Riki With Japan Mates Partner Spotlight Interview - #MyGiving Story

April Dykes
6月2日
読了時間: 7分

更新日：6月5日

Bridging the gap between Japan and the rest of the world. Riki, an Osaka native, has been interested in charity activities and foreign cultures from a young age! We at Giving Tuesday Japan had the exclusive opportunity to interview him about his experience living abroad, what inspired him to start his channel, and what his future goals are.

Take a look at the My Giving Story interview between Riki and our Global Community Team Assistant, April, below!

To watch our collaboration video, click here! https://youtu.be/hxcHWNlZmz4?si=yhRu0qWGGzmOMJZj

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April: Hi Riki! It's so nice to meet you, and it has been a pleasure to work with you thus far. Please introduce yourself. Where are you from in Japan? What do you do? Could you share your or your family’s background with charitable work and why it’s important to you?

Riki: Hello, everyone! My name is Riki, and I’m originally from Osaka, Japan. I currently live in Tokyo, where I run a business focused on social media marketing and supporting foreign talent recruitment. I also create interview-based content that explores and introduces various aspects of Japanese culture on social media.

From a young age, I’ve been interested in Japanese history, particularly Okinawa’s, and have even traveled there to participate in charity activities.

April: What inspired you to start “Riki with Japan Mates”?

Riki: I wanted to help bridge the gap between Japan and the rest of the world.

I’ve lived in Canada and the United States for nearly two years in total. Those were incredible experiences, but they also included difficult moments, such as facing discrimination. When I returned to Japan, two things struck me:

First, I was surprised by how many foreigners in Japan feel isolated or misunderstood. Many come to Japan with a positive image—safe streets, delicious food, polite people, anime, and culture. While that perception isn’t wrong, once they begin living here, some experience subtle forms of exclusion, like people staring at them, avoiding sitting near them on trains, or continuing to speak English even when they’ve learned Japanese. These small things can add up, sometimes leading to depression or a life limited to commuting between home and work or school.

Second, I noticed how deeply rooted the “us versus them” mindset is in Japan. The tendency to divide people into “Japanese” and “foreigners” is stronger here than in other countries I’ve lived in. That mindset often leads to misunderstanding and distance. Because I’ve had the chance to connect with people from different backgrounds, I’ve developed a broader worldview, and I truly believe it has made my life richer. I honestly think every Japanese person should experience living abroad at least once.

These two experiences motivated me to launch “Riki with Japan Mates.” I want foreigners to see the real Japan—both its beautiful and challenging sides—and I hope to help Japanese people see foreigners as neighbors, not strangers.

April: What’s the story behind the name? What does it mean to you?

Riki: One of my core values is supporting those who are brave enough to cross borders. Whether someone is coming to Japan or leaving it, they must metaphorically cross an ocean. That kind of decision takes courage. I chose the name “Japan Mates” because I want to be a companion, a mate, to those taking that journey.

April: Do you have a background in journalism or English?

Riki: I majored in sociology at a university in Japan and later studied international business management at a college in Canada.

In my third year of university, I found myself swept up in the traditional Japanese job-hunting system that values securing multiple job offers from big-name companies.

I focused entirely on getting as many offers as possible. But once I achieved that, I realized I wasn’t excited about any of them. The idea of working on a corporate track didn’t spark any passion.

Because of COVID-19, I had one major regret from my university days: I hadn’t studied abroad. So I decided to transfer to a college in Canada. At the time, I couldn’t speak English at all—I had to study intensively just to survive. Even now, I’m still learning every day.

April: What was your first interview like?

Riki: Honestly, it was awful—so bad it’s almost embarrassing to talk about. (Laughs)

At the time, I had no followers and no one to help. I walked around town alone for five hours with my tripod and mic, but couldn’t approach a single person. Even though I’d always considered myself outgoing, I was so nervous about being rejected that I couldn’t bring myself to speak to anyone.

April: How do you choose your interview topics?

Riki: I usually base them on what my followers request via comments or question boxes. Reading through those comments before bed has become a daily routine for me. (Laughs)

April: What’s your most memorable interview?

