If you are on the lookout for an MBA program, you will naturally use different criteria to pick your top choices. Often, rankings become one of the important aspects that make universities stand out amongst each other. With rankings, you can quickly determine their reputation in a variety of areas. You can also compare them based on your individual needs and predict how satisfied you would be with their program.

Depending on what step you are in your journey, you may be feeling overwhelmed as you’re flooded with facts and figures on the admissions sites. Or maybe you have a clear picture of what you want and need a program that matches it. There are many Japanese universities to put into consideration and several other choices that should be kept in mind.

 Whether you have yet to begin your search or have already started, this guide can help steer you in the right direction.

On June 2021, during Term 4, as a part of the Entrepreneurial Management class led by Prof. Yasuhiro (Yasu) Yamakawa, Hitotsubashi ICS MBA students (Class of 2020) made their team rocket pitches as a part of the Thursday Gathering event hosted by Venture Cafe Tokyo at CIC Tokyo, one of the liveliest startup/innovation ecosystems/habitats in this city.

In this Byline ICS edition, MBA Shoko Gervais, tells us why she decided to pursuit an MBA at Hitotsubashi ICS, after several years of working in the banking industry and the across the globe journey that her family embarked on to pursue her dream.  

Student Board is a student-driven organization that represents and serves the cohort throughout the academic year. They raise funds, organize multiple events and become a bridge between the class and the school administration. As usual, this year's Student Board Election took place at the beginning of the academic year. As a result, ten board members were selected and started working together. 

Getting an MBA requires a significant investment of both your time and money. So, it is natural to analyze the added value of an MBA degree in general and specifically for you. The answer to that question will depend on your personal and professional background and, most importantly, on the motivation behind your application and your future career aspirations. 

At Hitotsubashi ICS, students are genuinely at the center of our activities. Every year we have a mid-year feedback session with students and have an open-door policy. For example, as a result of feedback from some of the MBA class of 2018 students, the MBA team and Career Services partnered up to develop Japanese Business Economics 2 and 3 (JBE 2 & 3) a 2-module 4-credit class that equipped students with practical Japanese business skills that they can apply when working at Japanese companies.

Among courses taught at Hitotsubashi ICS, JBE 2 & 3 offer students practical and immersive experiences. Specifically, JBE 3 integrates a one-week internship at an SME in the prefecture of Tokushima. Read about JBE3 MBA students' final presentations (AY 2020-2021), about their Tokushima internship here. 

Getting an MBA degree is an investment of money and time, no matter where you study. In the end, being an MBA grad will provide you with many opportunities for well-paid employment, so it is well worth the investment. But how about studying for an MBA in Japan?

Are you thinking about finding a job in Japan? Working in one of the world's most advanced economies can be a gratifying experience, and opportunities for highly skilled international professionals have been on the rise for years. However, before you move to another country to find a job, it is a good idea to learn a bit more about that country's culture and business environment to get an idea of what to expect of life in that country.

You should look into the work culture; Japan is known to have a conservative one. However, things have been gradually changing over the past decade.

Many prospective MBA students contemplate doing an MBA abroad to widen their horizons, with the US and Europe being the most popular destinations. However, if prospective students are from a non-English speaking country, doing their MBA in English adds to the degree's value if they aspire to boost their career in an international setting. 

Are you looking into furthering your education in Japan and advance your career afterward? Then obtaining an MBA in Japan could be an exciting option for you, not in the least because of the extraordinary ROI. In addition to developing your leadership skills, you will gain Japan-specific insights, regional expertise in Asia, and cross-cultural communication abilities to manage virtual teams. Furthermore, the lifelong network you will build at Business School might help enhance your post MBA career and throughout your professional life. 

 Over the Summer, Hitotsubashi ICS co-hosted along with the ICS Alumni Association the first 100% online Alumni Day on Saturday, June 26. The event was co-hosted by Professor Yoshi Fujikawa (Yoshi), the faculty in charge of the external relations and external affairs, and Lavi Penaverde (Lavi), an alumna from our very first batch, graduating all the way back in 2001. Lavi joined us from Manila, Philippines.

If you want to secure a coveted spot at a high-quality institution for studying toward an MBA degree, you will need to write a strong resume to go with your application. As universities want to select the most motivated students who are most likely to succeed in and after their program, applications are reviewed meticulously. This is no different in Japan, where obtaining an MBA from a program in English can provide you with a great head start in the world of international business in Japan. But the good news is that it is much easier to get past the balloting committee if you know what they are looking for in applicants’ CVs.

Some may feel that Japan could be a country where is hard to live in, especially if you don’t speak the language, however, you will be surprised about how easy it is to navigate life in Japan’s larger cities. For example, Tokyo has become a very cosmopolitan metropolis in the last 2 decades, currently the residence of more than 500,000 foreigners. Japan’s capital is also a very dynamic city that offers everything you need and more to stay entertained. Plus, Tokyo is also the home of some of the world’s best universities in the globe, where you can get your MBA degree. Let’s have a look at what life in Japan as an MBA student in Tokyo has to offer!

 In Japan, MBAs are often research-based. In 2003, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) approved the establishment of MBA programs within “professionally-geared graduate schools” to further advance practical skills, and the number of MBA programs offered at graduate schools is increasing in Japan. While the US follows AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and the UK follows the QAA (Quality Assurance Agency) for accreditation, Japanese MBA programs are accredited through the Ministry of Education. Hitotsubashi ICS is also certified under AACSB, which extends its accreditation and recognition to a global scale.