Reasons Japan is business-like for new salary

The culture of Japanese businessman

Japanese business culture emphasizes hierarchy, respect, and long-term relationships, with indirect communication and consensus-driven decision-making. In contrast, Western business cultures, like those in the US and Europe, are more egalitarian, direct, and focused on efficiency and immediate results. Understanding these differences can enhance international business interactions.

One Story of the SASAL, INC’s Intern

As an Intern from overseas in SASAL, INC, the question of why I decided to look for an internship in Japan is relevant. In this article, I wish to express some of the personal yet essential reasons for which Japan, and Tokyo, felt like the right place for me to be.

Long-Time Goal

It is true that I have always been attracted to bigger cities. The idea of living in a dynamic, urban metropolis is a long-time goal of mine. Sadly the reality is far more cruel. With crowds and wide spaces often comes danger. Having visited Paris quite a few times, I felt this constant insecurity there and I could not help but associate this feeling with the general case of major cities. When I had the opportunity to move to Japan for studying, my first thought was to avoid Tokyo at all cost. As much as I wanted to go there, this fear of feeling oppressed and endangered seemed to be stronger than my long-time dream of experiencing capital cities. Cost wise as well, after discussing it with my parents, it seemed safer to start in a smaller city of Japan.

How did I still end up I Tokyo you would ask ? Well, when I was choosing among the different universities I could study in, I came across the prestigious Keio University and, despite being in Tokyo, I decided to check its program for international students. Their courses program was completely fitting with what I had been looking for : their classes choices were various and the possibility to rent a room in a dorm etc. appeared to be very convenient. After further thinking, I decided to apply to Keio University as my first choice.

➞ This is how I ended up in the most-populated city on Earth.

Getting Closer To The Dream

The reason for wishing to study in a Japanese university in the first place comes from the fact that I did a bachelor’s focused on languages, both English and Japanese. I had built a strong interest in the Japanese language in high school and wished to have it be my main focus at university. I chose this bachelor program in particular because of the opportunity it offers to study the entire third year abroad. My main focus being Japanese, it seemed more than logical to apply to Japanese universities.

Due to the world pandemic, I was unable to flight to Japan for the full length of my study at Keio University. I did the full first semester from my room in France, on my computer, adapting to Japan’s standard time. This period was discouraging as I was finally studying at a prestigious Japanese university, but I was not able to physically put a foot in Japan. Thankfully, the situation improved a bit, and as soon as Japan announced the opening of its frontiers, I was at the Japanese Embassy in Paris, asking for a visa. In less than two weeks, everything was ready, and I was finally flying to the land of Mount Fuji. I was able to complete the final semester of my bachelor’s on the campuses of Keio University.

➞ This is when my particular interest for Tokyo started to really grow.

Second Chapter in Japan

As I was spending my semester in Keio University and discovering the beauties of Japan, I was also applying to masters back in my home country. I wanted to specialize in International Trade while keeping my focus on languages. This is when I came across the master I am currently in. What attracted me -and fairly every other candidate who applied- was the fact that the second year of master’s had to be done entirely overseas. With Japanese being my main focus, my application for studying in Japan was top priority among every other masters. My first experience in Keio and in Tokyo had been so enriching that I had been looking forward to going back there as soon as I could. After going through the whole application process as well as the interviews with my school etc. everything was set and ready to be sent to Keio University and all I could do was to wait for their answer.

➞ Mid-June, the results came in and I was going back to where I left off. It was the happiest news.

An Opportunity to Stay Longer ?

While I was doing my 2nd year of master’s first semester in Keio University, I started looking for internships all over the world but mostly in Tokyo. Tokyo really became home to me and I was not ready to say goodbye to this city again. After long and perilous efforts, I finally found a company that would take me in for my mandatory internship – SASAL, INC – and which would allow me to pursue my stay in Tokyo.

