ビジネス日本語講座

Self-help used to focus on becoming more successful, productive, and ambitious. But today, another message is everywhere: stop comparing yourself to others, move at your own pace, and accept yourself as you are. In this episode, I explore how self-acceptance itself can become a p...

Business writing often tells us to be brief, start with the conclusion, and make everything easy to understand. These techniques can be useful, but they can also become dangerous when applied to every kind of writing and thinking. In this episode, I examine how excessive emphasis...

Success philosophy often sounds inspiring: take action, keep going, build connections, use your strengths, and never fear failure. But these ideas rarely explain what to do tomorrow morning. In this episode, I examine the gap between motivational advice and the concrete work of b...

Social media is full of people offering life lessons about failure, growth, courage, freedom, and human connection. But are these ideas really based on careful thought, or are people simply fitting their experiences into familiar slogans? In this episode, I explore the difference...

Is being good at networking the same as being good at business? In this episode, I argue that these are two very different abilities. Knowing many people, joining communities, attending live events, and gaining support can create opportunities, but they do not automatically impro...

Is learning a practical skill really enough to guarantee lifelong stability? In this episode, I question the traditional idea that having a trade will always protect us from unemployment. AI, automation, robotics, and changing industries can reduce the value of skills that once s...

I have started a new corporate interview project for Japanese companies that want to connect with Japanese-speaking international talent. In this episode, I explain why I created the service, drawing on my own experience working in Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Job listings can sh...

Why did Japanese manufacturing once dominate global markets, and why has that advantage weakened? In this episode, I explore the strengths that made Japanese industry successful: quality, continuous improvement, long-term employment, close supplier relationships, and careful coor...

What is the difference between “real business” and work built around ideas, media, and digital products? In this episode, I reflect on my years in manufacturing sales and compare that world with my current work creating podcasts, audiobooks, and ebooks. Physical businesses offer ...

The internet makes it incredibly easy to find answers. Google, YouTube, and AI can explain almost anything within seconds. But this convenience can create the illusion that every problem has a clear answer somewhere online. In this episode, I explore the difference between collec...

Why are people so attracted to secret strategies and guaranteed formulas for success? In this episode, I explore the illusion of “winning methods” in business, investing, social media, and online publishing. Useful techniques certainly exist, but improving your chances is not the...

The internet is rapidly filling with strange new forms of AI-generated content: virtual influencers, synthetic voices, AI films, artificial musicians, and characters that never existed. In this episode, I compare this explosion to the Cambrian explosion, when life diversified int...