Mr. Kikuchi
He engaged in the research of polymer materials at Yamagata University and completed his master’s course. After graduation, he worked for a plastic film manufacturer for six years. Interested in the research of new materials such as biodegradable resins, he joined HighChem in June 2022.

Mr. Kitayama
After graduating from a graduate school in Taiwan, he was attracted by the slogan of HighChem, “A bridge between Japan and China”, and joined the company in 2009. At that time, he was assigned to the department of food additives, which was a new business, and he has supported the growth of the department.

——HighChem is an environment where Japanese make up 30% of the workforce, a minority. When did you two join the company?

Kitayama   I joined in July 2009, and this year marks my 14th year.

——Mr. Kitayama, you graduated from a graduate school in Taiwan, right?

Kitayama  Yes, that’s correct. I was studying economics and trade in Taiwan, and when I was looking for a place to utilize my skills, I was introduced to HighChem through an agent. The company was expanding its business format at the time, and I was assigned to a new department that had just started handling food additives. I remember it was really tough at the time because we were starting from scratch without a customer list.

——Mr. Kikuchi, you joined quite recently, right?

Kikuchi  I joined in June 2022. After graduating from a graduate school in Yamagata, I worked for a plastic film manufacturer for six years before moving to HighChem.

——What made you decide to join HighChem?

Kitayama  I wanted to work in China using Chinese, and I had the option of working for a trading company, but I was drawn to HighChem’s slogan, “A bridge between Japan and China,” and wanted to work at HighChem. I remember being asked by the president at the interview, “Can you drink?” (laughs).

——What made you decide to join, Mr. Kikuchi?

Kikuchi  In my previous company, I was working on a project called “compound,” where we mixed commercial resins to bring out functionality. In that process, there were many cases where the desired function could not be achieved without the materials from this company, and I felt the value in the chosen materials and strongly wanted to create valuable resins myself. That was the trigger for my job change.

And while I was looking for various companies, I found HighChem. They were recruiting for a position in research and development in a new field that is currently attracting attention, such as biodegradable resins, and I felt strongly that this would be really fun, so I decided to change jobs to HighChem.

——Both of you have been at HighChem for different lengths of time. How do you feel about HighChem’s culture?


Kikuchi  I’ve only been at HighChem for a year, but I feel that the way resources are allocated to necessary and valuable things and the speed of action are very characteristic.

At my previous company, when we were going to do something, we often had to think over and over again, “Will it really work?” “Is it necessary to spend time and money?” and it was hard to take the first step. I also feel that there was less investment in facilities.

When you think about the loss if the results are not good, it’s important to take the time to consider carefully. But when the company puts its energy into saying, “We’re going to work hard on this!” it motivates us who are actually taking on the challenge.

Kitayama  When I joined the company, it was a new start from scratch, but I was able to build a global work network by connecting with various people.

And now we are moving in the direction of not only importing from China, but also sending work to overseas including China, Thailand, and Southeast Asia. I was able to build a foundation with the help of various people, including my boss, and I think it’s a company where you can take on challenges if you express what you want to do.​

The fact that there are many Chinese people who are studying both Japan and China is a strength of HighChem. When I see my busy colleagues working hard, I feel encouraged to study about China as well.

——HighChem often has Chinese superiors, do you feel any difference from Japanese superiors?


Kitayama　With a Chinese superior, it’s easy to consult with them because they understand both Japan and China. When I had a Japanese superior, there were things they didn’t understand about China, so it’s significant to be well versed in both situations.

Since many of our suppliers are in China, we Japanese also need to make an effort to understand China. We often get detailed questions from our Japanese customers about Chinese suppliers and market conditions, so we need to be able to answer these needs. It’s nice to be thanked by customers for finding the information from HighChem helpful.

Kikuchi Rather than the difference between a Japanese superior and a Chinese superior, it’s the relationship with the superior that I felt when I joined HighChem. It’s impressive that the superior also actively works. I think it’s partly because there are few people, but it’s nice to have the opportunity to learn technology, knowledge, and know-how directly. In a normal company, it’s not often that you learn technology from someone at the director level, right?

——At HighChem, superiors also work on the front lines, and there are many practitioners, right?

Kitayama  Indeed, that’s true. If the superior understands the site, they can handle various problems, and it might be good. Also, since I have been working with my current direct superior for a long time, there is a sense of camaraderie rather than a superior-subordinate relationship.

