私は29歳（1994年）で日本を離れ、海外へ渡った（2000年独立・起業）。気が付けば、今年で30年になる。海外へ出たよりも、私は村八分で、追い出されたのだった。もし、日本国内にとどまっていたら、今の私や家族がどうなっているか、想像すらできない。おそらく、失意と貧困のどん底にあろう。
海外移住は、成功者の特権だという人もいるが、私は逆だった。海外に追放された失敗者だった。私を追い出した会社や日本社会に心から感謝している。私にとって日本は富士山のような国だ。実際に登るよりも、遠くから眺めたほうが美しい。
I left Japan at the age of 29 (1994) and went abroad (started my own business in 2000). I find that it has been 30 years this year. Rather than going abroad, I was 村八分 Murahachibu-ed, means ostracised by the village from the neighborhood when a person has a different way of thinking and behaving compared to ordinary Japanese. If I had stayed in Japan, I cannot even imagine what would have happened to me and my family today. We would probably be in the depths of despair and poverty.
Some people say that emigrating abroad is a privilege for successful people, but I was the opposite. I was a failure who was exiled abroad. I am sincerely grateful to the company and Japanese society for kicking me out. For me, Japan is like Mt Fuji, which is more beautiful from a distance than when you actually climb it.
