KEC meets Japanese speakers of English around the globe.
The popular interview podcast blog, hosted by Emi Kamiya, a language coach and educator, has just expanded its reach with the addition of English summaries and highlights.
Continue reading “English Highlights Added! Discover How Japanese Speakers Mastered English”
An interview with Kento Maruyama, who works in corporate planning at a Japanese precision equipment manufacturer, about his deep fascination with the “sound” of English—music, voice, and pronunciation—as well as the lessons learned from setbacks and struggles, and the feeling of realizing his skills had improved almost without noticing.
丸山賢人 Kento Maruyama
Originally from Gunma Prefecture. His parents gave him a name with the hope that it would be recognized internationally, which sparked an early interest in the wider world. As a child, he became familiar with English by singing along to the Beatles. In junior high school, during his first trip abroad—a homestay in Australia—he experienced the frustration of being unable to communicate. This setback strengthened his resolve to master English, and he devoted himself to study, ultimately passing university entrance examinations largely through his English ability and enrolling at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. While at university, he spent a year studying in the United States.
After graduation, with the goal of building an international career, he joined a Japanese precision equipment manufacturer. From 2012, he spent five years on assignment in New Jersey, USA. After six years of working in Japan upon his return, he was posted to Manchester, UK, in 2024, where he is currently based. He now works in corporate planning at a regional headquarters overseeing sales companies across Europe.
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→Summary & Highlights in English
日系精密機器メーカーで経営企画に携わる丸山 賢人さんに、音楽、音声、発音など、英語の「音」に対する強い興味を中心に、挫折や苦労からの学び、「気づいたら走力が上がっていた」という感覚などについてうかがいました。
丸山 賢人 Kento Maruyama
群馬県出身。両親が海外でも通用するようにと名付けてくれた名前から、幼少期より海外にぼんやりと興味をもつ。小学生の頃、ビートルズを歌いながら自然と英語に親しむ。中学時代、初の海外渡航となったオーストラリアでのホームステイで全く意思疎通ができず挫折を経験。「絶対に英語を身につける」と決意し、勉強に没頭。ほぼ英語だけで受験を乗り切り、東京外国語大学に進学。在学中はアメリカに1年留学。卒業後、海外勤務を志して日系精密機器メーカーに入社し、2012年から5年間アメリカ・ニュージャージー州に赴任。帰国後6年間の日本での勤務を経て、2024年よりイギリス・マンチェスターに駐在中。現在は欧州の販売会社を束ねる統括会社で経営企画に従事。
An interview with Kaori Mizukoshi, who develops and delivers global leadership programs, discussing how her challenging experience with English as a student transformed, tips for working in English, and her perspective on navigating cultural differences and misunderstandings.
水越 香里 Kaori Mizukoshi
After graduating from university, Kaori Mizukoshi spent ten years managing projects for a major information systems company, both in Japan and abroad (Singapore and the U.S.). She then spent another ten years involved in launching and managing online services. Over the course of her career, she has lived in New York three times, totaling fifteen years. While raising her child in New York, she began studying at Columbia University to reflect on her international business and cross-cultural experiences and to consider the direction of her future career. Her academic background includes a Master’s in International Education and Intercultural Studies, and a Ph.D. in Adult Learning and Development. Currently, she leverages her professional and academic experience to support the development of global leadership, helping people work effectively and learn in complex, internationalized environments. She holds a Doctorate in Education.
Continue reading “#23. Kaori Mizukoshi, CEO of EdVisage and Developer of Global Leadership Programs”
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→Summary & Highlights in English
グローバルリーダーシップの開発を行う水越 香里さんに、学生時代は苦行だった英語が変わったきっかけ、英語で仕事をするときのコツ、異文化などズレの中にいると感じたときの考え方などについてうかがいました。
水越 香里 Kaori Mizukoshi
大学を卒業後、大手の情報システム開発企業で１０年間、国内外（日本、シンガポール、米国）のプロジェクトマネージメントに従事。その後１０年間、ネット系サービスの立上げや管理運営に携わる。今までに３回（計１５年）米国NYで暮らす。NYでの育児中に、今までの国際ビジネスと育児を通じた異文化経験を俯瞰し今後のキャリアを考えるため、コロンビア大学で学び始める。専門は、国際教育・異文化研究（修士）と成人学習・発達（博士）。現在は、自らのビジネスと大学院で培った知見を活かし、国際化がもたらす複雑な変化の中で、人々が新たな環境に学びながら効果的に仕事をするためのグローバル・リーダーシップ育成支援をしている。教育学博士。