Pros
- Free lunch (if you can find a seat) - Did I mention the free lunch? - In Tokyo the office is mostly in counter-commute direction - Many employee groups (e.g. Dragon Boat group) - No 'written' Japanese requirement but lets be honest, if you know Japanese you will go places
Kontras
- As has been said Mikitani, or "Miki Miki" as everyone in Tokyo calls him is a narcissist - Mikitani? Reading his "books" was like reading a novel on common sense - Technical leaders and management are not qualified, out of date, and/or clueless - Layer, upon layer, upon layer of bureaucracy - Management and leaders have a complete and utter fear of failure - Did I mention the books you are supposed to read? - Horrid salary - On that note, used car sales style offers (e.g. if you rank in the top of the top you could make "X" with salary + bonus - Impossible to make lofty goals that are simply unclear and are tied to bonus mentioned above - Projects destined to fail - Management making decisions on technology without understanding - No clear corporate direction, for instance in Japan Rakuten is not only "Amazon" (or it wants to be when it grows up) but it is (in Japan) JCB, Docomo, Resona Bank, etc.. In other words loss of focus on core competencies. - Literally during orientation (again in Tokyo) you are almost forced to change your bank (to Rakuten), told not to order from Amazon, told to get a credit card (Rakuten), change phones (Rakuten), etc. - As mentioned above no Japanese requirement but wouldn't it be nice in Tokyo to have classes on basic Japanese so when/if you take a job you can at least go to the dentist, doctor, restaurants, etc. alas no classes offered from the organization paid - or otherwise.