Last week, I wrote about Malice by Keigo Higashino, a novel that kept putting me on the back foot. Just when I thought I had worked out what was going on, another twist would force me to rethink everything.
This week, I stayed in the world of Japanese crime fiction with Confessions by Kanae Minato. The original Japanese title is 告白 Kokuhaku, which simply means "confession." In Japanese, though, the word often brings to mind a heartfelt admission or even a romantic declaration. Having lived in Japan for years, I couldn't help but think of all the dramas and stories where kokuhaku is the moment someone finally reveals their feelings.
There is nothing romantic about the confessions in this novel. Instead, each confession peels back another layer of grief, resentment, and revenge, revealing just how far people will go when consumed by their own sense of justice.
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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how I relax with detective novels.
Most people probably don't hear "murder mystery" and think "self-care," but I've long since accepted that my brain is wired a little differently. Give me a quiet afternoon, a cup of tea, and a fictional homicide to solve, and I'm perfectly happy.
After recently enjoying Tokyo Express by Seichō Matsumoto, I decided to stay with Japanese detective fiction and listen to Malice by Keigo Higashino.
I thought I knew what I was getting into.
I was wrong.
And somehow it's absolutely gripping.
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One of my favorite things about living between cultures is that there is always another story waiting to be discovered.
A little while ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Simon Partner, a history professor at Duke University, at an event in San Francisco's Japantown. Simon was visiting the Bay Area for the summer, researching the rich history of Japanese-Americans in San Francisco. What started as a casual conversation quickly turned into one of those encounters that reminds me why I love connecting with people who are curious about the world.
Mindfulness is often associated with slowing down and being present. For me, it's also about noticing the stories, people, and histories that shape the communities around us. That is exactly what I found in Simon's Substack, Life Stories from Japan.
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After years in Japan, I've stopped noticing it, but visitors always do:
In Tokyo, people generally stand on the left and walk on the right.
In Osaka, people generally stand on the right and walk on the left.
Now why would that be!
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I came across a headline recently suggesting that the modern flip flop has roots in both Japan and the US, and honestly, that sounded just random enough to make me curious.
As it turns out, the traditional Japanese zōri sandal has been around for centuries. Then, after the war, versions of it started gaining popularity overseas. Somewhere along the way, Japanese design met American production and marketing, and before anyone knew it, the flip flop had conquered beaches, swimming pools, backyards, and airport security lines around the world.
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Over the past few months, I've had the opportunity to facilitate several workshops for Japanese companies in the U.S., as well as organisations that work closely with Japanese clients. Interestingly, a number of these clients specifically requested longer sessions, typically four or five hours rather than the more common two or three-hour format.
Reflecting on those experiences, a few things stood out.
The first was that the value wasn't in covering more content. In fact, we often covered less.
Instead, the additional time created space for deeper conversations.
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One of the most valuable lessons I learned during my years living and working in Japan is that listening is often more powerful than speaking.
That may sound obvious, but it runs counter to many of the messages we receive throughout our careers. We're encouraged to contribute, share our ideas, and make our voices heard. Those are all important skills, especially in organizations that value initiative and visibility.
When I first started working in Japan, I sometimes interpreted silence as a lack of engagement. Meetings often felt different from what I was used to. Discussions could move more slowly, and people were often less inclined to immediately offer opinions or challenge ideas in a group setting. Over time, I realized that what looked like silence was often active listening.
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A Japanese expat manager recently received a surprise during their annual performance review in the U.S.: a comment from their American team that they were “distant and hard to approach.” The manager was stunned. In Japan, maintaining formality and emotional restraint is often seen as professional. In the U.S., it can be interpreted as cold or disengaged.
This moment revealed a deeper issue: the feedback gap between jinji and U.S. HR.
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In a recent ruling, Mizuho Bank Ltd. successfully defended itself against a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit brought by a former U.S.-based vice president. While the legal outcome favored Mizuho, the case highlights a deeper issue that many global Japanese companies face: the perception of bias and the need for culturally intelligent HR practices. 最近の判決において、みずほ銀行株式会社は、米国拠点の元副社長による差別および報復に関する訴訟に対して、成功裏に自己防衛を果たしました。法的な結果はみずほ銀行に有利なものでしたが、このケースは、多くのグローバルな日本企業が直面しているより深刻な課題を浮き彫りにしています。それは、偏見の認識と、文化的知性を備えた人事施策の必要性です。
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