Trading in Japan

T

TSGannGalt

I'm going to Japan for a contract position as a Quant.

Can anyone share any experiences or any useful information? I'm very curious about how different the business is compared to the US. Thanks in advance.
 
I live here. Unless you happen to be fluent in Nihongo the biggest problem will be language. Many Japanese have some fluency in English but few enough to detect subtle meanings. SO be VERY clear on what you are trying to express.
They work hard and long but as a Gaijin you probably won't be expected to work quite so hard, may get merit if you do though.
 
I'm fluent in Japanese so I won't have a problem. I'm actually a Japanese brought up in the US. Hard working isn't a problem, too. I have no problem working 16 hour days, I've had a hectic schedule in Chicago.

How sophisticated are the traders in Japan? Australians were behind like 10 years compared to the US. Both in terms of discretionary and systematic trading.

What kind of performance do they return for a hedge fund? How is the industry structured... how favorable is the industry for a system trader?

Also, though I look Japanese and "kinda" am, I'm very naive about their professional culture:

Thank you in advance
 
Quote from TSGannGalt:

I'm fluent in Japanese so I won't have a problem. I'm actually a Japanese brought up in the US. Hard working isn't a problem, too. I have no problem working 16 hour days, I've had a hectic schedule in Chicago.

How sophisticated are the traders in Japan? Australians were behind like 10 years compared to the US. Both in terms of discretionary and systematic trading.

What kind of performance do they return for a hedge fund? How is the industry structured... how favorable is the industry for a system trader?

Also, though I look Japanese and "kinda" am, I'm very naive about their professional culture:

Thank you in advance
More...

I trade US markets from home so only know what I read in the papers here. I'll be very interested to get your impressions once you've settled in. I'm sure much learning will be exchanged.

They work hard and play hard- so be wary of going out drinking after work. I find almost all relationships more kansetsuteki, very much so when compared with American directness, and that takes time getting used to. And 'conservative' doesn't do justice to how careful Japanese businessmen are. Any hint of a cowboy mentality will land you a seat by the window (to enjoy the scenery while you are given useless tasks).
Then there are the loveaffairs to deal with, easy to come by but time consuming:)
 
Quote from TSGannGalt:

I'm going to Japan for a contract position as a Quant.

Can anyone share any experiences or any useful information? I'm very curious about how different the business is compared to the US. Thanks in advance.
More...

Before coming to Chicago, I lived and worked in Japan as an expat (British & US banks) for over 5 years in the '90s. Both from a work, cultural and enjoying-life perspective, I had a blast.

Like most endevours you will get out what you put into it.

Sounds like you will be working for a US trading desk (?). There won't be much adjusting to do. Work ethic will be no more intense than on a US desk.

What else do you need to know?
 
Quote from dealer:

Before coming to Chicago, I lived and worked in Japan as an expat (British & US banks) for over 5 years in the '90s. Both from a work, cultural and enjoying-life perspective, I had a blast.

Like most endevours you will get out what you put into it.

Sounds like you will be working for a US trading desk (?). There won't be much adjusting to do. Work ethic will be no more intense than on a US desk.

What else do you need to know?
More...

I'm going there as a Quant.

Simply, I'll be researching Japanese markets, developing trading models/systems for them... so I'm going to be developing new fund classes for the firm.

That'll be my job. No big deal. Anyways, it seems like you're doing the opposite of me, me being from Chicago going to Japan.
 
Quote from TSGannGalt:

I'm going there as a Quant.

Simply, I'll be researching Japanese markets, developing trading models/systems for them... so I'm going to be developing new fund classes for the firm.

That'll be my job. No big deal. Anyways, it seems like you're doing the opposite of me, me being from Chicago going to Japan.
More...

Well, on arrival, be sure to put on your drinking boots and lace 'em tight! :D
 
I have an opportunity to visit Japan for two weeks at the end of June... and I'm interested in meeting some Japanese traders who could get together and chat about trading, or possibly even give me a tour of their trading setup/ prop office/ software. My trading experience has been exclusive to the U.S. markets and I'd love to learn more about traders on the Nikkei.

Unfortunately I don't speak more than a few words of Japanese. If I had the chance to meet some English-speaking traders with a trading/scalping style similar to my own, that would be ideal, but above all I'd just like to meet up with any interested Japanese trader to talk shop and expand each other's worldviews on trading. (Not to mention count the expensive trip as a tax writeoff, if at all possible!)

Is anyone out there interested in meeting up?
 
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