By News18

Copyright news18

India has become a top choice for many foreigners to establish businesses due to its rapidly growing economy, large consumer market, skilled and cost-effective workforce, and investor-friendly government initiatives. Among many is this Japanese businessman who relocated to Bengaluru, India, to scale his startup after his previous ventures in Kenya and Japan.
The man, Reiji Kobayashi, in a recent interview, talked about his reason for shifting to India and appreciated the working lifestyle and the people of the country.
Reiji Kobayashi’s Businesses In Kenya And Japan
Speaking to Business Insider, he talked about how he quit university before finishing his final year to start a web marketing business in Japan. After selling it, he got into real estate and eventually started a share house company. Later on, in 2018, he moved to Kenya, a country he had visited during his college years, to start another entrepreneurial venture.
In Kenya, after trying his hand at multiple businesses, Reiji launched Hakki, a microfinancing platform helping people purchase cars in a market where credit options were limited. Over six years, the company financed more than 3,500 cars.
Reiji Kobayashi’s Expanding Business In India
His reason for leaving Africa was that the growth opportunities in the country felt constrained, as Kenya only had a population of 50 million. “India, with its 1.3 billion people and rapidly growing economy, seemed like the next best target market for us,” he told Business Insider. And then after six years, in 2024, he relocated to Bengaluru.
Currently, his company employs 4 four people in India, 74 in Kenya, and two in South Africa, while the headquarters remain in Japan.
Reiji Kobayashi’s On His Life In Bengaluru
Adding to this, he also shared his experience of staying in Bengaluru for almost one year now. He said, “There are many things I enjoy about living in Bengaluru. First, I prefer to wear casual T-shirts rather than suits, and the temperature in Bengaluru is stable and comfortable.”
He also showered praises on the people of the city, saying that “they have a lot of energy and are positive about the future.” Reiji said that he now has friends in the city with whom he plays football and watches cricket. However, the one thing that he doesn’t like about India is the spicy food.
“I don’t like spicy food and haven’t gotten used to it, so I spend most of my time eating noodles I bring over from Japan,” he said.
Difference Between India And Japan
Moreover, Reiji also talked about doing business in Japan and in India. He said, “Indians have a mindset to try or take on anything difficult without expecting accurate predictions of what will happen. Japanese businesses spend a lot of time in meetings, ensuring that everything is done with the majority’s approval. Investment choices are made significantly faster in India than in Japan.”
Also, he praised India’s hustle culture, saying that he was surprised to see his employees work more than him. “They arrive at the office at 9 a.m. and can easily work until 9 p.m. Even our company driver is up early and available with the car till midnight, something I did not expect,” Reiji told Business Insider.
Currently, Reiji is planning to temporarily shift to Thailand to expand his business to more countries, but has plans to come back to India soon.