Having met lots of exchange students throughout my semester in Keio University, I often encountered the case of individuals being happy with their experience abroad but feeling homesick and wishing to go back home. A single semester or a school year is usually more than enough for most students and they are actually happy and should-I-say relieved to get back home after their time abroad. However, in my case, this has never been a sentiment I felt. The longer I stay, the happier I seem to become. This is the reason for which I believe Tokyo is the home I have been longing for. I often get asked about my family and whether it is hard to be separated and so far away for that long.. but the answer is no. As an adult, I am able to achieve the goals I have set for myself and regarding my family, we communicate daily and not being all-over each other constantly definitely brings people even closer.

Then why Japan ?

So to answer the question of why Japan, and in my specific case : why Tokyo ? Simply because it felt just right. Tokyo has welcomed me like no other city has and it has helped me unknot links I had built in my mind for years about big cities and it is mostly allowing me to live this all-time dream of mine with all the safety I require to be appeased. Tokyo has been nothing but security. I have been able to reconcile with crowded places and to even find myself enjoying them more than quieter places at times. The feeling of safety that Tokyo procures is like no other. On top of the feeling of security, Tokyo has offered me freedom. It is a great city where to spend one’s youth. I have been able to make meaningful connections thanks to my studies at Keio University. Tokyo is a very dynamic city and it has something to offer to everyone. Whether one likes art, music, prefers urban places or quiet parks ; wants to pursue its passion or is simply trying to enjoy its time ; Tokyo makes everyone belong. Moreover, we cannot deny that Tokyo really is the prettiest city there is -definitely not a biased statement-.

The Japanese population has also welcomed me so kindly. Even if I was not always able to properly express what I needed, everyone has always been super nice and helpful to me, regardless of the situation. I never felt judged or felt like I particularly stood out, even if I am a foreigner. A metropolis like Tokyo is more welcoming that smaller places and it is full of new things to discover constantly.

➞ For all of these main reasons, and others I am yet discovering, Tokyo just feels like home to me and is the place where I want to be right now. I am beyond grateful for SASAL, INC to have offered me the opportunity to do my internship in its company and to start my working experience in Japan.

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CEO Interview: Strong story of how SASAL got its life

You may know SASAL, INC as your strategy consulting firm, but do you actually know who is behind it? In this CEO Interview, discover more about who created SASAL INC, what its origins are, and what its goals are.

What is the meaning of the company’s name?

Actually, I don’t think anyone knows that, mostly if Japanese is not a language one understands, but SASAL comes from the Japanese term “sasaeru” (支える), which means “to support.” As a strategy consultant, my primary goal is always to support and assist my clients the best way I can with each problem they may encounter, so I named my company SASAL.

CEO Background

I was born in Miyazaki, Japan, and I have been interested in the global culture ever since I was young. My family was poor because my father built his corporation because of layoffs; however, his business didn’t work well. Therefore, there was not much of a learning environment, and sometimes I got hives throughout my examination season. Through this, I thought I did not want to put my future children through the same financial situation I had lived in after growing up. In conclusion, I am grateful to my parents for bringing me up to be a self-reliant person. After studying in Kumamoto, I started my university career at Hiroshima University after studying as a gap year student. During my time at the University, I had several part-time jobs and realized that even if I worked hard, I would not be able to get enough money. I need to manage my daily life with part-time fees because there is no allowance from my parents. Therefore, I had to earn money to cover my living expenses. Through this activity, I realized if I became a full-time job, I would not get much money. For this reason, while still a student, I decided to build my own company in the future.

For those reasons, I started my first career in a small corporation to acquire the skills of a small business, and then I moved to Accenture. Generally, in a consulting firm, transfer between departments is hard, but in my case, I didn’t apply overtime fees in my mind & worked harder; fortunately, I got an invitation, and I’m extending my career beyond the department. I tried IT consulting in this company and then transferred to Strategy Project. In the Strategy Project, I made a strategy proposal for each client through research and used the already established financial model to calculate the Future Value and Current Value of the corporation. Fortunately, I was able to work with the Managing Director of the Strategy department, which was really intelligent for me because they have a lot of knowledge. However, I felt there was no opportunity to expand my international career, so I left the corporation and built an incorporation in the US. I’m not an intelligent career, and sometimes more knowledgeable people deny me; I know already about that; however, I’m able to change the future by myself, and I have the toughness to learn. For me, everything is a continuous learning experience, and even if my title becomes CEO, that is just a title; I would like to keep working hard and never forget my attitude toward learning.

