Cross-Border HR & Organization Partner
In Japanese and cross-border business environments,
different roles, expectations, and ways of working often intersect.
rokana supports Japanese and local teams in clarifying roles, building alignment, and moving toward a shared future.
Philosophy
The issues we see on the surface are not always the real issues.
Leaders may not be developing.
People may not be taking ownership.
HR systems may not be working as intended.
Headquarters and local operations may not be fully aligned.
Behind these issues, there may be a deeper question.
What future does the organization want to move toward?
Can people believe in that future?
And is the organization intentionally building the culture needed to move in that direction?
Starting from the future,
we revisit people’s roles, leadership,
and the cultural foundation that enables organizations to move forward.
Perspective
In Japanese companies overseas, people often work between multiple expectations and assumptions.
Expectations from headquarters.
Expectations from Japanese expatriates.
Expectations from local leaders and staff.
Expectations from customers and regional stakeholders.
When these expectations are not aligned, people can easily become surrounded by many “have to” demands.
Over time, individuals may lose sight of their own roles, voice, and direction.
Organizations may also lose sight of where they are truly trying to go.
rokana helps individuals and organizations clarify where they are heading, even where different assumptions intersect.
From there, we build the foundation for people and organizations to move forward by themselves.
Service
We support individuals in reflecting on their roles, goals, and direction,
so they can move beyond “have to” demands
and act from the future they choose.
We support local leaders in understanding their expected roles,
making decisions across different assumptions,
and leading people toward a shared direction.
We support Japanese and local teams in aligning expectations,
roles, and decision-making standards
between headquarters, expatriates, and local operations.
We support organizations in building the cultural, structural,
and developmental foundations where each person can own their role
and move toward a shared future.
Founder
I have worked with people and organizations from both sides: building and leading businesses, and supporting organizations as a consultant.
Through these experiences, I have come to believe that people cannot truly be changed from the outside. Training programs and systems can create opportunities for change. But real change only begins when people reflect on themselves and choose, with their own intention, what they want to change and what future they want to move toward.
The same is true for organizations. No matter how strong the strategy is, or how well-designed the systems are, an organization cannot truly move forward if people do not believe in the future it is trying to create.
When people find their roles, reflect on their own direction, and feel that they have a meaningful part to play in creating the future, a quiet strength begins to emerge within the organization.
What I support is not only the resolution of visible issues.
It is about creating the foundation where people can bring out their potential, leaders can own their roles, and organizations can believe in the future they are moving toward.
This is the origin of rokana.
Profile
After graduating from Hosei University, Makoto began his career at Taisei Corporation, where he worked in accounting.
He later joined Sumitomo Riko, where he was involved in domestic and overseas sales.
After studying abroad, he joined RGF HR Agent, a Recruit Group overseas business, first in China and then in Thailand.
As Country Manager of the newly established Thailand entity, he led the business from launch through organizational expansion.
He later joined HONDA ESTILO and served as Managing Director of its Thailand entity, where he was responsible for company establishment and the launch of multiple businesses.
After returning to Japan, he served as General Manager at Brain Lab, overseeing business operations and experiencing M&A and PMI.
He then joined Bizmates, where he served as Director of both the B2B sales division and the product development division.
He later returned to Thailand as Lead Consultant at beyond global group, supporting Japanese companies across Southeast Asia in HR system design and talent development, and also served as a trainer for Japanese expatriates.
He is now independent, supporting overseas subsidiaries, multicultural organizations, and global talent development, with a focus on helping people and organizations move toward their future by themselves. He has also studied coaching informed by cognitive science and, as a professional coach, supports individuals in creating change from within and developing leadership.
Seeing new landscapes and experiencing different cultures has been a central part of his life. Having lived in five countries and traveled to more than 90 countries, he brings a cross-cultural perspective to his work with people and organizations.
Contact
Whether your concern is still vague or already specific, please feel free to contact us.
We welcome inquiries related to leadership development, HQ–local alignment, HR systems, organization development, coaching, and management in Japanese or cross-border business environments.