Empowering cross-cultural business in Japan「Startup Guild Japan」の共同代表を務める團翔太さん

日本と外国の起業家たちが主に英語で交流する大阪を拠点としたコミュニティー「Startup Guild Japan」の共同代表を務める團翔太さん。日本でビジネスを始めたい海外の起業家と、海外でビジネスチャンスを狙う日本の起業家を結ぶ懸け橋として活躍している。

Since Shota Dan embarked on a career as an entrepreneur, he has sought to bridge the gap between his native Japan and the English-speaking world.

First, in 2018, he became an independent guide of sake breweries in the Kansai area, introducing inbound tourists to the various ways of appreciating Japan’s national drink. Now he is the co-founder of Startup Guild Japan, a community created by startups, for startups that has been running since 2022. His goal was to create an international community in his hometown of Osaka where Japanese and foreign business owners could come together for support, advice and camaraderie.

“I met many people from overseas who wanted to start a business in Japan but were facing many struggles. At the same time, I felt that Japanese entrepreneurs needed more access to the world outside Japan,” he said. “I saw that each group had a lot of experience and expertise to offer the other.”

With Dan’s vision, Startup Guild Japan has grown to attract an average of 65 people from across Kansai at its regular networking and speaker events. Attendees are about 60% foreign, and English is their language of choice for events as it is a universal language, he says.

Dan agrees that proficiency in English enables people to have more professional and personal international experiences. Since graduating from Osaka University of Economics with a bachelor’s degree in information technology and social sciences in 2017 and entering the workforce, he has had opportunities to work with companies both in Japan and overseas ? something he attributes to his English skill.

“In Japan, English proficiency is relatively low compared to other developed countries, yet there are many foreigners who are interested in Japan but do not speak Japanese. Being able to communicate in English has allowed me to bridge this gap and engage in business with international partners,” he says. “My experience studying in the United States, in particular, has been crucial in shaping my career.”

His study abroad program helped him gain not only a high level of proficiency in English but also insight into the linguistic cultures of the United States and Japan. After learning how and why they were different, he had a new understanding and appreciation for speaking styles in Japanese and English.

While Japan is generally a high-context culture, where people communicate based on inherent understanding and omit information that seems obvious to the listener, the United States is a low-context culture, relying largely on explicit verbal explanations for clarity.

“English encourages clear communication, particularly in discussions. Unlike Japanese, where the subject can often be left ambiguous, English requires you to express it directly and clearly,” he says. These aspects of learning English are “challenging yet enjoyable,” he adds.

Dan has also found that speaking English requires him to share his opinions more than when speaking Japanese – another outcome of cultural difference. But he has long embraced the opportunity to more deeply consider his thoughts and talk about them, and he encourages other English language learners to do the same.

“When studying English, it’s important not just to focus on the language itself but also to consider what your own opinions are. English often requires you to express your thoughts clearly, so practice thinking about your views on various topics and how to articulate them in English. Instead of responding with ‘I don’t know’ when asked a question, try to think about what you really believe and how to express that in English. This will not only improve your language skills but also make you a more effective communicator.”

Like any kind of practice, it gets easier the more regularly it is done, he explains: “I often speak English with friends from different countries and I work with many colleagues and clients from abroad, so I find myself using English almost every day. It’s become an essential part of both my personal and professional life.”

Ultimately, though, Dan believes any effort spent learning English is worth it, noting that “simply being able to speak English can make you a valuable asset in Japan, both in your career and personal life.”

With interest in Japan growing globally in parallel to Japan’s efforts to internationalize, Dan hopes that he can continue to be a valuable bridge of language and culture. (Kathryn Wortley)

Words to live by