An interview with Shinichiroh Yamamoto, an HR business partner at a diversified company who works with people across Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the United States. We asked him about his methods for learning English vocabulary, tips for exam English, bittersweet memories from his time studying in the U.S., and his drive to keep striving for greater heights.
山本 真一郎 Shinichiroh Yamamoto
Originally from Fukuoka Prefecture. After graduating from the School of Letters, Arts and Sciences I at Waseda University, he completed a master’s degree in literary theory at the State University of New York at Albany. Before entering graduate school, he had never traveled to an English-speaking country, and on his first trip to the U.S. he was so anxious that he listened to English audio materials nonstop on the plane until landing. At the beginning of his studies, he could understand less than half of the graduate lectures, and once even went home in tears after being unable to make himself understood ordering a sandwich at the campus Subway because of his pronunciation of “lettuce.” Surrounded by strong-willed American classmates, he endured a grueling course of literary training through which his English improved dramatically.
After completing graduate school, he returned to Japan and joined a U.S.-based consumer goods company as an HR professional. Since then, he has built his career entirely in human resources, and he now serves as an HR Business Partner for the healthcare division of a U.S. multinational conglomerate, overseeing the Asia-Pacific region.
Shinichiroh Yamamoto works in Human Resources at a U.S.-based multinational corporation in the medical device and healthcare industry. He serves as an HR Business Partner for Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the broader Asia-Pacific region. His role involves collaborating with business leaders on HR strategy and organizational development. Although based in Japan, he regularly works with colleagues from diverse backgrounds—including American, French, Indian, and Singaporean professionals—primarily in English via video and conference calls. Roughly half of his daily work is conducted in English, especially emails and international meetings.
Shin first encountered English in elementary school. His mother, who had wished to study abroad herself, encouraged him to start learning around third grade with a local woman who informally taught neighborhood children. He studied basic words and expressions and eventually passed the Eiken Grade 5 test (after failing once and being intensively coached by his mother).
In middle and high school, he attended a Jesuit Catholic school with foreign teachers and strong English education. By the end of junior high, he had passed Eiken Pre-2, and by high school, Eiken Grade 2. Although he developed strong grammar knowledge, his speaking ability remained limited.
During junior high, Shin discovered he particularly enjoyed English grammar and sentence structure. Unlike memorizing vocabulary, which he found difficult, he loved understanding “patterns” or frameworks that governed how sentences worked. He compared grammar rules to mathematical formulas—logical systems where once the rules were clear, he could apply them flexibly. Grammar gave him confidence and a sense of clarity in English learning.
Despite his early progress, Shin lost motivation around ninth grade and hardly studied through most of high school. He relied on his structural understanding of grammar but lacked the vocabulary to perform well on tests.
In his final year, however, he reignited his motivation after attending a prep school (juku). Inspired by an excellent teacher, he systematically studied vocabulary with the “Target 1900” word list—memorizing 100 words per day using a rigorous review cycle. By combining this with grammar drills and practice exams, he reached a breakthrough in comprehension and excelled in university entrance exams, barely losing points in English.
Shin entered Waseda University’s School of Letters, Arts and Sciences with an interest in literature and the arts. During his first two years, however, he studied very little and struggled with credits. Around his third year, he decided to aim for graduate study in the United States, which motivated him to drastically improve his GPA by taking full course loads and excelling academically.
At Waseda, his major was American literature. He read short stories and wrote reports in Japanese but had limited practice in English writing. While he had excelled in entrance-exam reading comprehension, he found literary English—dense with unique structures, omissions, and slang—much more challenging than academic writing or essays.
Parallel to his studies, Shin had been deeply involved in theater until age 21. After stepping away from that pursuit, he turned toward literature and philosophy. Inspired by European philosophers and American literary theorists, he decided to pursue graduate-level study abroad. This marked the next stage of his academic and linguistic journey.
After completing his undergraduate degree in Japan, Yamamoto pursued graduate studies at the State University of New York at Albany, where he specialized in literary theory. Studying in an English-only environment without prior extended experience abroad was challenging, but he gradually built confidence through coursework and interaction with peers. The intellectual diversity in American classrooms exposed him to perspectives that differed significantly from his Japanese academic background, broadening his approach to literature and critical thinking.
Before admission, Yamamoto faced the hurdle of standardized tests such as the GRE and TOEFL. At the time, resources and guidance in Japan were limited compared to today. He relied heavily on self-study, using practice books and focusing intensively on vocabulary and reading comprehension. He recalls spending hours memorizing word lists and working through mock exams, often feeling frustrated but recognizing that persistence was key. He admits that the GRE’s verbal section was particularly difficult, but the process itself strengthened his academic English and analytical skills.
Shin initially pursued literature and the arts at Waseda but did little studying in his first two years. In his third year, he suddenly decided to aim for graduate school in the U.S. and worked intensively to raise his GPA. Although his undergraduate major was American literature, he struggled with English novels, finding philosophy and critical essays easier. Inspired by French philosophers like Derrida and Foucault, and by American novelist William Faulkner (through Japanese writer Kenji Nakagami), he discovered literary theory as a field that bridged literature and philosophy. Since literary theory was thriving in the U.S., particularly on the East Coast, he chose that path.
Because funding opportunities were limited for international students in the humanities, Shin targeted affordable state universities and was admitted to the University at Albany (SUNY). Having never visited an English-speaking country before, he arrived in the U.S. with both excitement and fear. Landing in Chicago, he vividly remembers the shock of suddenly being surrounded by English speakers and struggling with basic English during his first days.
The workload in graduate school was overwhelming: thousands of pages of weekly reading, papers, and presentations. Shin’s first major setback came during a presentation on Aristotle, where he froze despite preparation. A classmate helped interpret his ideas, but he ended with a “B,” the only non-A grade in his degree. Struggling with confidence, he sought help from professors during office hours. One professor dismissed him, but another encouraged him, recognizing his intellect despite his weak English, and offered one-on-one independent study. This mentorship became his breakthrough.
Around the same time, Shin faced a humiliating moment at a Subway sandwich shop when his pronunciation of “lettuce” was not understood. Already struggling with coursework, this small failure deeply affected him and became symbolic of his insecurities. Yet, it also pushed him to seek more support from professors, marking a turning point in his adaptation.
Determined to improve, Shin created opportunities to speak with American peers, even when he didn’t fully understand. He also developed a habit of mentally replaying classroom situations at home, practicing what he wished he had said. Over time, this “shadow training” helped him increase his participation, aiming for at least one comment per class. Though he never felt fully satisfied with his spoken English, his writing skills improved considerably.
After completing his MA, Shin joined P&G in Japan as an HR professional, where he regularly used English in meetings and correspondence. Working in a globalized corporate environment significantly strengthened his speaking skills, especially in business contexts. He now feels confident in Asia-wide discussions, though he admits he is not yet fluent enough to compete with top HR professionals in the U.S. or Europe.
Shin believes his current English is sufficient for working across Asia but not yet at a globally competitive level. He wants to refine his pronunciation and master more natural native expressions. While time constraints make practice difficult, he sees continued English improvement as essential for his HR career and aims to keep pushing himself further.
