Written by: Zunita Ramli
I got so many questions, how did I end up in Japan?
This is a story of me.
Everything Starts From A Condition I Wanted to Solve
My name is Zunita. I obtained my degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
After graduating, I went back to Malaysia and worked as an engineer in one of the telecommunication companies in Malaysia. Life was good… for a while.
As my responsibilities increased, the problem surfaced. As I needed to pay for my house, car, and so on, my finances deteriorated. At the end of every month, I had almost no savings and let alone had extra money to spend on other things. So, I thought I need to do something. Fast.
During that time, I already started my own small business selling Japanese cosmetics. I often visit Japan to restock and sell them in Malaysia. Seeing the demand for cosmetics was high at that time, I got an idea to migrate to Japan, so I can focus on my business. That might solve the financial problem that I had been having.
But, it was not as easy as it seems.
Hello Japan
Migrating to Japan means I have to leave everything behind. Career, family, house, car, and so on. I have to be willing to start over again from zero.
That time I think, if I stay, I have the risk of bigger financial problems in the future. But if I migrate to Japan, I do not know what the future holds – I might succeed or I might also fail. It was one of the hardest decisions that I had ever made in my life.
After doing istikharah a few times, I decided to move to and live in Japan in 2016.
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Things weren’t easy at first, but I had come prepared.
I registered my own company, Zaineeta Global in Malaysia and I run my company virtually from Japan. Why didn’t I register my company in Japan? This way was easier and simpler because I can cut many cost overheads.
Bear in mind, I did not have much capital as a startup because I never take any loan or grant. I started my own company with my own savings. And I run it virtually from Japan.
And I believe Allah’s plan is the best.
At the end of 2019, the pandemic came. Most companies in the world were forced to work virtually online. Since virtually work online was already in practice in our company, the pandemic did not affect us much. In fact, we made our first million (in Malaysia Ringgit) during the pandemic.
At the same time, writing is always my passion. I started actively writing since I was 19 years old.
When I first came to Japan, I found Japan is an interesting country. I instantly fell in love with their culture, attitude, places, and so on. I found so many things that I can write and share on my social media account. And so, I write.
From days to weeks. From weeks to months. From months to years. And in 2020, out of a sudden, my post went viral. It all started from there. Just in a few days, I became an influencer. From that, offers keep coming in either as Talent Artist, or as a book author, or as an influencer, and more. I feel like a door of opportunity just opened in front of me and I do not waste time to grab as much as I could.
I found a lot of interesting things in Japan which I write and share on my social media
Fast forward almost 6 years later, I have my own company, Zaineeta Global that supplies made in Japan skincare (Tokyo Organic) with more than 100 registered resellers in Malaysia, Singapore, and even Japan, being an official distributor of Japanese cosmetics, a part-time talent artist in Japan, a writer, and an influencer.
A shot with a business partner in Japan
Cosmetic product line up my company is selling.
I admit the journey was not easy.
There were a lot of ups and downs and at some point, I feel I wanted to give up. However, giving up will just waste everything that I sacrificed before. After all, I have gone through everything and kept myself going.
I believe all of those challenges are the perfect path that Allah had planned. Maybe, if not because of that challenges I might not be who I am today, I might not even have my own company, because I believe His plan is the best.
I trust Him.
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Did Japan Change Me?
I believe, yes.
Changing me to be a better person, I mean. I learned so many things in Japan, dealing professionally with people, how to serve customers better and I see all these examples, first hand, on daily basis.
But if people ask me about the difficulties living in Japan, actually I am not so sure. I had been away from home since I was 13 years old. Even before I came to Japan, I already lived abroad (Australia) for 4 years and I think I know what to expect. Food, language, weather… I believe those are small prices to pay with the goals that I have in mind.
Having said that, I could not recall any difficulties that I can call difficulties while living in the new environment in Japan.
Advice For Anyone Who Wants To Pursue Dreams
Do not be afraid. Life is short. If you do not chase your dream now, then when will that be?
The world is so big. Do not let fear stop you. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.
Just go.
Tips for Doing Business with the Japanese
I would say the Japanese style of business is quite different than we have in Malaysia or maybe in other countries. After years of doing business with them, I could conclude:
Don’t speak like how you always speak.
Adjust your language/speed/tones/emphasis to ensure your message is received and understood.
Sometimes their English is not so good.
So, they ended up using the wrong words that might make the whole sentence a little bit harsh. Do not take it personally. Be professional. Believe me, most of the time, they do not intend to do so.
They do not always say things clearly.
It will be up to you to decide, based on the things/rules that had been spoken before.
Last but not least, do not be afraid, a flower will blossom when the time comes.
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The Experience of Japanese Muslimah Fasting in Japan and Malaysia
