Interview No. 32: Daichi-san (Part 1) – Data Engineering Work

On the decision to work at a Japanese company while living in the U.S.

Daichi currently resides in the United States while working for HumaneTech, a Japanese company. He shares candidly about the challenges and benefits of this decision, as well as advice for those considering working overseas.

Why he chose to work in Japan

“In addition to the appeal of the company itself, I had two personal goals: to get closer to being fully fluent and literate in Japanese, and to understand the workings of Japanese society. I felt that working at a Japanese company would contribute greatly to both of these goals.”

Daichi assesses his current Japanese language ability honestly: “My Japanese skills, particularly in reading and speaking, are not yet on par with those of the average Japanese adult.” For him, improving his language ability through work has been an important and meaningful challenge.

Challenges of working from abroad

“One of the biggest challenges was the communication constraints caused by the time difference. Sometimes, I had to find ways to keep making progress while holding onto questions, because I couldn’t ask my colleagues and superiors until they woke up.”

This sometimes led to delays:

“As an example, in one project, I needed to implement a process to ‘exclude records containing certain values in certain columns.’ The instructions on the document I was given said ‘カートリッジに記載,’ which translates roughly to ‘described on the cartridge.’ Somehow, I ended up misinterpreting the word ‘cartridge’ to mean a value within some column, leading me to design a data workflow that excluded a record if the word ‘cartridge’ matched some column’s entry. In reality, ‘cartridge’ referred to a small Excel file, and the correct process was to connect the file to the workflow so as to exclude records if the values listed there were present in some columns. Confirming this at the beginning would’ve allowed me to create the correct workflow much sooner.”

Still, he says he was greatly supported by the flexibility of his team:

“They scheduled meetings together in the Japanese morning, allowed me to leave early when necessary, and even arranged meetings on Saturday Japan time to accommodate my Friday schedule. Their support was really encouraging.”

Benefits of working abroad

“One of the main benefits of working from abroad was that I could spend the Japanese early morning hours—before anyone else was awake—fully focused on my tasks without meetings. Once my colleagues came online, we could then shift into discussions and meetings. That rhythm of concentrated solo work followed by collaboration made it easier to work efficiently.”

He also highlights the flexibility of HumaneTech’s work culture:

“As long as my deliverables were accurate and completed, I wasn’t micromanaged about how I worked. I believe this benefit was derived not directly from working overseas, but from HumaneTech’s management culture, which emphasized results and progress rather than long hours (which Japanese companies are sometimes known for).”

Advice for those considering overseas work

“Whether working domestically or abroad, the most important thing is communication. Even if you feel nervous or hesitant, communicating early and often is the key to keeping work running smoothly.”

On language and time zone differences, he offers encouraging advice:

“When it comes to language, instead of trying to speak perfectly, it is more important to focus on conveying the necessary information accurately. Personally, I know that my Japanese still isn’t as advanced as my peers in Japan, but by actively using it, I’ve gradually improved. Asking questions early and maintaining a mindset of learning through work are essential.”

“As for time zones, carefully checking schedules in advance and incorporating asynchronous communication when needed is very effective. While being mindful of colleagues’ time zones, it’s also important to establish a working rhythm that suits you.”

“With the right approach, language and time differences can actually become strengths. What matters most is the willingness to keep communicating without fear.”

Working across borders comes with both challenges and new possibilities. Daichi’s experience offers valuable insights to those considering taking on the challenge of working internationally.