Last month, U Share Nishiwaseda—the international student dorm in the heart of Tokyo—welcomed a special guest: Yusaku Kawashima, who shared his valuable career experiences and unique insights into the working environments of both Japan and the United States.
Born in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, Yusaku grew up in a diverse environment and spent two years abroad as an exchange student during high school and university. These early experiences gave him a firsthand look at cultural differences. After graduating from university in Japan, however, he faced the rigid timeline of the Japanese job-hunting system. Unlike many of his peers who moved straight into full-time employment, Yusaku spent two years working part-time jobs. “That was the hardest time in my career,” he recalled. “Low wages, no job security.”
Determined to turn things around, he entered Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The role was demanding, but his passion for studying abroad never faded. Some nights, after finishing work close to 2 A.M., he would head to a 24-hour internet café to refine his graduate school applications and improve his English. His perseverance paid off: after seven years of relentless effort, he received offers from two of the world’s most prestigious institutions—Harvard Kennedy School and Johns Hopkins University.
During his master’s program, Yusaku interned at the World Bank, where he later secured a full-time position and went on to work for seven years. His remarkable journey highlights the importance of persistence, planning, and building strong networks in both academic and professional fields.
U Share residents also had the chance to ask Yusaku about the differences between the working cultures and education systems of Japan and the United States, gaining insights that will surely guide their future career paths.
