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.

From the falling petals and leaves to the tuition fees, earning an MBA can be an almost entirely different experience between Japan and the US. As the business world becomes more globalized, you might wonder about which country would be the right fit for you.

If you are debating between MBA programs across the seas or are just curious, you have arrived at the right destination. This comparison can help you navigate your 

The life of an MBA student tends to revolve around a routine, no matter which country you are studying in. However, being a student in a country different from where you were born and raised can bring you a wealth of knowledge beyond the classroom.

Like any other graduate school program, the application process can be long and would require some self-reflection. When we apply for programs overseas, there is an added layer of questions to answer as an aspiring international student. In this guide, we will explain the MBA application process in Japan and the best way to approach your future academic goals. Whether you’re fresh out of undergrad, already working, or a non-traditional student, we have you covered.

Although our MBA program is fully conducted in English, many international students have significantly improved their Japanese by graduation. How do they do it? In this Byline ICS, we had a chance to hear from Pun, who studies Japanese at Hitotsubashi ICS and also at a Japanese language school outside of the campus. 

Pun(Punyavadee Yiengsubhanond)
Pun is a second-year student at Hitotsubashi ICS from Thailand under the MEXT scholarship
program. Before joining Hitotsubashi ICS, she worked in the auditing and accounting field at PwC and Agoda. She is in the middle of exploring many challenges to expand her experience and learn more about herself.

Almost 80% of the students come from outside of Japan and a majority of the students are willing to pursue a career in Japan after graduation. Although our MBA program is fully conducted in English, many international students have significantly improved their Japanese by graduation. How do they do it?

In this article, we asked three MBA students (Class of 2020), Kin, Viola, and Yiwei, about their experiences of learning Japanese.

Doing an MBA in a foreign country is an exciting challenge. We receive many questions from candidates who have families to bring to enjoy this new challenge together. The answer is, Yes, of course! In this Byline ICS, we introduce Chinmay Acharya’s story, who brought his family from India during his MBA.

In this second part of our interview with Professor Asuka Takaoka, we discuss her doctoral thesis research, how she balanced her DBA studies, work, personal commitments; and what she learned from her DBA at Hitotsubashi ICS. (Read part 1 of this blogpost here)

There have been fewer opportunities to feature the DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) program, our doctorate program at Hitotsubashi ICS compared to our MBA and DBA programs. In this edition of our alumni voices, we sat down with DBA graduate, Asuka Takaoka, to talk about her DBA journey at Hitotsubashi ICS.

Asuka graduated from the part-time DBA program while working full-time. We talked to her about why she decided to pursue a doctoral degree, how she spent her five years at DBA, her research theme, and how she manages her time. We have divided the interview into two parts.

Charlie, Nabe, Shige, and I joined the Yale Africa Startup Review this year, where our team, the "Otaku Four," collaborated with Developers In Vogue (DIV). DIV is a Ghanaian NGO that provides African women with IT education, such as programming to boost the social advancement of African women.

In 2020, 87% of the graduates who were job-hunting in Japan successfully found a job. In particular, amongst the two-year program graduates who were actively seeking a job in Japan, 100% of them were offered a position.  

On January 26, 2021, a webinar titled “DYNAMIC CAPABILITIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL AGILITY: RISK, UNCERTAINTY, AND STRATEGY IN THE NEW NORMAL” was hosted by Hitotsubashi ICS and The Berkeley Research Group.

Dean Kaz facilitated the 90-minute webinar, where three prominent professors gave presentations followed by a Q&A session.

Norio Imai, a DBA student of Hitotsubashi ICS shared the event report with us.