Global Marketing Manager

The conviction of "Empowering Japan!" This is the very idea that pushed me while working at the central government for nearly ten years. While employed in the civil service, I was involved in formulating various governmental policies. But in the end, I came to the realization that "new things cannot last unless they have their own structures to run money."

The Japanese economy has been sustained by the manufacturing of automobiles, household appliances and other high-tech products and technologies. The country has also been supported by local products that have been nurtured and grown across the nation. These locally-produced goods put Japan in a whole other league when compared to other countries in terms of their high quality and abundance.

But they would be at the risk of extinction, unless everyone uses them. I joined Rakuten, being convinced that this company was one of the few places that can truly "empower Japan". Rakuten creates many services used by people not only in Japan but by people all over the world - - I believe that in turn is the biggest key to "Empowering Japan".

I am in charge of overseas sales for Rakuten Ichiba. We serve people in various countries by allowing them to purchase many Japanese commercial items and coordinating shipping for these orders. This service allows everyone to enjoy Japanese culture and lifestyle wherever they are in the world.

We are currently working hard to publicize this service so that people in other countries will be able to enjoy what Japan offers to the rest of the world. For example, we create sites in many different languages, promote marketing activities in various countries, and also conduct campaigns to introduce interesting products.

We use tie-ups with online ad-agencies worldwide in planning overseas marketing campaigns for Rakuten Ichiba. We listen to our customers' voices from around the globe, and discuss the kind of products that are sought out by customers from various countries. The marketing strategies of member merchants and commercial items overseas are the same as those on Rakuten Ichiba in Japan, but other than those, we must recreate everything for foreign markets. Our work is similar to working at a venture company; communicating with the whole world. Every day is exciting and new.

Rakuten is a place where people who like to try new things gather. Here, various kinds of professionals work together on collaborative projects, providing an unprecedented amount of chances to progress your career. There are no only collaborations between employees, but also unlimited potential for joint projects between business units.

Rakuten provides many services such as Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Travel, finance, and entertainment that have now become an indispensable part of people's lives. There are still many new projects and services that we hope to realize in the coming years.

Rakuten might not be a good fit for those who lack a strong sense of direction or only work to seek promotions. If you are the type of person who has a strong drive to succeed, likes to propose new ideas, and has the ability to respond flexibly to new developments, then you will be able to thrive at Rakuten. Before you realize it, you will have gathered a wealth of experience and success that you could not possibly have gained working elsewhere. I am looking forward to meeting many more new people as Rakuten continues to grow and change.