Thriving in Tokyo: Maya Matsuka on Her Transformative GLOBIS MBA Experience

Drawn to GLOBIS for its unique Tokyo-based English MBA, Maya Matsuoka found not just practical business knowledge–but also profound personal development and a supportive community. Through her experiences, Maya gained the confidence to secure a managerial position in a new field.

In this interview, Maya offers invaluable advice for professionals navigating Japan’s unique business culture.

Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?

In 2019, I was at a crossroads. I realized that due to structural limitations, I wouldn’t have any opportunities to grow and learn at my work while I was eager to learn new things and gain more diverse work experiences.

I was looking for opportunities to grow, and I realized that such opportunities would be more numerous outside the industry I was working in. That’s when I decided to take business studies.

I did a four-month online course with Harvard, but a friend of mine was studying at GLOBIS, and I decided that this was the opportunity to take the first step towards a career change.

Why was GLOBIS the right choice for your MBA journey?

I wasn’t aware that it was possible to do an MBA in English in Japan and was looking for opportunities to go to Harvard. This wasn’t easy, though, as my daughter was young, and my husband had his job in Tokyo; then a friend of mine said she was doing an English MBA at GLOBIS. I did a search and attended one of the trial lessons. After the lesson, the key word wasn’t “if” but “when?”

Did GLOBIS help you achieve any personal or professional goals?

The curriculum of GLOBIS has courses that provide practical knowledge of business strategy, analytics, management, marketing, financial accounting, etc. Gaining knowledge through them was the first step to gaining confidence. But what really helped me become more confident, focused, and self-aware as a professional were the courses that taught us to look inside ourselves, reflect on our experiences and situations that we find difficult to deal with, pay more attention to our surroundings, and develop a nuanced approach to problem solving.

Thanks to this newly acquired confidence, I communicate better; I managed to change the industry I worked in and am now in a managerial position where I can apply many of the things I learned in GLOBIS.

How was your experience with the GLOBIS community?

I loved it. The faculty was great—I very much appreciate the fact that they have hands-on experience rather than simply academic knowledge. My fellow students were great, too! I loved the group work during and before classes on a number of projects. We also networked at every opportunity that came our way (meaning all the time), and the mutual support was real.

The student office was very helpful, too, going out of their way to organize events where we could network further.

Do you have any favorite memories from GLOBIS?

My favorite memories are of several classes—the group project of Digital Marketing Psychology, the group work in the Service Management classes, the cases we worked on in the Entrepreneurial Leadership course, the discussions we had in the Japanese Management – New Systems, Lasting Values courses, and many more. I loved going to SpiceHub with my fellow classmates after class where we all had fun talking about the courses, work, and even private life.

Could you share some insights from your experience building business connections and working in Japan?

Japan is a market that many people find difficult to enter and also difficult to leave. There are many cultural gaps that, when not understood and approached with sufficient knowledge and understanding, can be detrimental to your professional career. To overcome these gaps, it is necessary to be patient, empathetic, and generous—be it with your local colleagues or your Japanese customers.

On the surface, many of the business practices and values in Japan do not make sense to non-Japanese people; however, behind every one of them there is a tradition and a reason. So, instead of butting your head against the wall, wondering why things are happening in a certain way, look for that reason. Be patient.

It is important to work with your Japanese colleagues and do not only your fair share of the workload but go a step further—do that tiny “+α” thing for your colleague, team, or community. Be an active, well-meaning, yet humble participant, and things will start happening for you.