From classroom to boardroom: entrepreneurs from Japan's teaching programs lay stakes many miles from home

Japan, Inc., August, 2003 by Marcus Chidgey

Both Ehrhardt and Peltzer achieved a lot in the short time that they were on the JET Program. By taking advantage of what it had to offer outside of the classroom, they managed to create new opportunities for themselves that furthered their own ambitions. But then the JET Program was always intended to be more than a teaching program. Every participant finds a way to make the experience more relevant to themselves. JETs can be found doing anything from playing in village taiko festivals to organizing drum 'n' bass nights. As much as JETs soak up Japanese culture, they are exposing their local communities to foreign ideas and influence.

This process of cultural exchange doesn't end when the JET participant leaves Japan. Each person takes with them aspects of Japan that can be incorporated into life back in their home country. For Kelli Smith, it was the knowledge of how Japanese people work within a business environment. Two years working as a CIR (Coordinator for International Relations) in a government office in Kagoshima gave Smith the opportunity to put her academic background in Japanese language, culture and communication into practice.

"Working with the Japanese on a daily basis gave me first-hand experience of how understanding the cultural differences that exist is crucial to doing business in Japan. I already understood the theoretical side of Japanese culture, behavior and business practice. But it was while in Japan that I was able to learn more about the subtleties involved."

Upon returning to the UK, Smith took employment with a Japanese-owned electronics manufacturer, where she recognized how important her Japanese skills were in an international business environment. "There were significant communication difficulties between Japanese and British employees. It wasn't a language barrier, but a lack of cultural sensitivity that had a direct adverse effect on the working environment and on the effectiveness of the company as a whole. I became acutely aware of my ability to build relationships and work effectively with both the UK and the Japanese staff due to my understanding of the true nature of both these cultures."

With this experience in mind, Smith founded Rikai (the Japanese Business Culture Specialists) in 2001. Rikai helps companies interact with the Japanese, by ensuring that they are aware of the social, cultural and etiquette differences. Rikai means "understanding," which Smith sees as a critical factor in any successful business relationship with the Japanese. Rikai has developed a comprehensive program of training and consultancy, preparing delegates in anything from business meeting etiquette to coping with their daily lives in Japan.

The success of English teaching and exchange has been mirrored in the private sector and has been extremely lucrative for companies such as AEON, GEOS and NOVA. Together with the smaller eikawas, they employ large numbers of foreign language teachers ready to satisfy the demand for additional juku lessons. Many people also come and find teaching work under their own steam.