Practical, on-the-ground support for international companies, governments, universities, media organizations and institutions building relationships and developing projects in Japan.
I help organizations find the right people, build the right relationships, and move projects forward in Japan.
Based in Gifu after more than 16 years of living and working in Japan, I provide practical support to organizations that need to engage with Japanese government, business, educational, and community stakeholders.
That may mean identifying the appropriate municipal or prefectural government office, finding a potential business or institutional partner, arranging an introduction, preparing for an important meeting, helping both sides understand one another’s objectives, or staying involved as an initial conversation develops into something more substantial.
My role goes beyond translation or providing a list of contacts. I work to understand what a client is trying to accomplish, determine who in Japan should be part of the conversation, help establish the relationship, and support the communication and follow-through needed to keep it moving.
As a native English speaker with professional Japanese ability and more than a decade and a half of experience inside a Japanese regional community, I work between both sides of that relationship.
Support can be tailored to a single meeting or continue throughout the development of a larger project.
Identify relevant municipal, prefectural and, when appropriate, national government offices and institutional stakeholders. Establish contact, coordinate meetings, and support communication as the relationship develops.
Identify Japanese companies, organizations and industry groups that align with a client’s objectives, facilitate introductions, and help both sides assess practical opportunities to work together.
Support projects bringing together businesses, government, universities, economic development groups and regional stakeholders around shared opportunities.
Help clients understand who is responsible for what, how decisions are approached, which organizations should be involved, and how to present an idea within the Japanese institutional environment.
Provide a local presence for organizations needing continued support in Japan, including meetings, site visits, stakeholder communication, follow-up, project development and representation.
Connect international media organizations, production teams, educational institutions and cultural projects with Japanese communities, government organizations, businesses and cultural institutions.
I have called Gifu home for more than 16 years. During that time, I have built and operated a business in Japan, worked with municipal, prefectural, and national institutions, supported international projects, and developed relationships throughout the local community.
I have also served as a volunteer firefighter and participated as a member and performer in Tanigumi Odori, a centuries-old local taiko tradition.
Those experiences have given me a perspective that is difficult to gain through business meetings alone: an understanding of how Japanese communities, government institutions, businesses, and personal relationships intersect.
While my strongest roots are in Gifu, I support projects involving organizations and stakeholders throughout Japan.
My work has included business, media, education, community engagement, and international collaboration.
Supported television and production projects seeking to develop Japan-focused content for American and other English-speaking audiences, including local access, subjects and community connections.
Connected a U.S. state regional development organization with local government in Japan to explore collaboration in industrial, educational and agricultural development.
Built and operated a Japan-based business and gained first-hand experience navigating the practical realities of operating within the Japanese business environment.
Long-term participation in the Gifu community—including volunteer firefighting and Tanigumi Odori—has created relationships and local understanding that extend beyond formal business networks.
A successful project in Japan rarely depends on simply obtaining the right name or arranging one meeting. It depends on understanding who should be involved, how to approach them, what each side expects, and what needs to happen next.
Start a ConversationIf your organization has an idea, project, partnership, or opportunity in Japan and you are unsure where to begin—or you already have conversations underway and need someone on the ground to help move them forward—I can help you find the right path.
Email
centralmarketgaijin@gmail.com
Based in
Gifu, Japan