Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming August 2016 18 There is never a time when emails and calls are not coming in. The sun never sets on the world of gaming. We have our biggest sales office in Las Vegas, our main R&D offices in Japan and our factory in the Philippines, not to mention representatives in South Africa, Australia, Europe and of course Asia. My main role is to make sure that everyone is on the same page from the time a product is submitted to a test lab until the time it is up and running on the casino floor without fail. I am also involved in the R&D process and seeing an idea become a reality and then going live on the casino floor is a challenging yet rewarding experience. IAG: What do you find most enjoyable about working with Aruze? JK: The greatest aspect about Aruze is the relationships with people around the globe. I now have friends and acquaintances in all parts of the world, from South Africa to Greece to Malaysia and so many other countries. Getting to visit our various markets and getting in touch with the local culture and people is as priceless a benefit as it is a difficult challenge to succeed in the markets. IAG: What’s the toughest part? JK: Being away from my family and friends in Japan is the toughest part and sometimes I notice myself looking at the calendar thinking about when I see them next. But as the greatest boxer in the 20th century once said, “Don’t count the days. Make the days count.” IAG: Had you spent much time in Macau before you began working in gaming? JK: I had never been to Macau before joining Aruze, but my first trip I remember being overwhelmed by the size of the casino buildings. I went through all the early rituals like getting lost in the enormous Cotai casinos and of course played the games myself to research the market. Macau is a lively and bustling destination and it was much more international than I had expected. IAG: What do you like to do in your spare time? JK: I am a prototypical sports geek. I religiously follow European football, basketball and baseball. There is not a weekend where I am not playing a sport or heading out to a stadium or arena. I am an Aston Villa, Los Angeles Lakers and Dodgers fan and locally support FC Tokyo and Yokohama Baystars in Japan. Basically I have very little to brag about in recent years, but I stay loyal to my colors. I also played on an amateur football club until last year. We were a rag-tag group of friends and while never the strongest, we always had the most fun. Other than that, I love karaoke and bowling. I am willing to bet I can sing the best “Johnny B Goode” in all of Asia! Industry profile IAG: Finally Joji, what are your long term ambitions? JK: I just hope to foster a team atmosphere where everyone has one another’s backs. I am not one to call people into my own office as I would rather go myself and talk in person. A manager is just someone that happens to look over things, but every role is just as important in our daily operations. Aruze has come a long way and we are growing not only in Macau but also expanding into new Asian markets and this is all thanks to the spectacular teamwork of all our offices and employees. “I learned that you can only control what you can, so I might as well do the best I can no matter the situation. What comes down was up somewhere before, it’s just a matter of getting back up and then progressing even more.”