——What kind of people work at HighChem?

Zhang: In the Tokyo area of HighChem, 189 people (as of July 1, including contract employees) are working. The average age of our full-time employees is relatively young at 41.3 years old, with 64% of our employees being in their 30s and 40s.

The most distinctive feature of our employees is that 75% of those working in Tokyo are Chinese. Another characteristic is their high level of expertise. About 50% of our employees have graduated from graduate schools in Japan or China, and have obtained a master’s or doctoral degree. They are the ones who form a strong team of experts in chemical products connecting Japan and China.

——What kind of background do most people have at HighChem?

Zhang: The characteristic is that many people join the company through mid-career recruitment. The most common pattern among mid-career recruits is that they graduate from a university in China, obtain a master’s or doctorate degree in a Japanese graduate school, get a job in a Japanese company, and then join HighChem through a job change. Many young people want to utilize their roots as Chinese, their language skills in Japanese and Chinese, and their cultivated expertise in chemistry in both Japanese and Chinese fields.

We also hire new graduates from universities in China. Although it is irregular, we actively accept internships from students majoring in chemistry from prestigious universities in China such as Dalian University of Technology, Tianjin University, and Hunan University. Recently, we have not been able to implement it due to the influence of Corona, but in the past, eight students have joined HighChem Tokyo through internships. They are mainly science students, but despite having no study abroad experience in Japan, their language skills are very high, and many of them are highly motivated in various ways, such as obtaining N1 (Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1) through self-study.

——What kind of career path can you draw after joining the company?

Zhang: Basically, you will be assigned to each department based on your expertise. One of the characteristics of working at HighChem is that even if you are young, you can be entrusted with rewarding work. A young section chief in his 30s was dispatched to China for a long period of time by himself and was entrusted with the launch of a new base. In the process, he was entrusted with the coordination of joint ventures with major Chinese companies, and he is in charge of rewarding work with a large amount of discretion.

Also, if you have the ability, there is a chance to be promoted to a managerial position even if you are young. Managers in their 30s and 40s account for about 70% of all managers. The youngest manager was promoted to section chief at the age of 31.

——Is it a workplace where women can also play an active role?

Zhang: About 34% of the total are female employees, but regardless of whether you are male or female, if you have the ability, you can be promoted. This may be closer to Chinese society than Japan. About 20% of all managers are women. The average percentage of female managers in all Japanese companies is 15%, so isn’t our company on the higher side?

Also, it is very culturally Chinese to say that you can be active even after giving birth. 70% of female managers are either experienced in child-rearing or are currently moms. Many Chinese people do not bring their families to the workplace (laughs). Whether it’s because they’re moms or something like that, they don’t want to narrow down their careers too much, they’re very good at using different faces for the company and home. Also, grandparents and husbands often participate in childcare, and there are quite a few employees who do not take shorter hours.

——What is the atmosphere of the company like?

Zhang: Since many people live in foreign countries away from their homeland, the atmosphere inside the company is like a family. Before Corona, there were various internal events such as company trips and young employees planning their own trips. So, I would like to resume it when Corona calms down.