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 & China | Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10x+ Japan | Shrinking |
| Young talent | Abundant | Especially scarce |
| English speakers | Many | Few |
| Job changes | Common | Legacy of lifetime employment |
| Dismissal | Flexible | Difficult |
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.

A Message from the Founder

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.

Five Strengthsof Diverse Design

A track record of connecting across borders, end to end

From the brand side to executive search

Over 20 years in recruitment

Career conversations with 6,000+ professionals of many nationalities

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.












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
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
Ms. Fujii understood my strengths, experiences, and even my weaknesses more deeply than anyone else. She seriously thought together with me about how I could achieve my desired career. I feel fortunate to have met her—someone who goes beyond the role of a recruiter.
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
Others try to fit people into requirements, but Kaoru is different. Over the past four years, I have met with more than ten recruiters, and Kaoru has been the most dedicated consultant. When I had an on-site interview with a company in Los Angeles, she even came to the location with me.
She deeply understands both companies and candidates, going beyond lists to assess the true value of candidates, and achieves the best matching. She is a partner who can identify the “change leaders” of the future.
— Testimony from the Head of the U.S. entity of Makeblock, a Shenzhen-born global EdTech company
Kaoru is not only an excellent headhunter but also the best partner who truly understands me and thinks together about my future career. She aligned my aspirations with the company’s needs and even created a position for me.
Although I had no prior work experience in China, I was able to achieve a cross-border career move from Japan to China, and now I am responsible for a joint venture between a major Japanese company and Yeahka, a Shenzhen-listed FinTech firm.
— Testimony from the Leader of a Japan-China Joint Venture with Yeahka, a Shenzhen-based listed FinTech company
While many consultants dismissed my career as unconventional, Ms. Fujii was the only one who worked with me to design it.
We first met over 14 years ago, when I was working in Vietnam, and she supported my career move back to Japan. I was impressed by her enthusiasm in thinking about how to leverage my career and present it to companies. Thanks to her, I was able to achieve the career advancement I hoped for.
As a long-term career design partner, I have introduced many friends to her. I now greatly look forward to her future career support bridging East Asia and the UAE.
— 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
News & Columns
When the country changes, so do the rules of work.
We look at hiring and work through a cross-cultural lens and real examples from the field.
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“Japanese Foreigner in China, Dubai, and India” Vo.1
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A miracle connection bridges India and Japan 🇮🇳🇯🇵
A wonderful senior connection in India introduced me to an outstanding entrep… -
A new frontier unlocked — I’ve made it to Mumbai
Shenzhen → Bangkok → Delhi → Mumbai. After 10+ days on the road with a great …
Video Library
Working and hiring across borders.
Videos on the differences you meet on the ground, and how to bridge them.
Job Opportunities
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【New Country Head / 日本初代代表】老舗レザー・ファッション企業の日本責任者、法人立上げをお任せします。インドを拠点に創業30年、欧米の有名グローバルブランドの製造を手掛けてきた、品… -
【上場準備を財務で支える、Finance Head募集/上海・東京】日本発、中国で圧倒的な成長を遂げたスタートアップの財務責任者ポジションです。 … -
Global %ARABICA|Introducing the New Country Manager for Japan!Global premium coffee brand “% ARABICA.”I had the honor of introducing their …