US CEO Mindset

The number of Japanese CEO in the United States is low. According to LinkedIn information, that rate is estimated at around 660. That is 0.0005% (US Japanese CEO / Japanese Population), including Japanese Americans. Therefore, the actual rate will be smaller. While Asians, including Japanese, comprise a significant portion of non-white CEOs in the U.S., they still represent a small fraction of the overall CEO population. In 2024, Asians accounted for 55% of non-white CEOs at Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies. However, this includes individuals from various Asian backgrounds, not just Japanese.

As a pure Japanese person, I want to be a leading person in the United States market. I’m a native Japanese. I’ve never been abroad as an exchange student, and I’m not highly educated; however, if you have a goal, you can achieve it. I’ll continue to challenge the United States market as a businessperson.

After I started my business in the United States, the opportunity to talk with Americans will increase. Americans are very casual and kind compared with the Japanese; actually, in my understanding, Americans are able to share kindness naturally compared with the Japanese. They tell us their demand directly; therefore, I don’t need to waste time because of the ambiguous communication like Japanese. They always tell us their opinions directly. Therefore, I’m able to communicate with them with respect.

SASAL, INC Mindset

SASAL, INC. pays attention to the clear cost. Consulting firms generally decide that the cost depends on the current corporation’s situation and client budget. That is not formal, and in the worst case, they show the proposal, but that is past or so different region’s past case. But they didn’t show this to the client. SASAL, INC pays attention to the clear cost system and value to the client. Hence, SASAL shows the cost on our webpage for contracting the same cost to each client. When SASAL proposes the new proposal as a corporation to the corporation, we also pay attention to the proposal. SASAL shows this proposal to the client on the webpage by templating ahead for the clear cost system. Thank you.

SASAL, INC would like to be a real strategy consulting company. SASAL doesn’t need capital like investment corporations because it wants to grow its client corporation through honest support. SASAL, INC is not an investment company; however, our minds come from an investment company. To respect the direction of each corporation, SASAL would like to provide a strong strategy product that depends on each corporation’s phase to maximize synergy. SASAL’s strategy product is calculated in each corporation’s phase; therefore, when you can pay the money for the particular product, your corporation becomes bigger. If you share the capital with the Found, sometimes you must change the corporation’s direction for capital reasons. Some investment companies do not have much knowledge, but they pretend to be professional compared with the invested company because they have the money as a corporation. In that case, if the invested corporation gets the money from the investment after that, they need to teach the investor that it is a waste of time. In addition, as a strategy firm, they really lack the knowledge when the corporation tries new business. In that case, even if the corporation gets the investment from the fund, the invested corporation cannot handle the money, which means the plan will break. In that case, the only thing left is a lack of trust; to escape that, SASAL would like to give the true knowledge, which means the knowledge of the” power to make money.” As a true strategy consulting firm, SASAL operates with the mind of an investment company.

Also, SASAL’s Value Chain comes from software corporations. After the CEO operated the corporation, SASAL made contracts with Google and Microsoft. Microsoft’s customer service is excellent; the client can work with Microsoft employees for only $100. For the client only paying $100/month, we are able to get 24×7 support, which is excellent. That is realized because the client is already paying for strong Microsoft products instead of the human resource fee like consulting. Therefore, by providing a strong product, SASAL, INC would like to operate a strategy consulting firm like a software corporation. I know there is a hierarchy in consulting firms or other corporations; however, essentially, all people are equal because the value of humans will change because of the demand following the place.

