Expat: Turning Japanese

Name: Quentin O’Mahony

Age: 32

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Hometown: Abbotsford

job: Senior management trainer, Advanced Management Training Group KK

Age: 32
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Hometown: Abbotsford
job: Senior management trainer, Advanced Management Training Group KK

I moved here because I have always been a people person, and working for a management training company in central Tokyo was an excellent opportunity.

The first thing I did was watch Canada play Brazil in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. I ran around my section with a Canadian flag and security tripled. Japan staged the event as a dry run for the World Cup, and they were on the lookout for hooligans.

The biggest shock was the lack of garbage cans in public spaces. I found myself walking around with food wrappers for hours.

The best thing about being here is a new challenge every day and having access to some very intelligent people from all over the world. I took Japanese lessons with the Israeli ambassador. I would often walk with him and his two bodyguards.

The biggest challenge has been accepting the slow speed of decision making. Doing business in Japan is all about the relationship. Time builds trust, and I cannot rush to close a deal.

What I miss most is the mix of cultures in Vancouver. Walking in my neighbourhood, it is rare to see a foreign face. I sometimes forget I am not Japanese, but I am sure none of my neighbours fail to notice.

The pace of life is fast and stimulating. Overtime is the norm. Some of my friends have pillows in their offices for those days they need to work overnight. After a while, it seems normal.

The food is top quality. There is food from all over the world, but what really surprised me is the number of Indian restaurants in Tokyo.

What B.C. could learn from Tokyo is recycling. Their programs are very well developed, and that took a little getting used to.

If I had to do it over again I would have forced myself to master Japanese at a business level. There are many ways to offend by not using the appropriate level of formality, and you cannot afford many mistakes.