HeyJaredThe Rising Sun | Stephen J. Maddex
Discussion and analysis of Japanese business culture from a Western perspective.
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
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- Sep 25, 2026
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- Aug 24, 2026
Latest issues
How I Got a Japanese CEO Fired (opens the original)
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In this video, I tell the truly fascinating story of how I was used by the shareholder of a Japanese jewelry company to take out the CEO who had been running the company for 20 years, as a means to take back control of the company. It is a crazy story of the kind of palace intrigue one might expect would have occurred in ancient Japan where palace insiders used guile and deceit to gain power and control. In Japan, things rarely are what they seem to be. And this is a great example of how power o
Want to Thrive Working in a Japanese Company? (opens the original)
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In the following video, I provide practical advice based on my own experience working in Japanese companies to help Westerners thrive in Japan. In particular, it is important to understand your role within the company and how to properly behave to create the most comfortable work environment. I also provide a few tips from a legal perspective that can help Westerners get the most out of their work experience in Japan.<p class="cta-
Surviving a Japanese Cargo Cult (opens the original)
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In the following video, we discuss how, because of sempai kohai culture, Japanese businesses often exhibit the characteristics of a cargo cult, where they attempt to mimic the conduct of others (who are actually engaged in very complex work or systems). without fully understanding the conduct they are observing, but nevertheless expect the same result.Thanks for reading The Rising Sun! Subscribe fo
Japanese Women in the Workforce: Do Japanese Women Have the Most Freedom in the World? (opens the original)
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In this video, I provide a deep analysis of Japanese business culture in the context of how corporate hierarchy and other important cultural rules often create an extremely difficult and restrictive work environment that results in employers enjoying total control over their employees' lives, including where and when they work and whether employees can have children or buy a home. Whereas Japanese men generally have no choice but to endure to provide an income for their families, Japanese women
Are Japanese Companies Actually the Most Inefficient in the World? (opens the original)
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Given the enormous success of so many famous Japanese brands and given their reputation for having a hard-working and group-oriented workforce, many people may have the impression that Japanese companies are extremely well run and efficient. In my experience, living and working in Japan for more than 15 years, including 9 years as a bilingual attorney, nothing could be further from the truth. In this video, I discuss how, because of ancient cultural rules (in particular, the sempai-kohai relatio
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