Himawan (left) from Indonesia and Hoang (right) from Vietnam. The two came to Japan due to their admiration for Japanese culture and their experience studying the language. They are now working at Yamasa Wakiguchi Suisan Co.,Ltd., a seafood processing company. Having honed their skills and grown through their work, they have now become indispensable members of the company. We spoke to them about why they decided to work in Japan, what life in Wakayama Prefecture is like, and what advice they have for foreign nationals looking to work in Japan. %3Ciframe%20width%3D%22560%22%20height%3D%22315%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FIx3xHrti6zQ%3Fsi%3DdtRWhBLKJG3OtYdd%22%20title%3D%22YouTube%20video%20player%22%20frameborder%3D%220%22%20allow%3D%22accelerometer%3B%20autoplay%3B%20clipboard-write%3B%20encrypted-media%3B%20gyroscope%3B%20picture-in-picture%3B%20web-share%22%20referrerpolicy%3D%22strict-origin-when-cross-origin%22%20allowfullscreen%3D%22%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3EWakayama, Blessed with Beautiful Nature, is a Comfortable Place to Live ── Please share with us your reasons for wanting to work in Japan. Himawan: I’ve loved Japanese music since I was in high school, which was a big factor. From there, I became interested in the Japanese language, and majored in Japanese literature in university. The deciding factor was that I would put the basic Japanese language skills I learned to good use. And to be honest, the main reason I wanted to work in Japan was because I wanted to earn more. The wages in Japan are higher than in Indonesia. Hoang: A big reason for me also is my love for Japanese culture - anime, games, movies, etc. since a young age. Also, when I joined a Japanese company in Vietnam, I went through a training program in my first month, where I was taught very thoroughly how to do my job, and that made me really want to work in Japan. ── Was there any particular reason for deciding to work in the fisheries industry in Wakayama Prefecture? Himawan: A friend told me about a job opening at a fisheries company in Wakayama. I looked into the company and found out that it was a large company specialising in the fisheries industry. At first, I wasn’t particularly interested in fisheries, but my interest grew after looking into it. I then interviewed and joined the company. Hoang: I didn’t have a specific reason for joining this particular company. I was introduced to my current company by a placement agency in Vietnam, had an interview, and joined the company. I didn’t particularly request to work in Wakayama, but it just so happened to be where my current company is located, and at first, I simply thought to go and give it a try. ── I see! How do you find Wakayama Prefecture after coming here?Himawan: My first impression of Wakayama upon moving here was that it was a place full of nature and greenery. The towns are small but surrounded by forest and nature. The air is cleaner than the city, and there are many kind people. I prefer environments like this, so I’m glad I’ve come to such a great place. Hoang: In comparison with other large urban cities, I find Wakayama has beautiful scenery and is a comfortable place to live. There are many kind people at the company, and I am living here peacefully. Everyone is kind, does their job well, and we hang out together on our days off. ── Next, please tell us about your jobs.Himawan: When I first joined the company, my duties were checking product inventory and invoices inside the factory. After about a year, I started to memorize the names of customers and clients, and now I work in the office, inputting shipping data and managing production and inventory data. Hoang: I’m in a leadership position in the department that oversees purchasing and cutting of fish according to customer requests. I assign tasks and manage the team of not just Vietnamese, but also Japanese and Indonesian employees. The most important part of my job is to ensure that my work and my staff’s work runs smoothly, and to make sure everyone is working safely with peace of mind. I pay particular attention to safety as we often work with dangerous tools such as knives. ── What is it like working in Japan?Himawan: The job itself was difficult at the beginning. When I worked at the factory, I struggled to deal with different order specifications for each customer. However, once I got used to it, it became interesting to me. The clerical work I do now involves not only inputting sales and order data, but also issuing invoices. The data codes and input methods differ depending on the product and customer, so it's difficult to remember them all. However, I feel a sense of accomplishment when I confirm the order details, arrange for shipping, and successfully get the job done.Hoang: Japanese is indeed a little difficult. 