In this episode of the FocusCore Podcast, host David Sweet interviews entrepreneur Ernest Higa, Representative Director of First Kitchen Ltd. and Wendy's, founder of Domino’s Pizza Japan and chairman/CEO of Higa Industries, about building and leading businesses in Japan. Ernest argues that “scale” must now be global and that business life cycles are shortening, making longevity a key criterion when selecting brands. He explains the need to “think global, act local” without “going too native,” describing how Domino’s Japan required product, service, and menu innovation to match Japanese expectations for quality, hospitality, and variety. He discusses persuading US headquarters amid cultural gaps, noting there is no “cultural interpreter,” and illustrates supply-chain localization through developing preservative-free pepperoni and sausage to meet Japanese regulations and MOQs. Ernest also covers Japan’s evolving corporate governance, board effectiveness, diversity, entrepreneurial pitfalls like tax structure, leadership adaptability, post-COVID consumer recovery, inbound tourism growth, and his positive outlook for Japan’s economy.

The 2026 FocusCore Salary Guide is here: 2026 Salary Guide

In this episode you will hear:

• The importance of adapting global business models to local markets
• How Ernest Higa navigated the challenges of introducing American food brands to Japan
• Cultural nuances impacting boardroom dynamics in Japan vs. the U.S.
• Key factors in choosing and managing leadership for international ventures
• Why understanding cultural differences is crucial for bridging gaps with headquarters
• Japan’s shifting economy and its impact on the global business market

About Ernest:

Ernest Higa is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Higa Industries Co., Ltd., Chairman and Representative Director of First Kitchen Ltd. and Wendy's. He is also a Director of Delsole Corporation (a publicly listed company), and Chairman of the Board of Councilors of the US- Japan Council and Advisor to the Commissioner of the Ministry of Culture. He also serves on the board of the Asian Cultural Council Japan Foundation, Temple University Japan, and Showa Women’s University. In 1985, he founded Domino’s Pizza Japan and became the largest international franchisee at that time, (he sold it in 2010). In 1990, he was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the New Business Conference, and in 1998, he was awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture for “innovation in the food industry” and recognized by Toyo Keizai as one of the top 50 entrepreneurs in Japan. He earned his MBA from Columbia Business School and his B.S. from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania.

Connect with Ernest:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernest-ernie-higa-06750b22/

Higa Industries: https://www.higaind.jp/en/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

This podcast was proudly produced by Lisa Yasuda.

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

In this episode of the FocusCore Podcast, host David Sweet speaks with FocusCore Business Director Jonathan Cant, who has spent 22 years in Japan. They chat about why global firms struggle with Japan market entry and leadership hiring. Jonathan says failures are often not the product but poor positioning and underestimating loyalty to incumbents, citing Tesco’s and Burger King’s early missteps and the importance of partnerships and carefully chosen niches. He argues a common day-one hiring mistake is over-weighting near-native English versus Japan market understanding, noting expat leaders without Japanese can create costly misunderstandings. He advises HQ to educate itself on Japan’s nuances, align stakeholders early, avoid excessive “non-negotiables,” and run confidential retained searches that build trust. For first hires, he favors a “builder” with energy, storytelling ability, networking skill, and emotional intelligence, plus clarity on investment roadmaps and realistic expectations.

The 2026 FocusCore Salary Guide is here: 2026 Salary Guide

In this episode you will hear:

• Common pitfalls global firms face when entering the Japanese market
• The critical balance between global headquarters and local market needs
• The significance of emotional intelligence in today's leadership roles
• Why English proficiency shouldn't overshadow market experience for C-Suite candidates
• The evolving landscape of executive search and the importance of a human touch
• Insights into building and maintaining successful business operations in Japan

About Jonathan:

Jonathan Cant is a seasoned executive search leader specializing in senior hires across Japan. Originally from Newcastle in the UK, he has been living in Japan since 2004 and brings over two decades of on-the-ground insight into what makes leadership succeed in this market. He’s drawn to the people-oriented, results-driven nature of executive search, where relationships and outcomes go hand in hand.

He works closely with global SMEs to identify and place Country Managers and CFOs, partnering with senior leaders across a wide range of industries. Over the past five years at FocusCore, Jonathan has built a strong reputation for bridging the gap between global expectations and the realities of doing business in Japan.

Known for his practical perspective on leadership from emotional intelligence to the complexities of bilingual hiring, Jonathan has seen firsthand how misalignment between headquarters and Japan teams can make or break a business.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and two young sons, as well as following Newcastle United, cricket, cooking, and photography.

Connect with Jonathan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathancant/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

This podcast was proudly produced by Lisa Yasuda.

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

In this FocusCore podcast episode, host David Sweet interviews Yuri Kageyama, an Associated Press reporter who grew up in both the US and Japan, attended international school and Huntsville High, and became bilingual through her father’s engineering career with NASA and IHI. Kage recounts being hired on the spot by The Japan Times, learning newspaper reporting and production, then choosing AP over other offers to write her own stories; AP sent her to Detroit during peak Japan-bashing, where she covered autos, crime, and policing and learned to focus on telling people’s stories despite prejudice.

She discusses thinking and writing primarily in English, the cultural complexity of Japanese politeness, and AP’s fact-based standards amid today’s fragmented media environment.

Yuri describes covering the Fukushima nuclear disaster and creating the multimedia performance/film “News from Fukushima,” including AP script review, then reads her poem “Fukushima” and reflects on the disaster’s ongoing impact, collaboration with artists, and balancing journalism with poetry.

The 2026 FocusCore Salary Guide is here: 2026 Salary Guide

In this episode you will hear:

• Yuri's journey to becoming a bilingual reporter with the Associated Press
• The cultural and language challenges she navigated between Japan and the US
• Insights into the creative process behind "News from Fukushima" and its impact
• Her experiences covering pivotal events like the Fukushima disaster
• The blend of journalism and poetry in exploring complex narratives

About Yuri:

Yuri Kageyama is a reporter with the Associated Press.

She grew up in the US and in Japan, and is a graduate of Cornell University, and she holds an MA in interdisciplinary field of sociology, anthropology, and social psychology from the University of California Berkeley.

She is also an outstanding polymath as a celebrated poet fiction writer, essays journalist, filmmaker, and songwriter.

Connect with Yuri:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yurikageyama/

Website: http://yurikageyama.com/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

This podcast was proudly produced by Lisa Yasuda.

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.