Exp@t Japan

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There is a word one hears often in Japan at this time of year: "gogatsubyo," which literally means "May illness." When I first heard it, I wondered why an illness would be associated with the month of May.

I found myself in a funny situation when I arrived at my office on my first day in Japan in August 1996.

This is my eighteenth time to welcome in the spring season in Japan. The graceful "sakura" cherry blossoms and transformational winds are things I look forward to each year.

Japan is a safe place where you can walk around everywhere, even late at night, without feeling any sort of danger -- except for one place.

This year, many Japanese universities are talking about changing the school calendar so that classes begin in autumn instead of spring.

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What is "Exp@t Japan"?

"Exp@t Japan" is a column written by foreign business leaders based in Tokyo. The stories cover topics ranging from corporate culture to observations about life in Japan. The column appears in The Nikkei evening edition every Monday under the title "Nippon Business Senki" (Japanese Business War Chronicle).

Line Up

  • Robert Siedell

    President, Japan, American Express International Inc.

  • Sanjeev Sinha

    Sun and Sands Advisors Co.

  • Mark Du Ree

    Chairman, Adecco Japan

  • Mark Smith

    President, Merck Serono Co.

  • Eiso Alberda van Ekenstein

    President, Teijin Techno Products Ltd.