The Foundation of The Agent-S

The Agent-S provides independent Owner’s Representation from the client’s side for overseas clients.

I look at the project as a whole while also acting as a liaison between different cultures and business environments in Japan.

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Kominka are the type of property I know best, and the Japanese countryside is the field I know best. These projects are highly individual, and their success depends on more than the property itself, regulations, business systems, or tools. Analog and deeply human factors — relationships with the local community, trust between people, and communication — can have a major influence on how a project develops.

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I originally worked at a typical Japanese real estate brokerage, handling property transactions between Japanese clients. Later, I began supporting overseas clients purchasing and using real estate in Japan.

Through this work, I came to realize that the difficulties overseas clients face in Japan are not simply about language or a lack of information.

The way work is done, business practices, communication, assumptions and expectations shaped by different backgrounds, and the way relationships are built can all differ significantly between Japan and other countries.

I think of this as a difference in operating systems, or OS.

The impact of these differences becomes particularly evident in projects involving kominka and the Japanese countryside. And it is not only overseas clients who struggle with them. Japanese businesses and professionals can also find themselves unsure how to deal with these differences, even when interpreters are involved or English-language support is available.

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Standing between the two sides, connecting the right people and information, and building relationships gradually became an increasingly important part of my work.

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But simply connecting the two sides is not enough.

The side I stand on is always the client’s.

I first need to understand what the client is actually trying to achieve, and then look at the project as a whole from that objective. I gather and filter information, question assumptions when necessary, and sometimes reconsider the plan itself.

When necessary, I also say no.

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Finding a property or completing a transaction is not the starting point of my work. The client’s objective comes first. From there, I consider what is actually needed to achieve it.

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Real estate remains one of my main professional fields, and among real estate, kominka are both my strongest area and my personal favorite.

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At the same time, the fundamental issues I have encountered through my work are not limited to real estate.

When people from different cultures and business environments try to move a project forward together in Japan, there is a space between them that language alone cannot bridge.

And in fields where every case is different and cultural factors carry significant weight, the approach that appears most rational or efficient is not always the best one. What looks like a detour can sometimes be necessary to build the right operational foundation or make the project more sustainable.

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That is why my work is not routine, and there is no manual for it. Every project is custom-made.

I cannot take on a large number of engagements. It takes time to understand the client and the purpose of the project, carry out the necessary research, build relationships within each local community, and assemble the right team for that particular project.

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And trust and relationships that can work over the long term matter.

For the project, and between the client and me.