ビジネス日本語講座

In this episode, I discuss what I call the “thought hustlers” of today — intellectuals who pretend to be anti-establishment while profiting from the very system they criticize. These people turn ideas into commodities, trading integrity for influence and outrage for clicks. I explore how abstraction, staged anger, and brand-making have replaced genuine thought, and why modern audiences reward emot...

In this episode, I explore the idea of “trust with boundaries” based on my experiences in both Japanese and global workplaces. Many Japanese companies confuse loyalty with control, creating cultures that resemble religious devotion. True trust, however, is built on respect for each person’s freedom — on waiting, not forcing. Boundaries are not coldness but the highest form of respect. As Japan’s w...

In this episode, I talk about the phrase “Japanese should not work for foreign companies,” which often appears in Japan’s public discourse. I question why such an idea still exists and what it says about our society. From my perspective, choosing to work abroad—or for a global firm—is not betrayal, but an act of freedom. I argue that true patriotism means improving one’s country, not restricting p...

In this episode, Shigeki talks with a recruiting professional based in Bangkok about how generative AI is transforming the world of work. From writing job postings to screening candidates, AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot are now part of daily operations. They discuss rising salaries for AI specialists, shifting skill values between white- and blue-collar jobs, and what it means for the future of...

During my week-long stay in Bangkok’s Pratunam district, I faced a confusing Airbnb situation. On the second day, the hotel staff suddenly told me my room had been given to another guest and that my belongings were “already outside.” In reality, nothing was lost—but the chaos revealed much about how things work here. This episode reflects on travel uncertainty, cultural differences in responsibili...

During my stay in Bangkok’s chaotic Chinatown, I saw a man riding a motorbike in nothing but an undershirt. In that moment, I felt a strange kind of freedom — the kind that ignores rules, appearances, and social approval. This episode reflects on what true freedom means, how Japanese order contrasts with Southeast Asian chaos, and why the simplicity of living “as you are” can be a quiet form of en...

In this episode, I reflect on the moral landscape of modern business through the lens of Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s “The Spider’s Thread.” Many enterprises today resemble a thread lowered into hell—offering salvation while profiting from people’s fear and weakness. I discuss how “hope” has been commodified by self-help industries and why exploiting insecurity is not wisdom but cruelty. Instead, I belie...

In this episode, I reflect on how modern society has stopped believing in ideals. Today, any vision for a better world is dismissed as “unrealistic” or “naive,” replaced by endless debates about money and feasibility. When imagination fades, people cling to the past—tradition, pride, and nationalism—because it feels safer than dreaming. Yet, a world without ideals slowly decays, drifting without d...

In this episode, I question how “life struggles” have become a form of currency in today’s empathy-driven culture. On social media, people turn pain into content and seek validation through shared suffering. But true hardship, I argue, is often silent—it cannot be packaged or sold. I explore how excessive dependence on empathy weakens our ability to think, creating a society that feels deeply but...

In this episode, I explore why modern society often values the act of “being employed” more than the substance of one’s work. I reflect on how corporate life grants social approval simply for showing up, while freelancers live without that safety net. Leaving a company, I argue, is not only a financial risk but also a psychological one—the loss of identity and recognition once tied to a job title....

In this episode, I explore how greetings in Japan go far beyond simple politeness. Saying “hello” or “good morning” often reflects hierarchy, power, and unspoken social order. I share my own struggles with greetings as a company employee, how these rituals reveal authority dynamics, and what I discovered after moving abroad to Thailand. I also reflect on how becoming a freelancer freed me from the...

In this episode, I explore the modern obsession with “comment power” — the ability to speak quickly, cleverly, and confidently in any situation. I question whether this skill, often praised on TV and in business meetings, truly reflects intelligence or merely replaces real thought with rhetorical flair. I argue that today’s culture values speed over depth and fluency over sincerity, leading to sha...

In this episode, I explore the social meaning of small gestures—sharing sweets or cigarettes—as tools for human connection. Across Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam, such acts ease conversation and shorten distance. Yet what we truly need is not candy or tobacco, but emotional space—room to talk and listen naturally. Genuine communication begins when we can connect without props. ----------------------...