Riki: Definitely the video titled “Things Foreigners Should NEVER Do in Japan.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAj_bZpv9vQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

It reflected a wide range of honest opinions from Japanese people, both positive and critical. For example, one woman mentioned she doesn’t like it when foreigners speak to her in English. It made me realize how diverse perspectives can be, even within Japan.

April: What’s the most challenging part of interviewing?

Riki: The hardest part is finding people willing to participate.

Because I’m not well-known yet, most people respond with, “Who are you?” when I approach them. Most Japanese people decline, and even when they agree, it can be difficult to draw out their honest opinions.

April: What’s the most rewarding part of interviewing?

Riki: Hearing from followers is what keeps me going.

When people say, “This was so interesting!” or “I learned a lot—thank you!” it really means the world to me. Someone once told me they decided to come to Japan because of one of my videos. That kind of feedback motivates me to keep creating.

I never delete comments unless absolutely necessary, because I believe in encouraging dialogue and exchange. Seeing people debate and share ideas in the comment section always makes me smile. Of course, if someone writes something truly inappropriate, I’ll delete it with a straight face. (Laughs)

April: What’s your goal for “Riki with Japan Mates”?

Riki: Moving forward, I want to help more people not just visit, but live and work in Japan.

I plan to create videos related to jobs and hiring in Japan, with the aim of connecting foreign talent with Japanese companies. Travel is great, but living here allows people to discover deeper aspects of Japan, and also helps improve it. We should preserve the good, but we also need to change what’s outdated or harmful.

Japan needs more people from abroad—not just as workers, but as sources of diverse ideas, values, languages, genders, and cultures. My mission is to support those people as a true “mate” and help make their lives in Japan better.

April: Do you have any plans to branch out into other projects?

Riki: Right now, I’m focusing on expanding into the topic of work and employment, but I believe there are countless ways to connect Japan with the world, through food, housing, and much more.

April: Had you heard of or participated in Giving Tuesday before we contacted you? Is there anything you’d like to do in collaboration with Giving Tuesday Japan?

Riki: To be honest, I had only vaguely heard the name before and had never participated myself.

In the future, I’d love to join volunteer activities where even foreigners can participate. I’d especially like to meet those already engaged in such efforts and hear directly from them about what motivates their actions. I believe there are many charity initiatives that connect Japan with the rest of the world, and I would be happy to help spread awareness of those kinds of efforts.

I’d be grateful if Giving Tuesday Japan could help share my content with people from overseas who are interested in Japan—especially those looking for educational charity opportunities that allow them to learn more deeply about Japanese culture and society.

My decision to work with Giving Tuesday Japan all started with one email—you April. Your message was so thoughtful and sincere that it stood out to me. Honestly, I receive many messages from companies every day, and I turn down most of them. But after reading your materials and feeling the sincerity in your approach, I thought, “This is an amazing organization—I would love to work together.” That’s what led me to join this project.

April: Me? Thank you, Riki! That is so nice to hear, as I truly enjoyed talking to you during this collaboration as well! So. What does charity mean to you?

Riki: To me, charity means “courage.”

It takes courage to give. Whether it’s donating money or simply getting out of bed early to pick up litter, those acts require small moments of bravery. I think the same can be said for my street interviews—approaching strangers takes courage, and I believe it also takes courage for someone to respond to an interview on the spot.

I feel that these small acts of courage build up and, eventually, they inspire someone else somewhere in the world.

April: Is there a cause that is dear to your heart?

Riki: Yes—when I was in junior high school, I participated in a peace education program in Okinawa, and the experience left a lasting impression on me. Since that first visit, I’ve returned more than four times to learn about the history of war in Okinawa.

I believe that efforts to preserve and share that history are supported by charitable actions, and I hope to continue contributing, even in small ways, to those important activities.

April: Is there anything you want to promote right now?

Riki: Going forward, I’m fully committed to creating content that connects Japan with people overseas who are interested in the country.

As I mentioned earlier, I especially want to focus on supporting both foreigners who want to work in Japan and the companies here that are looking to hire international talent. If you’re someone who wants to work in Japan—or a company looking to hire from abroad—please feel free to reach out!

I speak with many different companies every day, but I’m always most excited to work with those who have a genuine passion for their mission. Of course, money is important, but even more than that, I want to collaborate with companies that truly care about Japan and about the people from around the world who are interested in this country.