FUTURE & GOALS

Unfortunately, the international presence of Asia is low. I wish to do business with Americans, so in the future, I would like to have more business relationships with Listing Corporations in the US (e.g., NYSE, Nasdaq). While operating my business, I figured that so many problems would last long until resolved. The main thing I realized was that each problem always comes from a human. Working with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and so on widened my perspective on my issues. It helped me find solutions in ways I would have never thought about if I had stayed focused solely on my ideas.

Letter for everyone

Now everyone knows SASAL is a small corporation. Every corporation started small. Therefore, I’m really interested in the future figures of SASAL, INC. Looking back, I can see the progress and everything I have built. In the future, I wish to grow even more, not only in terms of notoriety but humanly. I am looking forward to employing more people from various backgrounds and with common goals as mine, as well as developing more skills along the way. SASAL, INC is on its way to becoming something big. I can sense it, and I wish to thank those who trust it and who believe in this project. Our corporation wishes to help clients increase their own value. It is our mission.

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How to find beneficial events

SASAL recommends those platforms for finding the event.

Recommended Events

Start-Up World Cup

On July 19th, Friday 2024, I have attended my first business event as a SASAL INC Intern. bThis event was the Start Up World Cup, during which various start up companies were introducing their concepts and presenting their ideas.Start Up World Cup

As a start up itself, it is important for SASAL INC to attend events such as this one in order to discover more corporations which are in the same situation and it is always a good way to promote SASAL INC even more.

The event took place in a prestigious hotel in the district of Roppongi, in Tokyo. Several events were held on that same day, but I attended the one where we could go from booth to booth to discover the diverse start-ups. I had the opportunity to discuss with various start-up representatives who introduced me to their work and how they came to develop their ideas. The majority of the start-ups I encountered were focused on AI and on the use of new technologies such as robots, etc. Each start-up had approximately three representatives, and they were all available to answer our questions and to explain the functions and goals of their company.

Throughout this event, I went to nearly every single booth and listened to everyone’s ideas. I was able to exchange with lots of hard-working individuals who are driven by the will to make their ideas become reality. Those start ups all seemed to have a common goal, which was to propose a product or service that could ease the life or the work of their clients.

What I Have Learned From This Event

There was a big Pokémon displayed in the entrance of the hotel

As a first experience, I really enjoyed attending this event. By communicating with various people from different backgrounds with diversified ideas and ambitions, I was able to put my own goals and thoughts into perspective. During this event, I was able to meet new people who I would have never had the chance to interact with if it was not for attending this Start-Up World Cup event. These interactions allowed me to practice my Japanese speaking skills as well as to learn how people communicate in casual business settings. It was encouraging to see that despite the disparities, everyone seemed to have the same goal, which was simply to succeed in the work industry. I applaud the courage each person has to come forward in this competitive scene by spreading their concept and working their way up.

It is also a good way to develop social skills and confidence by promoting the company I work for and by accepting that my name will be associated with my business ambitions. As a first offline event experience, I believe the Start-Up World Cup was very appropriate.
Now that I attended my first event, I have more knowledge on how these work and I am ready to attend new events.

Only Networking

Yurino.Sakamoto

I joined this event twice; in this event, there is a time 1 on 1 talk with attendees. And the operator of this event is so kind so I felt something hometown. For the person who would like to have casual networking time, I recommend this event.

SASAL, Inc. joined the ACCJ event. This event is held in Japan.


Yurino.Sakamoto / CEO

In this event, we sang the national anthem of each country, and we can have the networking also. Compared to other events in Japan, there are many foreigners at this event.

New York CHAMBER

The event is focused on networking. The attendees will be around 30 every time, and all the people have the time to introduce each business.


Yurino.Sakamoto / CEO

I joined this event for the second time. It is really effective because it focuses on networking. I’m able to know each person’s business quickly; hence, the people who are at the starter level of business are suitable. Thank you.

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Purpose of this project : Identifying the market to enter when considering the development of a platform based on back-office SAAS product.

Our mission : we conducted research on

  • the market size
  • the digitalization status
  • the software used in digitalizing each business of SMEs

We assisted with market research and documentation.