"Don't try to become Japanese." How a programmer from Belarus manages an office in Tokyo

— **Why Japan? Did you specifically want to move there? Or was it a business-related necessity?**

— My fascination with Japan began in childhood. I was interested in independently studying the language and some cultural features of the country. Before deciding to move, I visited there several times. And at some point, it became natural for me to try living there for real.

At that time, I didn't want to live in Tokyo, so I chose Fukuoka.

— **Fukuoka is the main startup hub of Japan. It is sometimes called "Japan's Silicon Valley." Does this name suit the city?**

— At that moment, it really was a place with great potential for investment and good opportunities for startups. Truthfully, back then I simply didn't know how things were in Tokyo.

Now I can confidently say that for foreign IT businesses, choosing any place other than Tokyo is practically pointless. There are significantly more opportunities in Tokyo, and no matter Fukuoka's ambitions, it's still more convenient to start a long journey in Tokyo. Therefore, comparing Fukuoka to Silicon Valley, in my opinion, seems incorrect.

All IT business, as it was in Tokyo, will remain there. And even the second place — most likely, is also not Fukuoka, but Osaka.

But if we only consider Kyushu island, everything that has been done in Fukuoka in terms of startup development has undoubtedly been of immense importance for the region.

Why it's necessary to "read the air"

— **How difficult was it for you to learn Japanese to a level that allows you to conduct business and manage a local office? Is it possible to survive in Japanese IT with only English?**

— By the time I moved, I already had sufficient experience communicating in Japanese, both in daily life and in business. So, there were no communication problems.

But I can say that if you don't have experience living in Japan or any work experience, simply taking business Japanese courses and being confident that everything will work out — the probability is very low.

In Japan, there is an important concept called "reading the air," and it applies everywhere, including in the business sphere. Japanese people live with this from birth, and for them, it's natural. But for foreigners, it can become a big problem.

"Reading the air" (Jap. 空気を読む, kūki o yomu) — an idiomatic expression in Japan referring to the ability to understand the hidden meaning of what is happening, to grasp the mood, emotions, and unspoken rules in society without direct words.

— **Is it possible to survive in Japanese IT with only English?**

— There are quite a few companies where good English proficiency is the norm. In some places, it's practiced that even Japanese people speak English in the office.

Therefore, in principle, if you start in Tokyo, even without knowing Japanese, you can get into local IT. But in any case, if you try to move further, you will have to improve your Japanese language skills.

— **You were a pure developer for a long time. Was it difficult to switch from writing code to managing a branch of a foreign company in Japan?**

— The answer to this question is precisely related to that "reading the air." As long as you don't master this art, you will, of course, have problems both within the company and when working with clients. Even if you have experience managing a company in Europe or America, you will probably encounter problems with this.

That's why, by the way, foreigners in Japan generally don't handle sales and direct client communication. Usually, a Japanese person will necessarily be in such positions. Personally, it took me about 4-5 years to get used to everything and learn. But I'll clarify that this is the level of a small company. And I doubt I could manage a medium or large one.

Truth and myths about Japanese corporate culture

— **Legends circulate about Japanese workaholism, overtimes, and bureaucracy. What among these is true, and what is a myth?**

— Overtime 10-15 years ago was indeed a noticeable problem. But now, that is not observed. At least, it's no more prevalent here than in other developed countries.

The situation with bureaucracy is also similar to the situation with overtime. It has significantly decreased, especially due to the introduction of information technologies into daily life and business culture.

Павялічыць

Perhaps in this regard, Japan is a little behind the level of Europe and America. But personally, from my own experience, I can say that working is already very comfortable now. And I think that with the artificial intelligence boom happening now, everything will only get better. These myths will quite quickly become history.

I think that thanks to this, even without knowing Japanese, you can feel quite good at the start here. The "reading the air" problem will probably remain, as it is already a problem of communication with people, and everything is a bit more complicated here.

But a huge number of B2B services already exist in Japan that facilitate this task. It is probable that Japanese business culture will also significantly evolve in this direction in the near future.

Japanese education and technological imbalance

— **Can you compare Belarusian IT education with specialized Japanese education?**

— A very long time has passed since I studied in Belarus. And I didn't study at a Japanese university. Nevertheless, I have experience working with Japanese students in a local company. I can share my observations.

As a rule, ambitious Japanese students try to get into startups or even found their own after one or two years at university. If they succeed, studies take a back seat.

In general, it seems to me that something similar is happening in all developed countries now. It appears that with the development of AI, university education will become even shorter. And what ambitious students are doing now on their own initiative will become the norm. At least in the IT sphere.

— **Is the stereotype fair that Japan creates cool "hardware" and robots, but is somewhat behind in software and web development?**

— Indeed, there is such a point. But the gap is rapidly closing.

The share of Japanese robotics in the world is very high and, perhaps, will only increase. And the so-called physical AI is particularly prominent now. This is well illustrated by the recent visit and investments of Nvidia's CEO in Japan.

Trying to become Japanese, in my opinion, is unnecessary

— **How easy is it for a foreigner to become "one of their own" in Japan?**

— Starting everything from scratch in Japan, without a particular interest in local culture, the local way of life, and so on, is a very questionable idea. I would hardly recommend doing that.

I had such an interest, and it hasn't faded over a long time. Furthermore, having lived here for so many years, I simply feel Japan as a second home. As a place with its pros and cons, which are now perceived as normal.

Probably, it won't even take six years to understand if Japan suits you. Most likely, two or three years will be enough to decide.

In my opinion, trying to become Japanese is unnecessary. The most important thing is to remain yourself.

Due to certain communication difficulties, many Japanese people are very lonely. There are enough local residents here who don't have friends, only contacts.

Despite all this, for a foreigner to make friends in Japan is not an impossible task. If there are common interests, it's entirely possible to become friends with Japanese people and become "one of their own" for them. And once such a circle is formed, no one will perceive you as a foreigner anymore.

It's a matter of trust. And how long it will take to achieve this depends more on specific individuals than on society.

— **What would you advise Belarusians who want to relocate to Tokyo and work in the Japanese market?**

— For those who want to try moving to Japan, I would recommend looking for a company that already has foreign employees. And one that can assist with relocation and provide training for further professional growth. I would not recommend starting from scratch in Japan.

Another good option is to first enroll in a language school. And simply live here for some time, studying the language and not thinking about work.

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