Kakehashi is a Human Resources consultant at HIRAKU Consultancy Services, which he established in 2020 after 35 years of service with a global glass manufacturing company, Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd (NSG Group). He is a Human Resource consultant with thirty-five-years of management experiences responsible for global and regional human resources at NSG Group. As an expatriate manager in Europe, and as a senior manager with global responsibilities in Japan, he was actively involved in the pre- and post-merger processes combining NSG Group and Pilkington as a senior member of the post-merger integration (PMI) office. He was responsible for Group Learning & Development during 2008-2011 and 2013-2017, Group Compensation during 2013-2017, and Regional HR Asia during 2012-2019.

Ms. Makoto Hashiguchi is a qualified career consultant in Tokyo, working currently with a leading EU-based home furnishing manufacturer in Japan. Before starting her own consultancy business to advise non-Japanese nationals about developing professional careers in Japan, she worked as a paralegal in a judicial scrivener’s office and was responsible for managing the accounts of overseas (non-Japanese) clients seeking advice towards establishing and / or expanding their businesses in Japanese markets. She is currently supporting and advising a wide portfolio of clients, predominantly including motivated, non-Japanese speaking entrepreneurs and job seekers who are interested in starting businesses or starting new careers in Japan. In 2019, she co-authored and co-presented one previous Report and Webinar for the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation.

Click HERE to access the webinar's recording

Picture: From public domain

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