Yoshiaki Kosuge

I originally worked as an English teacher before transitioning into domestic marketing in Japan. During that time, I noticed that clients in Tokyo had strong international awareness, while those in Osaka had much less and were often skeptical about expanding overseas. I felt Osaka was losing ground, and I came to recognize the importance of bilingual capabilities and wanted to contribute to the Kansai region. I also realized there was a significant gap in the market — very few companies could handle marketing both from Japan to overseas and from overseas to Japan. That inspired me to leverage bilingual skills and establish a marketing company that transcends language barriers. Many Japanese companies want to expand internationally but struggle due to language challenges, and I wanted us to stand in the middle and support them. That was the driving force behind founding IGNITE.

IGNITE's goal going forward is to broadcast from the Kansai region by bringing together Japanese and international talent who live in or have ties to Kansai, and helping them develop their skills. As both a company and a business, we aim to build those opportunities. IGNITE means "to spark," and that is exactly the kind of presence we want to be.

First, hunger. We're looking for people who aren't satisfied with where they are — people who want to keep learning and developing new skills. Second, professionalism in communication. Whether you're bilingual or not, it's crucial to communicate effectively across language barriers. This is especially important at our company, where we work remotely and hold many meetings online, making clear communication with other team members essential. And finally, open-mindedness. Our team includes people of many different nationalities, creating a truly international environment. We want people who can embrace different cultures and perspectives without bias and seek to understand others with an open mind.