Experience

Digital Agency, Government of Japan

• Japan
• Government Administration
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Strategy Officer

  • May 2023 - Present



Google

• United States
• Software Development
• 700 & Above Employee

• Group Product Manager

  • Sep 2018 - Mar 2023

  One of PM Leads for Google Assistant Core Vertical team. Owned broad strategic areas to drive user engagement, including (i) "Assistant for Family" strategy, (ii) Personality (human-like conversation), (iii) Media (e.g. “Play music & news”), (iv) x-device capability (e.g. “Find my phone”) and (v) competitive intelligence. In March 2022, sent to Japan for a 2-year long-term assignment, to drive the new Japan Search initiative with a team of ~50.

• Country Product Lead, Japan

  • Jun 2014 - Aug 2018

  Owned Google’s Product strategy for the Japan Market as Country Product Lead (in Japanese “製品開発本部長”). Ran regular strategy reviews with Google execs, sometimes with the CEO Sundar Pichai himself. Successfully established a role model of non-traditional "market-focused PMs" who address market-specific opportunities while horizontally influencing multiple product teams. Got promoted with strong peer reviews from then Search SVP (John Giannandrea) and Android SVP (Hiroshi… Show more Owned Google’s Product strategy for the Japan Market as Country Product Lead (in Japanese “製品開発本部長”). Ran regular strategy reviews with Google execs, sometimes with the CEO Sundar Pichai himself. Successfully established a role model of non-traditional "market-focused PMs" who address market-specific opportunities while horizontally influencing multiple product teams. Got promoted with strong peer reviews from then Search SVP (John Giannandrea) and Android SVP (Hiroshi Lockheimer) for my contribution to Search, Assistant and Android in Japan.



Gengo

• Japan
• Translation and Localization
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Vice President of Product Management

  • Dec 2011 - Apr 2014

  [The company was acquired by Lionbridge in Jan, 2019] Gengo is a start-up that offers crowd-based human translation both via website and API. Customers and partners included TripAdvisor and various shopping / travel websites for the UGC translation. As VP or Product, I led all product launches, while co-leading YouTube integration partnership and $12M Series B funding with the CEO. I also covered all PR activities as the only native Japanese speaker in the leadership team. [The company was acquired by Lionbridge in Jan, 2019] Gengo is a start-up that offers crowd-based human translation both via website and API. Customers and partners included TripAdvisor and various shopping / travel websites for the UGC translation. As VP or Product, I led all product launches, while co-leading YouTube integration partnership and $12M Series B funding with the CEO. I also covered all PR activities as the only native Japanese speaker in the leadership team.



ByFlow Inc.

• Japan
• Internet Publishing

• Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer

  • Oct 2010 - Aug 2011

  2 ex-Googlers from Google Japan and I founded ByFlow right after we left Google, targeting social commerce experience where users can share what they purchased and discuss them with friends. We wrapped up the effort in a rather short period of time, but the best part was I experienced the real zero to one, coding a few features myself for external users, which were hard to do as Google PM. ByFlow as a product was later handed over to Zenrin Data 2 ex-Googlers from Google Japan and I founded ByFlow right after we left Google, targeting social commerce experience where users can share what they purchased and discuss them with friends. We wrapped up the effort in a rather short period of time, but the best part was I experienced the real zero to one, coding a few features myself for external users, which were hard to do as Google PM. ByFlow as a product was later handed over to Zenrin Data



YouTube

• United States
• Technology, Information and Internet
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Product Manager

  • Feb 2008 - Oct 2010

  Moved to the US headquarters in February 2008 to assume the responsibility of executing YouTube product strategy for the entire Asia Pacific region. Developed several global features that are particularly relevant for the region: (1) Launched YouTube’s Auto-caption features back in 2010. While I left the team shortly after the launch, the feature has added captions to 1 billion videos by 2017 https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/future-will-be-captioned-improving/ (2) Launched a… Show more Moved to the US headquarters in February 2008 to assume the responsibility of executing YouTube product strategy for the entire Asia Pacific region. Developed several global features that are particularly relevant for the region: (1) Launched YouTube’s Auto-caption features back in 2010. While I left the team shortly after the launch, the feature has added captions to 1 billion videos by 2017 https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/future-will-be-captioned-improving/ (2) Launched a special playback feature that supports virtually all models of phones, with 20+M daily playbacks for feature phones in JP alone. Show less Moved to the US headquarters in February 2008 to assume the responsibility of executing YouTube product strategy for the entire Asia Pacific region. Developed several global features that are particularly relevant for the region: (1) Launched YouTube’s Auto-caption features back in 2010. While I left the team shortly after the launch, the feature has added captions to 1 billion videos by 2017 https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/future-will-be-captioned-improving/ (2) Launched a… Show more Moved to the US headquarters in February 2008 to assume the responsibility of executing YouTube product strategy for the entire Asia Pacific region. Developed several global features that are particularly relevant for the region: (1) Launched YouTube’s Auto-caption features back in 2010. While I left the team shortly after the launch, the feature has added captions to 1 billion videos by 2017 https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/future-will-be-captioned-improving/ (2) Launched a special playback feature that supports virtually all models of phones, with 20+M daily playbacks for feature phones in JP alone. Show less



Google

• United States
• Software Development
• 700 & Above Employee

• Product Manager

  • Dec 2005 - Jan 2008

  Joined Google Tokyo office as the first product manager, and led launches of many products in Japan, including Book Search (2006), Gmail (2006), Transit (2007) and YouTube (2007). From 2007 to 2010 acted as a de-facto general manager of YouTube Japan, overseeing product, business development, ad sales and policy in Japan. Joined Google Tokyo office as the first product manager, and led launches of many products in Japan, including Book Search (2006), Gmail (2006), Transit (2007) and YouTube (2007). From 2007 to 2010 acted as a de-facto general manager of YouTube Japan, overseeing product, business development, ad sales and policy in Japan.



INCS

• Automation Machinery Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Manager

  • 2002 - 2005

  A 300 employee "start-up", known for innovative, rapid prototyping, and production design consulting for major automotive and electric appliance companies in Japan. Recruited by CEO to manage its R&D division of 50+ engineers and researchers. Led 10+ research projects ranging from production process optimization, CAD/CAM software development, to high-speed milling technology. A 300 employee "start-up", known for innovative, rapid prototyping, and production design consulting for major automotive and electric appliance companies in Japan. Recruited by CEO to manage its R&D division of 50+ engineers and researchers. Led 10+ research projects ranging from production process optimization, CAD/CAM software development, to high-speed milling technology.



Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

• Tokyo, Japan

• Assistant Director

  • Apr 1996 - Jun 2002

  Governmental Ministry in charge of Telecommunication Policy Successfully guided deregulation of 2.4GHz W-LAN systems, which required arbitration among several political camps with contradicting interests. The deregulation, as the key enabler, opened the Wi-Fi 802.11 market in Japan. Governmental Ministry in charge of Telecommunication Policy Successfully guided deregulation of 2.4GHz W-LAN systems, which required arbitration among several political camps with contradicting interests. The deregulation, as the key enabler, opened the Wi-Fi 802.11 market in Japan.