Interview with Mr. M

"When I first came to Japan, my plan was to continue my studies, maybe go to graduate school for music. But over time, I realized classical piano wasn’t really for me. It felt too rigid, and I wasn’t suited for the kind of steady, predictable life of a teacher. I wanted something freer. That’s when I slowly turned toward business.

I started with daigou—buying products in Japan and sending them to customers in China. At the time, baby products were in high demand because of safety concerns back home. Many people focused on diapers, but I decided to go in a different direction. I liked Japanese fashion, and I noticed that children’s clothing in China was still pretty basic compared to Japan’s stylish and higher-quality designs. I thought there was an opportunity there.

So I began small, selling baby bottles and pacifiers, then gradually moved into kids’ fashion. Around eight or nine years ago, Taobao livestreaming was still very new, but I tried it out. For me, trust was everything. Many sellers would hide the real price and just quote their own numbers. I did the opposite: I showed the tags on camera, explained the Japanese retail price, and then calculated costs openly with exchange rate, shipping, and my fee. That honesty quickly won over customers, and my business grew fast.

Over time, I expanded. Now I’ve been running my shop for about ten years. I keep inventory in a warehouse in China with a team of staff and livestreamers, so customers don’t have to wait weeks for shipping from Japan. On this side, I also attend order meetings with Japanese children’s clothing brands and buy stock directly through my store here, then ship it back to China. My business now runs in two modes: livestream shopping in China and retail in Japan. What started out as a way to get by has turned into something much bigger, and it’s given me stability I never imagined when I first came here.

Of course, there are challenges. When I work directly with companies, it’s fine—Japanese brands are actually eager to work with us. With their shrinking population, they struggle with unsold inventory, and livestreaming gives them a way to move stock without damaging their image in Japan. But when livestreaming out in public, sometimes I face unfriendly reactions. If I showcase discounted products and my customers buy them up instantly, Japanese shoppers nearby might feel like we’re “taking away” their bargains. It’s similar to how Chinese buyers overseas get blamed for scooping up baby formula. To avoid conflict, I always remind my team: let Japanese customers choose first, keep our voices down, and don’t stir up trouble. Still, not everyone in the industry is so careful, and that can create tensions.

Looking at the bigger picture, Japan absolutely needs foreign labor. These days, if you walk into restaurants, you’ll see workers from the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, and other Southeast Asian countries. When I first arrived, many of those entry-level jobs were still done by Chinese, but now most Chinese here have moved up—many studied at universities in Japan or came already educated. Instead of taking low-pay jobs, we either start businesses or join Japanese companies. But the bottom-tier work still needs to be done, and local Japanese aren’t willing to do it. Just like in the U.S., where Mexican workers are essential for farming, Japan relies on foreign labor to keep its economy going."