The G1 Summit, convened by GLOBIS, is a leadership forum grounded in action. Its principles are to make proposals rather than criticize, to act rather than stay theoretical, and to cultivate awareness as leaders responsible for society. What is so appealing to me about G1 is the seriousness of the conversations, especially when it comes to how Japan navigates global change with long‑term intent.

I attended the Business and AI session at G1 wearing the same two hats as before, as a GLOBIS MBA alumna and on behalf of Japan Consulting Office. This session felt especially relevant to my day‑to‑day work, because it was not about abstract AI potential. It was about how real organizations, especially Japanese ones, can govern, adopt, and live with AI in a world that is increasingly polarized and fragmented.

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The G1 Summit in Silicon Valley, convened last week in Half Moon Bay by GLOBIS, is a leadership forum built on a simple but demanding premise: ideas only matter if they lead to action. Its principles are to make proposals rather than criticize, to act rather than stay theoretical, and to cultivate self‑awareness as leaders with responsibility for society. I’ll be sharing my experiences joining this summit during the next few weeks.

I attended the GLOBIS SV G1 Global event wearing two hats: as a GLOBIS MBA alumna and on behalf of Japan Consulting Office. That dual perspective shaped how I listened. I was not there just to absorb ideas, but to understand what they mean for Japan–US business, policy, and leadership in practice.

From the very first plenary, one message was clear. Japan is investing deeply in the United States, financially, strategically, and emotionally. This is not passive capital flow. It reflects a shared belief that Japan and the US are entering a new phase of cooperation, one that feels less ideological and more grounded in mutual need.

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I recently joined an inspiring JWIBA International Women’s Day Celebration Workshop, titled “Confident in Your Future”, beautifully facilitated by Kristy Ishii.

The room was full. Not just in numbers, but in energy. Women from different backgrounds and stages of life came together, all carrying the same quiet question: What’s next for me? Some were looking to re-enter the workforce after a pause. Others were ready for a renewed direction, a career shift, or simply fresh inspiration. The atmosphere was open, supportive, and deeply motivating.

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This week’s Working Wednesday took me somewhere quietly extraordinary. I spent the day visiting a series of private gardens with landscape gardener Yoshi Kuroishi, who trained in Japan and now works with elite clientele here in my area.

What struck me immediately was not just the beauty, though the beauty was undeniable. It was the intentionality.

Looking at these gardens, you sense that nothing is accidental. Every stone is placed with care. Every curve of water, every layer of planting, every change in texture invites you to slow down and really observe. Standing near still ponds framed by rocks and spring blossoms, it became clear that these spaces are not designed for quick impact, but for long term presence.

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I often talk about how much Japanese professionals invest in communicating globally, but real partnership means the effort cannot flow only in one direction. Global colleagues need opportunities too. Which is why I am so proud of the Learn Japanese in 3 Hours session that our Japan Consulting Office colleague Aska Tsuchiya created, and that Midori Yamanaka now teaches so expertly for our teams in the US.

And the demand is unbelievable. We cannot keep up with the bookings. Every time we open a new slot, it fills immediately, including the most recent sessions for our client Mizuho Americas.

Of course, it is impossible to learn Japanese in just three hours. Everyone knows that. But that is not the point of the session. What makes it so effective is the method itself. It removes the fear and overwhelm that often come with Japanese. It gives people a structured, confidence‑boosting starting point that finally feels manageable. For many, it is the first time Japanese feels accessible instead of intimidating.

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I grew up as the child of two language teachers, and I was adamant I would never follow in their footsteps.
Standing in front of high-schoolers explaining grammar rules? Hard pass.

So imagine my surprise (and slight amusement) when I became a Business English language facilitator for one of our biggest Japan Consulting Office clients Mizuho Americas. And the first thing I tell everyone is this:

I am not teaching English.

Japanese professionals have already studied more English than most people ever will. The last thing they need is more studying. What they actually need is space — real, practical, judgment‑free space — to use the language they already know.

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This March, I returned to Tokyo for the first time in six years. It was a meaningful visit that included working onsite with a US client team at their Tokyo headquarters and meeting many clients and friends in the HR and TA community. Being back in the city, hearing concerns directly, and watching cross cultural interactions unfold in real time offered valuable reminders about how Japan’s HR environment continues to evolve.

Hybrid work is still finding its shape
While many global companies have settled into clear hybrid guidelines, teams in Tokyo are still balancing flexibility with long established expectations around presence and teamwork. Several HR leaders shared that employees appreciate remote options, but managers still worry about fairness, communication flow, and maintaining a sense of unity across the team.

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My last full day in Tokyo began with two meetings that felt like perfect bookends to my Japan journey. I finally met Ryoko Tokuoka from Mizuho Bank in person after years of collaborating during her secondment to New York, and later I met Mai Yamanaka from Link and Motivation Inc. (LMI), who is connected to my very first post MBA internship from my GLOBIS days. Both conversations reminded me how relationships in Japan do not fade with time. They deepen, evolve and often return in the most meaningful ways.

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