Notes on Japanese Corporate Culture
This podcast is about Japanese corporate culture. I convey useful information for those who want to work in Japanese companies and do business with Japanese people.
***You can contact me.
https://forms.gle/8ZfCZ33ennZw9u2R9
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 4 minutes
- Episodes
- 38
- Years Active
- 2025
Mocking Baldness at Work — Harmless Joke or Hidden Harm
In this episode, we explore a sensitive but important topic: the casual teasing of baldness in the workplace. While often brushed off as harmless humor, such jokes can carry real emotional weight and…
Why Do Japanese Workers Think Like CEOs?
Why do so many Japanese employees work with a “CEO mindset” — even when they don’t own the company? This episode explores the cultural roots of loyalty, self-sacrifice, and group harmony in the Japan…
Why You’re Afraid to Speak Up at Work: The Real Problem with Japanese Companies
Why do employees stay silent in meetings, even when told to speak freely? In this episode, we explore how status and hierarchy shape communication in Japanese companies—and how this stifles creativit…
Getting Fired Isn’t the End of the World
Ever been fired? I have—more than once. In this episode, I share what it’s really like to get the boot, from being let go on day one to getting canned after a weird probation period abroad. Yeah, it …
Is Taking It Easy at Work Really So Bad?
Think working yourself to the bone means you’re a great employee? Think again. In this episode, Shigeki dives into the old-school mindset of grinding non-stop and argues why working smarter—not harde…
Why I Refused to Play Golf as a Salaryman in Thailand
Many Japanese salarymen in Thailand spend their weekends playing golf—not for fun, but out of social pressure. In this episode, I share why I refused to follow that path. From unpaid overtime disguis…
Complaining Isn't Always Bad—But Here's the Catch
Today, I talk about how tiring it is to listen to complaints from middle-aged employees who think they’re skilled. While complaining is often seen as negative, it helps relieve stress and is a natura…
Managing Expectations During the Probation Period: A Delicate Balance
Should you push yourself beyond limits just to survive your probation period? This episode breaks down the hidden risks of overperforming, the unfairness of vague standards, and why balance—not blind…
What Companies Really Mean: Reading Between the Buzzwords
Ever read a job listing that says “We value passion” or “We’re like a family”? Sounds nice—until you realize what it really means. In this episode, Shigeki unpacks the hidden messages behind common c…
Stop Chasing, Start Living
This podcast focuses on the idea of “**ephemeralism**,” or the emphasis on the present. In today's society, we take for granted that we set goals and work toward them, but we raise the question of wh…
Who Benefits from Sales? A Racket, a Con, or a Necessary Evil?
The podcast explores the question of who truly benefits from sales, particularly door-to-door and telephone sales. The speaker recounts an experience with a pushy salesman offering a candy subscripti…
The Art of Landing a 'Yuru Fuwa' Job: A Guide to Effortless Success in Japan
This podcast explores the concept of "**yuru fuwa**" companies in Japan, which are characterized by **low-pressure work environments, good benefits, and relatively easy jobs**. These are often large,…
The Commodity of Knowledge: When Learning Becomes a Bloodbath
The podcast discusses the idea that **when many people pursue the same knowledge for financial gain, that knowledge eventually becomes a commodity**. This means the knowledge loses its uniqueness and…
Bosses Ain't Your Buddies: Why You Can't Joke Around with the CEO
The podcast discusses the **fundamental differences in perspective between CEOs and employees**. It emphasizes that while individuals have the freedom to view work as they choose, **sharing negative …
The "Quotation Loss"
This podcast focuses on the issue of "**quotation loss**" in sales. Sales representatives often have high expectations when they receive a request for a quote from a customer, but in reality, they ar…
Cracking the Code: Japanese Business Manners as a Game
This podcast explores the often perplexing world of Japanese business manners, or *bizinesu manā*, suggesting a novel approach to understanding them: **viewing them as the rules of a game**. It ackno…
The Myth of the Company Slave: Questioning Overwork Culture
The podcast critiques the glorification of overwork, or “**社畜的な働き方**,” in Japan. It argues that business books romanticize long hours, leading people to believe that success requires sacrificing well…
The Introvert's Guide to Surviving (and Thriving) in the Workplace
The podcast script discusses the challenges that introverts face in the workplace, particularly in relation to interpersonal relationships. **Introverts tend to be shy and have difficulty expressing …
Salesman Ain't No Good for a Side Hustle
The speaker argues that **sales is not a good job for a side hustle**. Although it might seem easy from an outsider's perspective, sales is actually a very stressful job. Here's why:
* **Dealing with …
Why 'Slacking Off' is Not an Option in Japanese Companies: A Look into Workplace Culture
This podcast delves into the unique work culture of Japanese companies, where **mutual surveillance among colleagues** is the norm. Unlike in some other countries, slacking off isn't an option due to…