“Why ‘Time & Style?’”
“I always hope that the Japanese designs as well as its values towards these traditional products will fulfill lives in China. “This was my original goal of the furniture store, as it will always be despite the time and gap until reaching it
Q: Where is your home country? What was your experience coming to China?
A: I came from the Northern areas of Japan, in an environment covered by ice and snow sports. Along with the frequent earthquakes and tsunamis, amazing hot springs our brought to our towns.
I was born in 1972—a stage where the two countries of Japan and China reached normalization relationship and began to increase contact—and thus grew in an environment with high familiarity towards China. A panda sent from China to Japan marked the start of the normalization between the two. At the beginning of communications, the friendly atmosphere between the former-intense countries raised high among the society of my childhood, sparking my interest towards China at a young age. From that time on, I have always dreamed of coming to China and employing here—thus resulting in my choice of taking Chinese courses in college to support me into life in China.
Q: As a foreigner of a Japanese background living in China, how accepting has the society been throughout your experiences—were there challenges in terms of that?
A: Having spent decades in China, there are only very few that still see me as a Japanese over my fluent Chinese. I spent my first studies abroad within the major in Japanese a the Capital Normal University in Beijing. Classmates were all exceptionally welcoming as I managed to start friendships quickly within. I also especially appreciate the way how the Chinese get along with one another over my own experiences in encountering individuals. I also have a principle to myself; I believe that I should be conducting tasks in China with a Chinese partner—as seen through all the companies that I have originated, each with a Chinese co-founder.
*Around the aspect of the Chinese society, a connection with the Japanese society has led to one unique experience of Yasuda:
Over the 30 years I spent in China, and event that occurred in 2005 left a touching memory in me. Anti-Japanese parades began rising in Beijing, where the relationship between the two countries still held tense the years after. Some locals began uprising against and throwing things at the embassy of Japan in Beijing. As a Japanese myself, I was hard hit by the news when I heard it, desperately wanting to change the situation. Communicating with the head of our company at the factory I started, he quickly analyzed and understood the issue from all his years of experience between the two countries, telling me that starting a media company would bring effective solutions, temporarily putting aside my ballet shoes factory; starting a media company would allow the existence of Japanese enterprises in to spread, potentially turning the crisis towards an opposite direction. That was the creation of my third company, though reaching its end in 2008 as the relationship between Japan and China recovered. I transferred my focus back to the factory I created, continuing my work on ballet shoes.
The majority of my jobs throughout my time in China have been companies that I originated, since that is the strategy of work I always hoped for.
Q: What was behind your story leading you to China?
A: After my graduation from studying Chinese in college, I came to China. My first decision was to find employment in China because of the economic conditions that could prompt various opportunities to create my own business as the country’s reform entered market liberalization. Despite that the environment and facility in China back then was not the best, I still continued my initial goal and created my first company with Chinese friends that studied abroad in Japan. That company held the purpose of expanding the production of a dance company Chacott’s ballet shoes. Our choice of beginning this business in Beijing was due to consideration in terms of how the standard mandarin spoken there could benefit my language skills and give me a better chance to grow.
Q: How hard was it to develop your career in China? How did you get in touch with your current career?
A: I have transferred from job to job over the many companies I have created, now focusing on maintaining a Japanese furniture store. My first official, permanent job was a company that helped to create costumes for theme parks like Disneyland. Because product values and processing charges were higher in Japan, my first company often cooperated with Chinese performance groups as their target. The creative designs from Japan in our company brought into production within China also set the path for greater opportunities in this industry. From this strategy, I was then inspired to begin a company of my own—the second company of my employing career. It was not only an opportunity to challenge myself into the international market, but also to connect a foreign company to Beijing, China. I created a factory for an overseas company, introducing them to Chinese productions. I wanted to prove the quality of products produced in China as well as aiding international dance companies in their ballet shoes products.
Q: Why did you choose to begin a furniture store named Time & Style?
A: Japan has always advanced around housing and lifestyles, as materials and products from Japan have gained high popularity among China. Ten years ago, few enterprises of this industry existed in China, therefore giving me a greater opportunity to develop. Thus, I used this opportunity and begun my 3rd individual company of furniture, continuing until today as my main business focus. The intension of the company was to bring the innovative designs and materials from Japan to China, expanding original Japanese furniture products to a foreign country.
Apart from developing success, holes and obstacles were also a grieving part of Yasuda’s store.
However, the past ten years of maintaining this business was filled with struggles and unease. There were often moments of tears. I faced a closure of my original store in Shanghai under numerous pressures, as well as obstacles within the opening of my second store in Beijing, Because of all I’ve been through, I really wish that the future ten years of my furniture business will become bright and filled with success. “I always hope that the Japanese designs as well as its values towards these traditional products will fulfill lives in China. “This was my original goal of the furniture store, as it will always be despite the gap until reaching it.
Q: As someone who has experienced gradual changes over long spans in China, how has the development of the Chinese culture reflected an impact on you?
A: First coming to China in 1994, I felt that the change within the country has not been that major. I have seen myself the development of China over the past 28 years, where I felt that the values of the overall country have remained similar. The continuity of the values throughout Chin a is something I admire as you can see a complete change in Japan of this aspect. As seen through China’s reaction towards the pandemic, even though the country was hard hit, the fundamental parts of China have still remained.
Q: Were there anyone that helped you during the process of fitting in with the Chinese society? Who were they and how did they help you?
A: Many people have come to my side as support. I am glad that the turnover rate at my current business is not as great, as we can build connection and similarity among eachother.
I always believed in the importance to be challenging myself; unless reaching an achievement, I never will give up.
Q: Through all your personal experience in China, are there any words and thoughts you would want to share with the Chinese society?
A: Many Chinese have been extremely welcoming and supportive upon myself, as I wish the same could be for them when the Chinese are in Japan. However, numerous Chinese are now found in Japan, as there are increasing numbers in the Chinese-speaking population in Japan. As a result, there are very few Chinese enterprises that have the opportunity to cooperate with full Japanese businesses, yet I feel that it is important to do so to build the connection between the two countries financially. More cooperation will mean more understanding.
Suzumi Yasuda has definitely been a women of deep memory within my interviews, not only because of her fascinating background connection with China, but also the great spirit shown through her businesses and personality.