At UZABASE, we develop an information platform called SPEEDA which can collectively obtain various economic information, such as company financials, stock prices data, and trends in over 550 industries from 180 countries. I am in charge of the partner companies in Sri Lanka and India. Since I consign data acquisition work, my task is to teach our partners how to obtain accurate data and input that data into SPEEDA. Because I cannot meet the partners in person, it is important to build a strong relationship of trust with them. We mainly have meetings on Skype and I sometimes have difficulties relaying what I want to say. In such situations, I try to resolve it through various ways, for example, explaining by capturing the screen and sharing it. No matter how busy I am, I always make sure that I take a coffee break at 4pm with my co-workers, and talking over our favorite coffee is a good way to take a break.

I think a merit to work in Tokyo is that we can interact with people from all over the world and that I can learn new culture and perspectives. That isn’t just about learning Japanese business etiquette, practice, and skills, but is to acquire the awareness and the sense of multiculturalism. For example, we will encounter situations where we need to communicate with people who speak different languages and have different backgrounds. I believe that one of the benefits of working here is that through this experience, I am always able to be empathetic. I was also surprised at the flextime shifts. In Taiwan, it’s not a very common practice and to be able to manage our own working hours and even work at home when needed is a new concept to me, and I am utilizing flextime shifts to suit my personal life as well.

My country, Taiwan, has good relations with Japan and there are many things that always remind us of Japan. When I was a student, I liked watching TV and there was a channel that showed Japanese variety shows, dramas and movies. I became interested in Japan while watching these TV programs, and I had an opportunity to visit Tokyo on a family trip during my summer vacation when I was in the 10th grade. It was my first trip to Japan, and Tokyo, and I was very surprised at how clean the city was. Also, the city of Tokyo was exactly the same as I saw in the dramas. I really wanted to be able to speak Japanese after I had come into contact with the language in many occasions. After this trip to Japan, I started to take Japanese classes. The classes were once a week, and I studied hard for three years for my strong wish to come to Japan. In those three years, I had an opportunity to go on an exchange program to Doshisha University for a year. After I graduated, I came to Japan in June 2014 on a working holiday program. I applied to UZABASE because not only could I utilize my language skills but I was also impressed by the international and flexible corporate culture, and after an extensive selection process I was hired as a full time employee in January 2015. I am currently working at the head office in Ebisu, Tokyo.

Tokyo is a very exciting city and there’s so much to experience. For example, Western cultural events, such as Halloween and Christmas are big events in Tokyo. These events are bigger than they are in Taiwan and I make the most out of them. I dressed up as a beer stein this Halloween and it was a lot of fun. I think Tokyo is a place that accepts everybody and is very diverse. Just looking at fashion alone, there are many stylish people in Tokyo. We can also see people with individualist and unique styles. Even if people are dressed in a way that would be stared at if it were in Taiwan, people in Tokyo appreciate individualism, and I think such acceptance is wonderful. I am currently living in a shared house with 20 others, and I think that a shared house as big as this being possible is a reflection of the diversity embraced in Tokyo. I also get to experience great things about Japan through my Japanese friends. The other day, my friend made me a traditional Hokkaido meal and it was delicious! Being surrounded by such friends is another great thing about Tokyo.