working in japan

a friend of mine wanted my help for a HR questionnaire on foreigners working in japan. thought i'd post my replies to her :)

1). When did you start working there?
A: April 1, 2004 (but had interned twice in 2003 for a total of 4 months)

2). What work do you do (which department)?
A: My post is called Coordinator, Media Relations Unit, Brand Development HQs.
in terms of work, my job is primarily what u'd call corporate communications - both internal (i am pretty much in-charge of our global in-house newsletter) as well as external (PR with foreign media based in japan) and that too on a global scale (working on creating a global PR framework within sanyo. deal with media abroad as and when required)

3). How many times have you transferred? Also, how much have you traveled because of your work?
A: Was placed in HR when i first joined. then moved to the international strategy HQs after 6 months, which was dissolved in march. then worked in the Corporate Customer Relationship Management Unit under the Corporate Strategy HQs for less than 2 months before getting transferred to Tokyo to work on our global PR functions. so even though this is my 5th transfer in a little over a year, let me warn u, it is EXTREMELY unusual :D also, i'd like to clarify that these are all "positive" transfers as i moved with all these departments wanting me to join them.
As far as business travel is concerned, i travel to our offices within japan roughly at least once a month (tokyo, sumoto, gunma, daito etc.). i was in europe (hungary, germany and the UK) last november for a press conference and will be leaving this monday for hungary again!

4). Have you been treated differently as a foreigner? If yes, how? Any discriminations (salary wise etc.)? Advantages/Benefits (like insurance)? As a woman and a gaijin, did you experience the so called
"glass-ceiling" (promotion, career wise etc.)?
A: Of course I am treated differently, but in no negative way - not at all. I get a lot more attention thanks to me being different and that helps me find ways to places japanese colleagues may find hard to get to. it is also thanks to being a foreigner that i am doing the sort of work i am doing right now - global PR, where i put to use not only my language skills, but communication skills as well. since it is something i had wanted to do as well, i am extremely satisfied with the way things have worked out for me over the year.

5). What are the skills required esp for foreigners?
A: sadly, i feel that without the knowledge of japanese, it is really tough to enjoy working for a japanese firm. apart from that, a general desire to learn and adjust is indispensable!

6). Personally, did you have to get adjusted to the company?
A: doubt i understand the question, but no, i didnt have to make any huge changes in myself to enjoy my work life as much as i am right now.

7). Did you have any cultural conflicts/challenges? If yes, how did you tackle them?
A: umm...well, the fact that the japanese work such long hours and spend such little time with their families came as a rude shock initially. its a pity that despite discussing it with several of my colleagues, i couldnt get them to chane their ways even though they saw the point i was trying to make - about efficiency being more important than simply working long hours, which is often taken to imply "working hard" at japanese firms. i stay at work till late if the work so demands but if not, i call it a day and hope gradually, i set an example for others to follow! :)

another thing would perhaps how very few people rarely express their true opinions at meetings etc. most just go along with what the higher-ups decide without questioning it, even if they do not personally agree with it. i found this very bewildering and frustrating but have been trying to change it in at least the people i meet and work with. my current department is not very typical in that sense as we have very frank discussions before we decide upon anything - well, at least on most occasions!:D

8). Did you get help from your experiences in APU?
A: yeah, the fact that i was part of the very first batch of APU instilled in me this sense of being fearless and so i love taking up challenges. in other words, i like to set trends and so put in my best in whatever i do, so that i never regret it later. i am aware of my roles and responsibilities as a 'pioneer' in all that i do - be it at university or at my current workplace.
apart from that, APU definitely polished my inter-cultural skills and broadened my general outlook as well.

9). Is there interaction between foreigners and Japanese workers or do the foreigners stick together?
A: we dont have that many foreigners at sanyo so that makes it sorta hard to comment upon but we do have interns and for the most part, after hours, u'd see the interns spending their private time together. but in general, the foreigners r so highly outnumbered, that they dont even have a choice!:p the few foreign employees that i know of seem to be having a great time even after 5 with their japanese colleagues, and that includes me! :)

10). What is the work environment like? (Autocratic/bureaucracy?)
A: whoa...now that's a very broad question. to be honest, when u r talking about a company with more than 80,000 employees worldwide, it is very hard to describe the work environment. from my experiences in 4 departments, i'd say it is so very different from one unit to another! however, to be very general, i have noticed that very few people would stand up against their bosses, work goals & their evaluation is quite ambiguous, it is very hard to get transferred to another department even if u dislike/dont have aptitude for ur current job, most people barely care about anything but their own work and at most their own department - leave alone the entire company or the world!!:D

11). Are foreign workers obliged to attend nomikais?
A: nomikais are nothing but informal get-togethers over dinner and drinks after work, where *a lot* of communication takes place. i could go as far as saying that a nomikai is perhaps the only place where u can get to know a japanese better! but there is nothing as being "obliged" to attend those. u'd casually be asked for dinner after work and if u wanna go, u go, if not, u dont! if there is a particular point in ur question that i am missing, let me know.

12). Have you had any embarrassing/interesting situation at work or with your work colleagues? (it will be better if it was because of the fact that you are a gaijin)
A: umm...sorry cant think of anything interesting enough!:p


13). Any good experience?
A: Tons! again, am lost about how to answer this.

14). Do you plan to stay in Japan for further education or another job or do you plan to continue at Sanyo? Where do you see yourself after five years?
A: oh am absolutely loving my job it here - the job, my colleagues, my office, my location. can see myself with this firm for quite a while but am considering grad school abroad in the near future...too early to say where i see myself 5 years from now. probably not in japan.

15). Any advice for job-seekers at Sanyo in future?
A: If u r willing to work for a company which is not doing too well right now but is full of really nice people, who really want to change; and if u want to be one of the catalysts for that change, this is the place for u!:)