ビジネス日本語講座

What if modern society no longer needs to give us orders because we have learned to command ourselves? In this episode, I explore how social expectations can become personal desires. We wake up early, exercise, study AI, improve our careers, manage our health, and chase productiv...

Why are some openly materialistic people surprisingly likable, while others seem deeply unpleasant? In this episode, I explore the difference between desire and hypocrisy. A person who openly admits wanting money, status, luxury, or success can feel refreshingly honest. By contra...

Why do online communities built around self-help, side hustles, AI, and “making money online” rarely criticize the people selling these ideas? In this episode, I explore a possible reason: many followers hope to become sellers themselves someday. Criticizing the guru can feel lik...

Leaving a company is easy. Leaving the company inside your head can take years. In this episode, I explore what I call “Salaryman Aftereffects”: the habits, fears, and ways of thinking that remain after someone quits corporate life. Employees receive more than a paycheck—they rec...

What happens when AI reduces white-collar jobs while making it easier than ever to produce professional-sounding ideas? In this episode, I explore what I call the “Empty Theory Bubble”: a world where fewer people do the actual work, while more people talk about how work should be...

Why does self-help sell so well? Perhaps because people feel they are already living in hell. Inspired by Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s famous story The Spider’s Thread, this episode compares self-help, side-hustle courses, AI entrepreneurship, and online business opportunities to thread...

Why can people with seemingly little substance still become highly popular and successful? In this episode, I explore how appearance, charm, likability, and personality influence the way we judge others—often more than we realize. Drawing on the psychological “halo effect,” socia...

Why have cold showers become so popular in modern self-improvement culture? In this episode, I describe them as a form of “light asceticism.” Traditional religious asceticism can involve distancing oneself from worldly desires and ambitions. Cold showers, however, offer just enou...

Why do people today seem to want “companions” or “teammates” rather than traditional friends? In this episode, I explore the growing popularity of the Japanese word nakama in self-help communities, startups, and online groups. Friendship can involve deep, open-ended emotional res...

Can we accept a life in which we never become “someone”? In this episode, I begin with Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground and explore the modern pressure to succeed, build expertise, gain followers, and prove our value to society. Social media has made comparison easier than eve...

Why do we crave “hokkori”—that warm, cozy feeling—so much today? In this episode, I explore how the Japanese word “hokkori” reflects something deeper about modern life. From relaxing Vlogs and coffee breaks to quiet walks and small everyday pleasures, contemporary culture often t...

What does ikki-tsūkan (一気通貫) mean in Japanese business? Originally a mahjong term, it has become a common expression in Japanese companies, describing a process handled continuously from beginning to end. You might hear phrases such as “supporting clients from planning to operati...