Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming August 2016 16 Industry profile IAG: Can you tell us a bit about your background? Where did you grow up and what are your main memories of your childhood? Joji Kokuryo: I grew up in Los Angeles and stayed in the US until I was 14 years old. I was too small to play basketball or American football, so I was on the soccer and baseball fields after school every day. From there I moved to Tokyo and picked up the Japanese language by working up to four part-time jobs at one time. I would start the day working at a donut shop from 5am, going to school and soccer practice, then back to work again maintaining shopping malls in the evening. The days were so packed, but I honestly enjoyed every minute of it. I just remember waking up in the mornings before sunrise and riding my bicycle to work listening to Sublime’s “What I Got.” IAG: You spent a number of years working as a translator and interpreter. How did that come about? JK: Working as an interpreter seemed inevitable as I was using English and Japanese interchangeably in daily life. I started out with a few language service agents when I was a freshman in university and then made a lot of connections in various industries that allowed me to become independent. I think I stood out for never diluting any of my interpreting or translations. Japanese tends to be more polite and indirect than English, but for example if someone is yelling and arguing in English that something is “rubbish” there is no point translating that to Japanese as “it is not that good.” You need to explain that the other person thinks the idea is “trash.” Of course this works for positive comments as well and this skill or habit helped me earn the confidence of the people I worked with. IAG: Your translation work looks like it has provided you with some interesting and unique opportunities. Can you run us through some of the people and industries you’ve worked with? JK: Having the opportunities to work in various fields definitely helped set me up for my current career. I learned the importance of teamwork and toughness working music festivals, which would consistently be Joji Kokuryo is a prime example of the gaming industry’s global reach. Having grown up in the United States before moving to Tokyo, his refined bi-lingual skills have led to a career translating and interpreting for others – taking him around the world and providing some intriguing roles along the way. Now it is Macau that Kokuryo calls home, with the Senior Compliance/Operations Manager recently celebrating three years with Japanese gaming machine manufacturer Aruze. IAG Managing Editor Ben Blaschke spoke with Kokuryo about his journey. Talking the talk