When I started ARAI & CO. in 1991, I made it my mission to help businesses with inbound investment in Japan.
After working nearly two decades for big corporate accounting firms, I was motivated to start a company which would provide an unrivaled level of personal service. Today, as a result, many companies who successfully entered the Japanese market with our support remain our clients.
As a business leader, I strive for continuous growth on both a professional and personal level. After getting my CPA license in Japan, I began working for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu International. Shortly thereafter, I was assigned to the New York office, where I spent two years serving Japanese clients. However, feeling limited and ready for a new challenge, I decided to take a hiatus to pursue an MBA at the University of Colorado Boulder.
A few years later (in between ski trips to the mountains), I was awarded an MBA in Finance. I returned to Deloitte as an auditor in Houston, Texas. Again, looking for a new challenge and opportunity to grow, I decided to study for the Texas CPA exam, which I passed after returning to Tokyo. I worked five more years as a manager for Deloitte, which gave me experience with high-profile international clients from a broad range of industries.
In the years leading up to the financial crisis in the early 1990s, I served as lead Financial Controller at CitiCorp Securities, and as Chief Financial Officer at Prudential Bache and Lehman Brothers. Then, the bubble burst and everything changed. In 1991, I became an entrepreneur.
I learned a great deal more than language skills during my time abroad, including an understanding of the mindset of foreign investors, knowledge which I offer to both ARAI & CO. employees and clients. Japan is my home, and I hope to encourage more companies to grow their businesses here.
