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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Before I even finished my first coffee, day 3 had already lined up a full cast of people who make my Tokyo trips so meaningful. I had a high level morning meeting with my client in Otemachi, followed by a nostalgic walk through my old Ginza streets. Then came a reunion with a friend from my 1997 JET days, who whisked me straight into a Tea Ceremony class, which felt both familiar and very rusty after fifteen years away from it. After that, I caught up with David Price from Mindbridge, whose work around resilience in Japan is thoughtful and needed. We talked so much that I completely forgot to snap a picture. It was one of those days where every conversation felt like its own small anchor point.

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I recently joined a small but cozy AG1 info session in San Francisco, and it turned into one of those quietly energizing afternoons that remind me why I love working at the intersection of Japan and global business. The relaxed setting made it easy to talk with founders who were genuinely exploring Japan as their next market. Any time I meet people considering Japan, I feel that familiar excitement because there is so much potential for early‑stage teams who approach the country with curiosity and cultural awareness.

It was also great to meet Luke Li and Mason Mei during the session. These small gatherings make it possible to have meaningful conversations, the kind where you can hear the story behind the program and understand why people are passionate about building bridges between Japan and the rest of the world.

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Last week I joined the Japan Society of Northern California’s Japan Outlook 2026 program just as Japan headed into a major election. By the time the event took place, we already knew the outcome. Sanae Takaichi won a decisive victory on February 8, confirming just how strongly her message has been resonating with voters. With the United States also recalibrating its priorities around security, immigration, and trade, both countries are entering the year in motion.

A big part of the conversation was why Takaichi’s support has surged so quickly. Both speakers explained something that many of us who follow Japanese politics have felt intuitively. Takaichi doesn’t come from the long political dynasties that usually dominate the landscape. People see her as a normal person who understands everyday worries and priorities. In a system where lineage often signals authority, her relatability is a real political advantage.

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I spent last week Thursday in a very unglamorous Palo Alto motel, and honestly, it was perfect, because the event I attended at the Japan Innovation Campus that night turned out to be far more thought‑provoking than I expected. There were so many participants that I ended up in the overflow room, which tells you everything: this topic is booming, and people are paying attention.

This was another excellent event hosted by Alchemist. The theme was “Why build in Japan?” and I came away feeling that Japan is at a genuine inflection point. There was a lot of talk about greenfield investment opportunities and a reminder that yes, Poland’s GDP is projected to move ahead of Japan’s. Not as a doom statistic, but as a signal. Japan has an opening to leap forward again, especially through soft power.

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Last Friday took me to a place I never imagined I’d visit just for the day: Los Angeles. I boarded an early flight from SFO, feeling a bit like I was doing something outrageous, only to realize by evening that it had turned into one of the most worthwhile quick trips this year. At this point, apparently, I take planes the way people take buses.

The day centered around a Bank Tour in LA, generously arranged by my friend Tommy Nakajima. What I expected to be a simple round of meetings became a deep dive into the breadth and long history of Japanese banks operating in the US. Looking at the collection of business cards afterward; MUFG, Mizuho Group, Resona, Bank of Yokohama, Joyo Bank, Chiba Bank, and even regional players like East West Bank and Royal Business Bank; made me realize how extensive and interconnected this community really is.

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Last week, I attended a fireside chat event called “The Best of CES 2026” organized by the Japan Society. I’ve never been to CES myself, and I’ll admit the idea of going feels a bit daunting: massive halls, endless crowds, and enough technology to overwhelm even the most seasoned expo-goer. But this event gave me a curated peek into it all, leaving me both more curious and, if I’m honest, still slightly apprehensive about ever braving the real thing.

One of the unexpected highlights of the night was a sneak peek at Mirumi: a small, expressive robot that embodies the charm only Japan could bring to a tech showcase. Mirumi wasn’t just innovative; it was adorable. I caught myself smiling every time its digital eyes blinked or its tiny motions mirrored human warmth. It offered a glimpse into how Japan continues designing robotics not just for efficiency, but for emotional connection and everyday support. Too cute, and yet too real in showing where the future of human‑robot interaction is clearly heading.

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