In this Byline ICS piece, we interviewed Viola, a current MBA student, who shared her job hunting journey in Japan.

While some university degrees put you on a particular career path, the post-graduation trajectories of MBA grads are pretty varied. People who go for their MBA degrees are usually mid-career professionals who have some working experience and are looking to broaden their career opportunities. Frequently, MBA students aspire to management functions or a career change. Many paths will open up to you after obtaining your MBA degree, with specific advantages for those who want to further their career in Japan or a business with Japan-related relations.

If you are considering a  career in Japan, you may be thinking about ways to break into the Japanese job market. One thing to note is that Japan is continuously looking at alternatives to keep its economy going with a shrinking working force, so there might be some attractive opportunities for global MBA graduates.

For this edition of the faculty interview, Charlie (Class of 2020) has interviewed Professor Satoshi (Toshi) Akutsu. Akutsu received his B.A. and M.A. from Hitotsubashi University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.

Prior to joining Hitotsubashi University as an assistant professor, he was a post-doctoral research fellow at the Institute of Management, Innovation, and Organization at the Haas School. Upon returning to Hitotsubashi, his alma mater, he was one of the starting members of Hitotsubashi ICS, where he has been involved not only in teaching but also research and the school administration. During the 2007-2008 academic year, he took a sabbatical at UC Berkeley where he was affiliated with both the Haas School and the Department of Psychology. He was also a member of the Culture and Cognition Laboratory and affiliated with IPSR at UC Berkeley. We sat with Akutsu to dive deeper into his roles as an educator, researcher, and administrator.

In this Byline ICS piece, Pun MBA Class of 2020, whom we previously interviewed regarding her Japanese Language studies, shares her experience of doing a short-term homestay with a family in Tokyo. Read in this blog post why she decided to live with a host family and the rewards this experience has brought.  

(Updated: January 22, 2024)

We know applying might seem like a challenging process even before you start. However, with a little bit of planning and commitment, you can finish your application in 7 days! Here are some tips and recommendations from our team at Hitotsubashi ICS on how to tackle the MBA application in ONE week:

Life before Hitotsubashi ICS

Before coming to ICS, I worked for First Advantage in Seoul for three years as a Researcher & Client Manager. This was the longest period that I stayed in the same country ever since I left Korea to study abroad at the age of thirteen.

There are several points to consider when you are applying for an MBA degree; your CV, finances, and demonstrating an academic aptitude, to name a few. One of the most challenging parts of applying for an MBA is writing a great application essay. Still, the good news is that thorough preparation will go a long way. When you are applying for a global MBA in Japan, there are specific advantages that obtaining this degree at this university will give you. Laying out these benefits and having a clear goal will help you convince the reader of the essay of your suitability for the program. Let’s have a look at the admission requirements for a global MBA in Japan, various reasons for aspiring to obtain this degree, and advice on how to process your reasons into an application essay.

An important question to ask yourself before pursuing any degree, let alone a degree abroad, is if it’s worth doing. This guide will show you a breakdown of the different areas where you can make the most out of your efforts towards an MBA in Japan.