Bridging Japan and the World - Cross-border Consulting & Executive Search
BRIDGING JAPAN &
THE WORLD
Cross-border Consulting & Executive Search
Based in Japan. Lived in China, Dubai, and India.

Bridging Japan and the World, End to End

Cross-border Consulting
& Executive Search

Led by a founder with 20+ years in recruitment,
working across borders.

Stuck somewhere in between?

→

Indian Companies Entering Japan

You want to enter the Japanese market, but you don’t know who to work with.
Everyone is polite, yet you sense an invisible wall.
A year goes by with no results, and you start to consider pulling out.

→

Japanese Companies Entering India

You want to do business in India, but you don’t know whom to trust.
Finding people who speak English is easy. Getting things done is another story.
Without a clear answer, the evaluation just drags on.

Why do companies get stuck?
Business is about people, and these two labor markets are almost opposite.

 India & ChinaJapan
Population10x+ JapanShrinking
Young talentAbundantEspecially scarce
English speakersManyFew
Job changesCommonLegacy of lifetime employment
DismissalFlexibleDifficult

In India and China, one job posting can bring 1,000 applications.
In Japan, executive search fees now run 40 to 50% of annual salary.
The same approach does not work.

If six months pass without a leader in place, what stops during those six months?
Unfilled searches become known in the market, and they only get harder.
I have seen this happen to many companies.

To solve it, I work on both sides, feeling the differences and understanding each, and connect them end to end.


This is how far we go to connect across borders.

An Indian Fashion Manufacturer Entering Japan

Company setup, office search, and the search for a Japan head, all running in parallel

(1) Visit the headquarters in India
(2) Meet the owners and decision makers in person
(3) Convey their vision to candidates in Japan
(4) Bring the owners, candidates, and partners together in Japan

29 days from the first visit in India to the first interview in Japan.

A Japanese Beauty Company Entering India

Starting from zero, now in talks with the largest beauty platform

(1) Walk into Indian companies on behalf of a Japanese client
(2) Secure a meeting with the market leader, even without an appointment
(3) Report on-the-ground market research back to Japan
(4) Act as the intermediary while finding someone to lead locally

Met the No.1 player on day two of cold visits. No.2 turned us away, then agreed to meet 15 days later.

Kaoru Fujii, Founder and CEO profile photo

Cross-Border HR Consultant |
Founder & CEO, Japan and UAE

Kaoru Fujii

I want to help you build your cross-border capability.

I have lived in China for seven years, then Dubai, and now India.

Living abroad taught me something: it is Japan that is different.

If you have tried to do business in Japan, you may have felt it too.

I want to bridge that gap for you, and help you build the capability to cross it yourself.

BOTH SIDES

A track record of connecting across borders, end to end

BRAND & HR

From the brand side to executive search

OVER 20 YEARS

Over 20 years in recruitment

OVER 6,000 PEOPLE

Career conversations with 6,000+ professionals of many nationalities

0% EARLY TURNOVER

Zero early turnover in 8+ years since founding

Placement Track Record

Brand Business &
Entertainment × Tech


From Western, Chinese, and Indian companies to Japanese global firms,
we have placed many senior leaders, including Country Managers.

SAKURA Medical and Dental
% ARABICA
% ARABICA

I joined % Arabica thanks to Kaoru's precise proposal and careful support. I came from the fashion industry and had no experience in coffee. She looked beyond industry background to my experience launching global brands in Japan, and presented that to the company.

Her practical advice during the selection process gave me confidence. She is fast, trustworthy, and an agent I can fully rely on.

Testimony from the Japan Country Manager of a global coffee brand

SAKURA Medical and Dental

As a former flight attendant, leading a clinic on site was a new challenge for me. Ms Kaoru was very helpful throughout the recruitment process and was always willing to offer support and guidance when needed. Her positive encouragement and constructive feedback helped me prepare and improve along the way.

When I joined, a Japanese staff member she had introduced was already at the reception, a rare presence in Dubai, which was reassuring. I appreciated her professionalism, responsiveness, and willingness to help.

