Why Kagawa

Kagawa was not the obvious choice, and that is rather the point.

If the only aim had been convenience or visibility, Tokyo or Osaka would have been simpler to explain — Tokyo for its institutions, Osaka for its commercial access. But the purpose was never simply to register a company in Japan. It was to build a real base: with relationships, local support, and room to grow carefully.

My path to Kagawa was gradual. Japan-facing engagements in 2022 — international forums and personal introductions — made the country feel closer and more personal, and a visit to a Japanese school around that time offered a window into Japan beyond commerce: education, community, and the way institutions here are built with care. Then, in early 2024, an introduction through the entrepreneurs' network brought several Kagawa opportunities into focus, presented seriously and patiently. With the encouragement of Japanese friends and colleagues, the decision became clear.

What persuaded me was the attitude of the people I met: patience, sincerity, and an openness to building something properly. An office can be rented in any city; genuine trust and local support cannot. Sanuki and Kagawa offered a rooted starting point.

The Seto Inland Sea and Shikoku have a quiet maritime character — not loud, but serious. Ports, islands, industrial corridors, family businesses, regional pride, and a particular calm. My first impressions of Kagawa were of space and restraint: the stillness of the Inland Sea, the rhythm of a smaller town, the care of its food culture — Sanuki udon among its quiet points of pride — and the courtesy of its people. The regional relationship with the Fujita Group, rooted in Shikoku and Tokushima, reflects the same values: continuity, local knowledge, and practical Japanese business experience.

Kagawa and Sanuki give ICMT its roots; Osaka and Kansai give it operational access. The two are complementary. Not every international business needs to begin in Tokyo — Shikoku, too, can be a place from which serious, careful international work is built. We intend to be quietly useful here for a long time.