Why is it so difficult to hire a country manager in Japan?

Reason 1 : The uniqueness of the Japanese business environment

The Japanese business market is very unique and differs greatly from other countries. For example, in Japan, consumers demand high quality in terms of products and services, and the unique Japanese culture may not allow products and services that have been successful overseas to be accepted as is, so unique marketing and sales strategies may be required. There are very few people with flexible and rational strategic skills who have an accurate understanding of Japanese market trends, customer needs, and business practices, which makes it difficult to hire country managers.

Reason 2 : Lack of Bilingual and Bicultural Talent

Japan has one of the few English-speaking workforces in the developed world, and unfortunately, the number of businesspeople who can speak English at a business level is very small. To be successful as a country manager for a foreign company, one must not only be able to communicate in English, but also be “bicultural” (understand different cultures), able to understand both foreign and Japanese business cultures and act as a bridge between the two. Such skills are very rare, and because of the need to have a proven track record and experience in the industry, as well as various other skills such as management skills, the number of suitable business people for country managers is quite limited in the Japanese labor market.

Reason 3 : Resistance to foreign firms

Many Japanese companies have traditionally employed a lifetime employment and seniority system, and many people find it difficult to adapt to the performance-oriented culture of foreign-affiliated companies. There is also a perception that a career in a foreign company does not guarantee long-term stability, and talented people may shy away from positions as country managers in foreign companies.

Reason 4 :Cautiousness about changing jobs

In Japan, there are still cultural vestiges of Japanese-style employment, such as lifetime employment and a seniority system, and many people are more cautious about changing jobs than in other countries. Especially for middle-aged and older managers, it is common for them to stay with the same company for a long period of time. As a result, there are many talented people who are not willing to change jobs, and many who are risk-averse about changing jobs. When foreign companies search for country manager candidates, many businesspeople are particularly cautious about changing jobs to the challenging role of country manager, and not many candidates become available due to psychological blocks rather than skills and experience.

Reason 5 : Slow Decision-Making and Different Leadership Styles

Japanese companies generally emphasize a group consensus-building decision-making process, which is quite different from the top-down decision-making style of foreign companies in other countries. Success in the Japanese market requires respecting this Japanese style of consensus building while delivering results. However, because foreign companies often emphasize speed and results, unlike consensus building among Japanese, it is not easy to find leadership talent who can master both of these decision-making methods.Also, in relationships with business partners, the emphasis is often on long-term relationships of trust, not short-term profits, and there are cultural differences with foreign companies that seek short-term results.

Reason 6 : Balancing Global and Japanese Business Culture

Country managers must have a global perspective, but also have experience and a proven track record in the Japanese domestic market and environment. There are very few people who can balance both of these perspectives. If a candidate has extensive global experience but a limited understanding of the Japanese market, or if he/she is familiar with the Japanese market but lacks experience in managing a global company, he/she may not be the right person for the job.

In conclusion
We hope you have understood how difficult it is to hire a foreign country manager for a variety of reasons.The bottom line is that suitable candidates are extremely scarce in Japan. In this globalized business environment, we hope to see more Japanese businesspersons who can compete on the world stage. RYZE supports many foreign companies in their hiring of country managers and other executives and managers, so please feel free to contact us if you are having trouble finding the right person.If you are approached by a headhunter like us for a country manager position, even if you are not interested in changing jobs immediately, we recommend that you talk to them to find out what kind of companies are interested in hiring you and to increase your career options. Since the number of candidates is limited, the annual salary is often quite a bit higher than your current position. The best thing about being a country manager is that you have more responsibility and learn more in a small organization than being second or third in a large organization. Also, we have seen that even in a small organization, if you perform well as a country manager, you will be approached by other foreign companies as the next country manager, and your career will evolve at an accelerated pace. There is more to learn and more exciting adventures to be had as a captain of a small ship on the open seas than as a member of a large ship in a large company.

Thank you for reading to the end.