Kikuchi  It’s a company where quite a few people in senior positions are moving around as a whole, isn’t it?

——I read in a book that Japanese people stop working as they rise in position, but Chinese people can’t go up unless they earn respect from below because they don’t understand the site.

Kitayama  Somehow, it’s really getting busier year by year. I’m happy that sales are increasing, but it’s busier than before. I think everyone feels the same way, but it’s probably because one person is doing multiple things. The president is also really moving around on business trips.

Kikuchi  He’s moving around, isn’t he?

——Indeed, it looks fun.

Kikuchi  I thought that was HighChem’s culture, but is it Chinese culture?

——It’s just what I read in a book, but I felt it made sense when I read it.

Kitayama　On the other hand, there is pressure to produce some results if you can take the challenge. This might be the culture of HighChem itself, but I think I have to work hard.  

——What is your relationship with your colleagues like?


Kikuchi Normally, employees with different years of service would have a “senior-junior” relationship, but since joining HighChem, everyone has a “friend-like”, easy relationship. So it’s very easy to express opinions, and it’s a part where I feel the difference from the organizations I’ve belonged to so far.

Kitayama  In the case of sales, at HighChem, there are many people who do everything from procurement to sales on their own. Everyone has different assignments and products. Doing everything on your own is busy, but because you understand both the procurement situation and the customer’s situation consistently, I wonder if each person’s growth speed is faster.

And precisely because each person is independent, a culture has been cultivated where colleagues in not only Japan but also China and America will help you if you are in trouble. That’s probably the corporate culture of HighChem, or the part where you can proceed with a sense of speed, and I feel that it might be a strength.

——Is HighChem a comfortable company to work for?

Kikuchi I think it varies from person to person, but all the Chinese people working at HighChem can speak Japanese, so I didn’t feel any barriers. I don’t feel much difference compared to my previous job, which had a lot of Chinese people.

The company is willing to spend time and money on what’s necessary, so it’s easy to feel motivated. And as far as I’m concerned,  I’m currently able to balance my work and personal life, and I think both are fulfilling. That’s a point where I feel it’s a very comfortable company to work for.

——So, you don’t have much overtime?

Kikuchi  Yes, I can usually go home on time. I work at a research institute, so I occasionally have night shifts, but my working hours don’t exceed the 40-hour frame per week. If they do, I can take a break somewhere. I feel that being able to work in this way is a great point.

——Since you started working at HighChem, has your hobby time increased?


Kikuchi  My hobby is indoor, playing games, but the time I can devote to it has increased more than before.

Also, my colleagues sometimes teach me about Chinese culture, which has sparked my interest in China, and I feel that I need to know more about China. So, I’m trying to learn Chinese and read Chinese books. I can’t speak it yet, but if I remember the kanji, I think I can read a little bit of the text.

Kitayama　Sales are up and it’s busy, but it’s nice to be able to concentrate on my work and not be bothered by human relationships.​

——It’s refreshing and comfortable. It’s good to be able to concentrate on work.

Kitayama  Also, since my 20s, I’ve been taken to various places in China and have been able to gain experience, which I appreciate. During the Corona, I couldn’t do it, but I’ve been to China with customers and visited suppliers.

I’ve been dealing with Chinese suppliers for over 10 years, and we’ve become quite close and I think we’ve been able to build a relationship. The opportunity to build relationships is also a point that makes it a comfortable company to work for.

——HighChem is going to hire more and more Japanese people. Could you please give a message or mindset to those who will join in the future?

Kitayama HighChem has a culture that makes it easy to take on challenges. The ability to solve problems is necessary, but the reason I was able to do various things at HighChem is because it’s a place where you can take on challenges if you show ambition.

Kikuchi  I feel that if I enter HighChem with motivation, there won’t be any major problems. It’s important to clearly communicate what I’m struggling with, but it’s a supportive environment where people will help me when I’m in trouble.

​If you have an image of things making you a little anxious because there are many Chinese people, you don’t have to worry about it. Even if the nationality and culture are different, there’s no need to feel anxious about it.

Kitayama  When I joined the company, I was in a newly launched department, and it was tough in the early stages (creating value for products and services that did not yet exist in the world), but as a result of just moving, I was able to significantly increase sales. I want you to come and challenge yourself at HighChem with your knowledge, experience, and ambition.