In this episode, I discuss the limits of sales techniques through the SPIN Selling method I learned in Vietnam. While the logic behind SPIN—situation, problem, implication, and need-payoff—is sound, I question whether such formulas belong in human relationships. When even a father uses SPIN to persuade his son, sincerity is lost. Sales, like parenting, is not about manipulation but trust. True per...

In this episode, I explore why people often feel compelled to pretend to be passionate. From corporate golf culture in Thailand to Japan’s obsession with appearing busy, I question the social performance of enthusiasm. True sincerity, I argue, lies not in acting passionate but in allowing ourselves to rest, to be unproductive, and to live without pretense. Sometimes, doing nothing can be the most...

In this episode, I explore how Japan’s traditional career model—lifelong employment within one company—has shifted toward a new era of mobility and continuous learning. Once, loyalty and mastery of a single skill defined success. But today, rapid technological change demands adaptability and the courage to let go of old expertise. Using examples from manufacturing and corporate culture, I reflect...

In this episode, I explore why people fear silence. Moments of quiet often make us anxious, but silence can reveal honesty and trust. In sales, silence is not failure — it’s the moment when the customer is truly thinking. Those who can wait without speaking often win deeper trust. We live in a world obsessed with talking and explaining, yet true communication begins when we can sit quietly togethe...

In this episode, I explore the hidden current that connects art and business — human passion, or jōnen. Modern art, I feel, has become too clean, too rational, too afraid to reveal madness or pain. True creation needs obsession and vulnerability. Likewise, business without ambition becomes cold and lifeless. Reason may organize the world, but passion moves it. Artists and entrepreneurs alike must...

In this episode, I talk about escaping the modern curse of “give and take.” In today’s world, every act of kindness is measured by return and fairness. But true human warmth begins when we stop calculating. Especially in Japan, where reciprocity defines social order—from gifts to business meals—it takes courage to give without expecting anything back. I believe freedom in relationships comes from...

In this episode, I explore the deep connection between reading and physical play. Reading is a mental game—a way to reconstruct another person’s thoughts inside your mind. But life is not only about thinking; we also need to feel the world through our skin, muscles, and breath. From philosophy to travel, from books to movement, I reflect on how balance between intellect and sensation gives life it...

In this episode, I reflect on the raw spirit of Japan’s Showa era — a time when emotion mattered more than logic, and loyalty meant more than efficiency. Remembering the “Truck Guys” and the wild energy of old Japan, I explore what it means to live with passion instead of calculation. Today, I feel that Japan has become too calm, too polished, too afraid to look foolish. To me, true wildness is no...

This episode argues that realistic goals and KPIs drain our humanity. Many professionals win in numbers but lose in life. KPIs were never tools for creativity—they were tools for control. True motivation comes not from metrics but from dreams that make the heart move. When leaders set goals that excite and align with personal happiness, people act naturally, not by management but by inspiration. T...

This episode reflects on how people once spoke seriously about “how to live,” but in today’s Japan, such conversations have faded. Humor and light talk have replaced reflection, and seriousness is seen as awkward. Through this quiet decline of dialogue, society loses the ability to think deeply. The host argues that to speak about life — even when it feels embarrassing — is an act of courage and h...

This episode explores why modern people cannot truly heal in a sauna. While “getting aligned” has become a ritual of comfort for Japanese workers, it only resets them to continue the same routine. The sauna represents not rebellion but conformity — a safe, rule-bound space where emotion is replaced by sweat. Through this lens, the episode questions how capitalism turns even relaxation into product...

In this episode, I reflect on how modern people may be more primitive than so-called primitives. Ancient tribes faced fear, pain, and death directly—they lived with gods and nature. Today, we avoid risk, polish appearances, and worship algorithms instead. Social media has become a new religion: likes are blessings, and followers are salvation. Yet this pursuit of safe happiness leaves us empty, de...