Our Team
Meet Our Team At YOUNEEDS
Our team is the beating heart of YOUNEEDS Co., Ltd. Our company is made up of market professionals with diverse specialisms, allowing us to adapt to a wide range of requests with skill and flexibility. Despite our different backgrounds, we all share a similar vision – to bring value to our foreign and domestic clients, and to society, through our work at YOUNEEDS.
Founder & CEO
Waka Someno 染野尭之
Our CEO at YOUNEEDS, Waka has been facilitating new business leads in the Japanese market for over 14 years. During this time, he has gained deep insight into consumer behavior and business trends in Japan. He has headed the strategic planning and execution of many marketing campaigns, leading his team to maximize results for our clients. Waka’s experience in cross-cultural communication, sales and marketing in Japan has made him acutely aware of what is required for business success in the Japanese market.
Besides our company, Waka also heads a marketing and sales consulting firm for Japanese companies. At YOUNEEDS, it is Waka’s mission to help foreign clients expand their business to new horizons in Japan.
Chief Strategy Officer & Chief Legal Officer (CSO/CLO)
Tatsuya Kawahara
Tatsuya is a seasoned legal professional with extensive industry experience. Certified as an Administrative Procedures Legal Specialist (Administrative Scrivener), Tatsuya has worked on a wide range of cases in Japan, from individual matters to corporate affairs. He is adept at navigating the legal processes surrounding permits, licenses, funding applications and government filings. Tatsuya and his team can work flexibly to assess and accommodate your company’s needs, providing advice on navigating Japan’s legislative landscape, assisting in preparation of documents, drafting contracts and more.
In addition to his work at YOUNEEDS, Tatsuya also specializes in the procurement of drone licenses in Japan.
Japanese Market Advisor / Interpreter
Ashley van Gool
Ashley is a multi-lingual Japanese expert with a background in marketing and promotion. Her expertise in international marketing and promotion covers client-facing communication, project management and media relations in an international environment. Ashley leverages her outstanding abilities in Japanese, English and Dutch to provide value to her clients in Japan, the Netherlands and beyond. Ashley also possesses extensive knowledge of Google Adds, online marketing, SEO and analytics, making her an integral part of the YOUNEEDS team.
Contact us today to discuss the goals of your company in Japan. Our professional team looks forward to assisting you with your company’s entry into the Japanese market.
Japanese Market Digital Transformation Advisor
Makoto Takashiba
A professional in Digital Transformation, known as “DX,” Makoto helps companies modernize and expand their digital offerings. DX greatly impacts user experience, with sound DX design helping to attract a loyal userbase. With experience heading the DX Promotion department at a major drugstore chain in Japan, today, Makoto brings his highly specialized skillset to bear at YOUNEEDS. Led by Makoto, our DX team provides foreign companies with the advice and support they need to appropriately adapt their digital offerings for the Japanese market.
Staff Writer / Translator
Ottilia Tanaka
Ottilia is a writer, translator, and Japanese language expert with over eight years’ experience working with local governments in Japan to foster cross-cultural understanding at the grassroots level. As our Staff Writer and Translator, Ottilia draws on her expertise in crafting media campaigns for Japanese local governments to ensure clear and impactful communication with our global clients. Based in Tokyo, she frequently provides in-person support, including to our International Interns during their time with us.
Global Business Connector
Kina Jackson
Kina, originally from Philadelphia, USA, joined the team as a Business Development Consultant. Her connection to Japan began with a transformative year studying abroad in the Kansai region during university, which ultimately led her to make Osaka her home for over 20 years. Fluent in Japanese and deeply familiar with the Kansai region, she offers valuable insights into international business, particularly for North America, the African continent, and western Japan. As a former co-founder of a social good startup, she has firsthand experience navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship and global expansion. Her diverse expertise includes bilingual support and collaboration with entrepreneurs, artists, and companies of all sizes to help them achieve their goals and reach new audiences.