3 years ago I passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N2, but after that I returned to my home country for a bit where I rarely used Japanese, and forgot part of it. But as I worked and used Japanese, I began to remember things again, and when I don’t understand something in a conversation, I can just ask again and they will explain it to me carefully in more simple Japanese, which is really helpful. The staff I work with now are really familiar with each other, and we can work well together even with my current Japanese ability, so I’m grateful. For foreign nationals working in Japan for the first time, we recommend areas outside of major cities── Was there anything that made an impression on you since you started living in Japan?Hoang: In Vietnam, I found it easy to strike up conversations with strangers, but when I first came to Japan, I remember it being difficult to do so. Everyday conversation is quite different from textbook Japanese, so I often didn’t understand people’s questions, and it was hard to get used to it. Even with translation apps, there were a lot of mistakes. For example, the phrase “Daijobu desu” can mean OK or NO depending on the context, so I would get confused at times. But now I’m used to it, so it’s “daijobu” (laughs). Himawan: It’s so true that machine translation can’t capture nuances. At first, I also had trouble communicating in Japanese, but the people in the area I live now are all kind, and were able to piece together what I meant to say, so I was happy. ── How is food in Japan? Are there any problems? Hoang: Actually, despite my job, I don’t like raw fish (laughs). There are some Japanese foods that I don’t do well with, so I mostly cook my own food. I had experience running a ramen shop in Vietnam, so I sometimes make Vietnamese-style ramen. I can pretty much make anything I want to eat myself, so there’s no problem.Himawan: I like Japanese meat curry. When I want to eat food from my home country, I shop at the supermarket, and cook with friends at home. My favorite dishes are ayam bakar (Indonesian fried chicken bowl) and nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice). ── The flavors of home are hard to forget, after all. Moving on, what are some of the most enjoyable moments about living in Japan? Hoang: I have the most fun playing golf with people from work. It makes me happy to see my score gradually improving. Also, the golf course is on top of a mountain, so it’s great to be able to see the beautiful scenery of ponds and nature from there.Himawan: I also enjoy going out with people from work. Sometimes I go to Shirahama, or eat with my boss, or go swimming in the river in summer. Recently, my family joined me in Japan, and I enjoy speaking to the nursery school teachers when dropping off my child there. I like communicating with a variety of people both inside and outside of work. ── Now for the last question. Do you have any advice for foreign nationals who are thinking about working in Wakayama Prefecture?Hoang: I’m sure many young people come to Japan because they’re attracted to cities like Osaka and Tokyo, but I think it’s better to start in areas outside of the major cities. The local people are very kind and are always willing to help if you need anything. The older people in particular often talk to you, and you feel warmth like you’re part of a family. I think working in such an environment is good for foreigners who are not used to Japan. Himawan: Also, people tend to think that salaries are low outside of major cities, but it’s possible to get a raise when you’ve gained experience. In the city, costs of living are high, so expenses pile up and it’s hard to save money. From a financial perspective, working outside major cities is a good option I believe. I really like the environment in Wakayama so I’ve brought my family and am thinking of moving my entire life here. I Want Them to be Role Models for Foreign StaffTo conclude our interview, we spoke to Naoki Okamoto, Sales Manager of Yamasa Wakiguchi Co., Ltd, about his impressions of the two. ▲Okamoto Naoki is the President of Wakiguchi Tuna Technical Research Institute (Group Company / Registered Support Organisation) and Head of Sales of Yamasa Wakiguchi Suisan Co.,Ltd. As a Registered Support Organization, his duties include being in charge of the work environment and lifestyle support for foreign employees with the “Specified Skilled Worker” residence status.Okamoto: Himawan is a very earnest and sincere person. He doesn’t behave frivolously, and lives very mindfully. When communicating in Japanese, he sometimes has some difficulty in understanding and expressing himself, but he doesn't get emotional in those situations; instead, he accepts that he didn't understand enough and responds positively. I think that attitude is wonderful.Hoang doesn’t have a loud personality, but is rather a quiet, honest worker. He is also thinking carefully about his future and is working hard at his current job. For example, he is doing lots of research about taking qualification exams, bringing his family over, getting his driver's license, and buying a house, showing his determination to build a solid life for himself. Rather than earning a temporary living in a big city like Tokyo or Osaka, he aims to establish his life in this area and live a stable life with his family. I really appreciate the way he acts with this mindset.Hoang has a “Specified Skills No.1” residence status, and we’ve discussed his hopes to take the test for the “Specified Skills No.2” residence status in October of this year. He is currently demonstrating his abilities in his work to keep the production line moving quickly, and is active in his role as the head of the manufacturing section. He has accumulated experience since his days as a technical intern trainee, and now has Japanese subordinates. He is being paid a managerial position allowance, and has gone from being paid an hourly wage to a monthly salary. He is a valuable asset, and now that he can see his future career in sight, he is also positive about bringing his family over to Japan.We have 12 other foreign staff members at our company, so I would like these two to be role models for them, not just in terms of work, but also in terms of adapting to Japanese culture and building their lives.※The information in this article is current as of the time of the interview (July 2025).Interview Cooperation：Yamasa Wakiguchi Suisan Co.,Ltd.© Wakayama Tourism Federation