Testimony from the Manager of one of the largest Japanese clinics in Dubai

Kaoru is a highly passionate professional. Thanks to her, the establishment of our Japan entity and the hiring of our team were a success. She is a trusted partner who can support global expansion, and after more than six and a half years of working together, she has also become a good friend.
Looking ahead, as our company expands its business in the UAE, we also look forward to her support in recruitment
.

— Testimony from the Founder of HelloTalk, a multilingual communication app active in over 200 countries worldwide

I had never worked in an overseas global team before. But instead of letting me dwell on my lack of experience, she advised me on how to turn my passion for my current work and my future potential into strengths. As a result, I was able to achieve an unexpected career path—crossing borders from Japan to China and working at a global headquarters.

— Testimony from a Game Creator at NetEase Games, one of China’s leading major gaming companies

— Testimony from the Head of the U.S. entity of Makeblock, a Shenzhen-born global EdTech company

— Testimony from the Leader of a Japan-China Joint Venture with Yeahka, a Shenzhen-based listed FinTech company

— Testimony from an International Sales Leader, Hakuhodo, one of Japan’s leading advertising agencies

Within a short period, Ms. Fujii introduced two candidates to our Shenzhen headquarters: a Marketing Director and a Marketing Specialist for the Japan market. One of them was based in the UK, yet despite the difficult circumstances of the pandemic, she smoothly supported their cross-border transition to China.
Her ability to bridge cultural and professional gaps between China and multiple countries is truly remarkable. We also look forward to her role in bridging with the Middle East in the future.

— Testimony from Board Member & Japan Representative, EcoFlow, a Shenzhen-born unicorn and innovator in the large-capacity battery sector

Ms. Fujii has successfully introduced more than six executives, including CEOs in Japan. She is an incredibly reliable partner.
Once she makes a commitment, she never gives up until the placement is finalized. That is why we entrusted her with an exclusive retained search for a CEO representing more than 500 employees, and she impressively completed the placement in about two months.
As our company pursued its vision of “One Asia,” she personally conducted market research in both China and Japan, and by incorporating her insights, she proposed the most suitable candidate to our headquarters in Italy. I believe this was the key to our success.

— Testimony from the HR Director of FURLA, a global brand originating from Italy

Ms. Fujii provided meticulous support, connecting New York, Europe, Hong Kong, and Tokyo all the way through to my successful placement.
At that time, I was working at the New York headquarters of a brand and was seeking a career move to APAC (Asia). She introduced me as the Head of the Japan division of that brand.
She seamlessly connected four key locations—New York, the Italy headquarters, APAC management in Hong Kong, and Tokyo—navigating time zone differences with careful and smooth coordination.
Her wealth of information and efficient facilitation were of great help to me. I am truly grateful.

— Testimony from the General Manager of MD, Zegna, a global brand originating from Italy

Ms. Fujii has successfully introduced a total of five professionals, including Brand Heads and department leaders. She is a rare and trustworthy professional.
Even when entrusted with challenging exclusive searches, she created candidate lists and responded with persistence. For highly confidential projects with urgent hiring deadlines, she worked strategically and swiftly, calculating backward from the desired start date.
I truly appreciate her attitude of “prioritizing our company’s goals above all,” and regard her as an honest and reliable partner.

— Testimony from the APAC Head of HR, Swatch Group, a major conglomerate originating from Switzerland


I have long experience in HR and have met many recruiters, but from the very beginning I found Ms. Fujii to be an intriguing professional.
The reason is that she cared less about immediate placements and more about the candidate’s career itself, listening attentively to my story. It was the same when she presented a job description to me. To be honest, at first I wasn’t very keen on changing jobs, but I trusted her words: “My job is to present you with good opportunities, and I will never pressure you afterward.” That turned out to be true.
Because of this, I was able to make my own decision, and as a result, I achieved a great career advancement. I am grateful for that.

— Testimony from an HR Manager at Richemont, a major conglomerate originating from France