OSAMU YAMASHITA – JAPAN
I am Osamu Yamashita, from Japan, and live here with my wife Miyoko.

I left Japan for an easier life. In Japan once you join a company you stay there for life. I found New Zealand and Australia more suitable for my life.

We are in the souvenir and gift business. I was a buyer with a company and now am sales manager of a related import export business. We try to sell as many Australian products as we can.

I started working for this company as a work experience in New Zealand, then transferred to Cairns and now the Gold Coast. We have lived on the Gold Coast for four years. The people here are relaxed.

We have joined local clubs such as sky diving and the Harley owners group and have found all the people are very friendly. I didn’t speak much English, but now as a buyer I have to talk to everyone.

My generation in Japan has more freedom than in the past. For instance we can decide if we want to have children. However I believe my life is better and more interesting here. I am enjoying it. In Japan I wouldn’t be able to keep doing the things I want.

There are many differences in business. In Japan if they say today it is today. Here it may be this week.

But business here is easy. Here if I want to buy something I just buy it, in Japan there are so many agencies and contracts. In the souvenir business there are so many small companies here to deal with, in Japan there are just a few large ones.

My dream is to make this business big, to have more time off and an easy life.