I think it's pretty clear that Japan is in for a turbulent second quarter (Apr-Jun) this year, and many companies are going to be in trouble. The buy-out funds, ever on the prowl for distressed asset opportunities, know this and are getting ready to wade in. All this chaos is going to create a new class of manager: someone who...

Going out and getting a job is a forgotten art. While the Japanese economy wasn't so great during the nineties, most of us somehow managed to hold down a long-term job. But the last 12 months have changed everything, and lots of mid-career people are finding themselves out pounding the streets again. Part of what we all learn when going to our very first job interview is...

In Japan's stagnant economy, very few sectors are doing well. These rare healthy sectors are characterized by some unique market factor that has created an unbalance and thus a business opportunity. One such sector is healthcare, where technological breakthroughs are occurring in pharmaceuticals, genomics, and medical technology. Healthcare needs increase as one ages, and Japan is...

After being in a comfortable, well-paid job for a while, a lot of people lose their ability to survive on the streets. But in today's economy, more and more people in high-level positions are being summoned to their boss's office and being told the words, "You're fired." This is particularly true in the foreign banking sector here in Tokyo, where perhaps as many as 35,000 have already or will soon lose their jobs. With so many highly skilled...