My History
Tomorrow will surely be better than today. That’s the feeling I had when I visited Vietnam in 1995 as an employee of Recruit Co., Ltd. At the time, Vietnam was just beginning to see the results of its Doi Moi economic reforms. For the first time under the formerly communist system, individuals could start their own businesses. The atmosphere was vibrant and full of energy. Despite the country’s poverty, the young people I met had eyes full of hope and ambition. I was instantly drawn to Vietnam.
In contrast, Japan at that time was weighed down by uncertainty. Following the burst of the economic bubble, the nation was entering a prolonged recession. The Great Hanshin Earthquake and the Tokyo subway sarin attack had further shaken public confidence. Against this backdrop, I saw enormous potential in Vietnam and began to feel a strong desire to create opportunities for its youth. That desire became the driving force behind the founding of G.A. Consultants.
In the beginning, I traveled to Vietnam every three months to provide consulting services to Japanese companies entering the market. Then, a turning point came unexpectedly. On a flight to Vietnam, I happened to sit next to a Japanese man who was supporting a Japanese language class at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. He told me that the class was at risk of being shut down due to lack of funding. Intrigued, I asked if I could observe one of the lessons.
When I visited the small classroom and saw the students diligently studying Japanese, I spoke with some of the teachers. They told me, “Even if these students learn Japanese, there are no jobs where they can actually use it.” That comment struck a chord with me—and sparked an idea. What if we could secure sponsorships from Japanese companies to keep the classes running, and then connect those students with jobs at the sponsor companies in Japan? With my background in human resources, I recognized this as a field where I could contribute, and it became a major turning point in my career.
That moment became the foundation of our company. Over the past 30 years, we have supported the employment of approximately 70,000 young people from Vietnam and other Asian countries like Indonesia and Myanmar in Japan. At the time we started, this kind of business was rare, and many Japanese companies were hesitant to hire foreign talent. When that happened, I would bring company representatives with me to visit the language classes in person. Once they saw the Vietnamese students studying so earnestly, most of them signed on. I wasn’t the only one moved by the honesty and motivation of these young people.
The Present
In the past, it’s undeniable that there was a sense of hesitation in Japan toward hiring foreign workers. However, times have changed—today, foreign nationals are working throughout Japan and playing an essential role in supporting the economy. I believe there is now a greater level of understanding and familiarity with foreign workers across the country.
Against this backdrop, a new residency status called “Specified Skilled Worker” (Tokutei Ginou) was introduced in Japan in 2019. This system was designed to address domestic labor shortages and targets foreign nationals who possess a certain level of expertise or technical skills. Previously, the main residency status that allowed foreign nationals to work in Japan was the Technical Intern Training Program. However, the purpose of that program was to allow participants to acquire skills in Japan and then return to their home countries to share what they had learned—in other words, repatriation was assumed. In contrast, the Specified Skilled Worker system includes two categories: Type 1 and Type 2. Under Type 2, foreign workers who meet certain conditions are eligible to apply for permanent residency. Moreover, individuals on technical intern visas can transfer to the Specified Skilled Worker status, opening the door for those who started as trainees to eventually gain permanent residency in Japan.
This has been a major tailwind for our business. Many of the companies accepting technical interns have expressed frustration that just as these workers become skilled and accustomed to their roles, they are required to return to their home countries. Because of this, the Technical Intern Training Program has not been an effective long-term solution for addressing labor shortages. But now, with the ability to transition technical interns into the Specified Skilled Worker program, companies can retain trained staff, bring in new interns, and establish a more sustainable workforce pipeline. This creates a win-win situation for both employers and foreign workers. Furthermore, Type 2 status allows for family members to join the worker in Japan under certain conditions, making it possible to support not only the workers but also their families in terms of employment and daily life. With over 30 years of experience, we are committed to supporting the employment and livelihoods of foreign workers across all residency statuses.
Of course, there are also foreign nationals who wish to return and build their careers in their home countries. To support such individuals, we help Japanese companies expand their operations overseas. This includes assistance with land acquisition, company registration, drafting employment regulations, and setting up local offices. This allows foreign workers to continue their careers in their home countries while leveraging the skills and knowledge they gained in Japan. For the companies, it is also a major advantage—trusted staff they trained in Japan can now manage local facilities. While most of our current support focuses on expansion into Vietnam, we are planning to extend this model horizontally to other Asian countries, including Indonesia and Myanmar.
For the Future
By 2028, we aim to exceed 20,000 foreign nationals under our support and management. To help us reach this goal, we are focusing on expanding our staffing services for foreign residents with permanent or long-term residency status in Japan. Just as our company has supported the employment of foreign talent for many years, the number of foreign residents living in Japan continues to rise steadily—along with those who hold permanent or long-term residency. To support their employment, in 2024, we acquired several staffing companies. As a result, we are now dispatching nearly 300 foreign workers, primarily to manufacturing and related industries.
Our corporate philosophy is: “Be Challenging. Be Exciting. Be Attractive.”
This concept is rooted in the theory of “the edge of chaos” as proposed by complexity science—a state that lies between stability and disorder. According to this theory, life on Earth is said to have originated at the edge of chaos: in the bubbles that formed where land met sea, where organic molecules bonded and life emerged. I firmly believe that evolution has always occurred by walking this fine line between order and chaos—and the same applies to running a business. If a company remains too deeply rooted in stability, it risks falling into decline. We want to be a company that never stops evolving—a company that constantly embraces challenge.
We have no intention of becoming a general human resources company. Instead, we deliberately focus on employment support for foreign nationals. Our goal is for G.A. Consultants to be the first name that comes to mind when a foreign national considers working in Japan, or when a Japanese company considers hiring foreign talent. As an industry leader, we will continue to take on new challenges and walk the edge of chaos, contributing to the realization of a more attractive and welcoming society for foreign workers in Japan.