Ep 05: Lessons From 3 Japanese-Western Business Turnarounds with Akio Fujii

The Business Karaoke exists to lead and inspire unconventional conversations around business and innovation in Japan. By sharing these bi-lateral stories, we aim evoke confidence in today's global professionals in expanding their businesses to Japan, as well as, elevating Japan as a viable place for a meaningful career for global professionals.

In this episode, we are joined by Akio Fujii, an independent Management Consultant specializing in bi-lateral strategic corporate transformations. I was eager to have Akio share insights on bi-lateral and bi-lingual business turnarounds as he is one of the, if not THE, most competent a global professionals leading change in a modern world.

If you're leading strategic corporate transformation with a complex network of stakeholders or experiencing challenges in mobilizing your Japanese team, this is the episode for you!

This episode experience is enhance with the accompanying slideshow. Please download the slides here.

Here are the show notes for you to find exactly what you are looking for... FAST.

01:30    Introduction to Akio
03:15    Shinzo Abe's babysitting career
04:30    Being bi-lingual are tools not weapons
07:35    5 elements differentiating Japanese and American culture
12:59    How to recognize these 5 elements in the workplace
19:50.   Cycles of business in Japan and the West, inspired by Ray Dalio
24:28    The Problem vs. Responsibility dichotomy in Japan and
25:26    Why this can lead to your Japanese partners hiding problems
27:23.   Why Japanese baseball aim for a batting average over 300
29:25    Case 1: Resolving USJ’s Traffic Problem
53:28    Case 2: Merger of gaming companies, Bandai and Namco
1:04:32 Case 3: Turnaround of Namco’s US Subsidiary
1:16:56 Reflecting on the influence of COVID-19 in a business context
1:23:27 Hopes for the future for Japan, a Japanese perspective

A big thank you to you, the listener, and to Akio Fujii.

Akio is a principled and capable M&A, PMI, and turnaround specialist. Connect with or learn more about Akio on linkedin.com/in/akiofujii.