“Yaraku-Jin (やらく人)”, a series of articles that unravels Yaraku and Yaraku Translate by focusing on the “people (人) ” surrounding Yaraku, introduces Tomomi Mowat, a sales representative.

　

Yaraku-Jin <VOL.16>

Yaraku, Inc. Director COO

Hiroki Kudo

　

Q. Where are you from?

I’m from Ottawa, Canada. When I was in elementary school, I moved to Kobe and lived there for 8 years. And then I moved to Tokyo and stayed there longer. Now I’m back in Canada again.

Q. What do you do at Yaraku?

As a COO, I currently supervise the Finance and Accounting team and the Marketing team. The finance and accounting team is focusing on streamlining operations at the moment. We’re building a solid foundation for effective budget management together, maintaining a collective awareness of our challenges.

Q. What kind of work did you do before joining Yaraku?

Over 10 years ago, I founded a startup called MerryBiz that supports accounting operations, and until recently, I was working there as one of the board members. Besides that, I’ve been an advisor for several other companies, and I currently own two or three companies myself, so I’ve also been involved with those businesses.

Q. What led you to join Yaraku?

I moved to Vancouver in July 2021 and was helping with overseas expansion for companies, as well as helping Canadian and American companies enter Japan. Sakanishi-san happened to see one of my Facebook posts about these activities and reached out, like, “Hey, let’s talk.” That’s actually what led me to get involved with Yaraku. After that, Sakanishi-san gave me an official offer to be COO.

Q. What made you want to commit to Yaraku?

I don’t think there are really that many startups in Japan with the potential to scale globally. Even when they set up overseas branches, it’s usually just having an IT development base abroad and that’s all. When it comes to genuinely having the potential to scale globally, Yaraku is really fascinating.

I believe Yaraku Translate is a very useful tool for companies and organizations, not just in Japan but in any country, that have to communicate in multiple languages. In that sense, I really think there’s a lot of potential for market expansion. I simply find it fascinating as a business.

Q. What aspects of working at Company A do you find most challenging?

It’s not just about Yaraku, but I think as you expand your business, challenges and the ways to deal with them naturally become more complicated and various. I think it’s important to resolve each issue carefully as we move forward.

Q. Do you feel like Yaraku could really scale globally?

Yes, I do. When I  see investors hesitating, I can’t help but wonder, “Why is that?” (laughs). I don’t think there are many services with this much potential to grow. I really hope we can help people realize it soon.

As part of my job at Yaraku, I’ve had the chance to go to exhibitions overseas and hear feedback directly from people, so I can really sense the potential. Right now, there are even translation service companies who say they love using Yaraku Translate or want to recommend it to their clients. I do feel like I’m starting to see change, even if just a little at a time.

Also, with the rise of AI and LLMs, we’re in a fascinating period where traditional translation and multilingual needs are evolving. This industry is undergoing a transformation similar to when smartphones changed everyone’s lives. I believe that even the structures that have been firmly established until now may be subject to change.

Q. Could you tell us a bit about your own personal mission or what guides you?

If I’m going to spend my time working, I want it to mean something. In developed countries, work definitely ends up becoming a source of stress, and people tend to get caught up in making money and economic activities, so I’ve always wanted to do something about that.

To get specific, when you ask, “What does work mean to you?” most people might say it’s something we do reluctantly—giving up our time in exchange for money. Even when I look around on the commuter train, I wonder how many people actually feel hyped up to go to work.  Most people seem very tired and would rather not go to the office if it would be an option. It is sad to see this.

In developed countries, work even changes the way we live. For example,  everyone who moves to Tokyo doesn’t actually love the city—many just come for work, or because it’s a big city. I feel like a lot of people end up changing their daily lives to fit their jobs. 

However, work is supposed to be more enjoyable by nature.

I want to help build a world where people can truly feel pride, and could say  “I’m glad I did this,” “Something I did made someone happy,” or “This is how I made a difference”—and where they can actually bring their value to life. I feel that Yaraku’s idea of changing how we work really resonates with my mission. 

Q. What kind of person would you like to work with at Yaraku?

Since we’re doing new things as a startup, there are bound to be challenges no one has seen before. I would like to see people approach it with excitement and curiosity. It would be great if you find those challenges fun, gain experience, and pick up skills that are practically useful.

I don’t think you can really pick those things up if you’re just doing the bare minimum. It’s totally fine to work in your own capacity, but if you can vision your ideal self, your goals, who you want to become — and work in a way that lets both you and the company grow, that would be a really great way to work. That’s the kind of person I’d love to work with.