To explain why I started Japan Language Factory, I have to go back to 2009.
In 2008, the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy happened. At that time, I was working as a salaryman for a local company in Niigata that manufactured air compressors for construction. I worked in the office, living a quiet but somewhat dark rural life. Niigata Prefecture has one of the highest suicide rates in Japan, and its constant rainy and cloudy weather added to the heavy atmosphere. Despite its rich nature and delicious food, I never felt at home there.
The economic crisis caused by the Lehman shock was a major turning point in my life. My company relied on exports for 80% of its business, and the crisis hit hard. One day, they told me I didn’t need to come to the office anymore because there was no work for me. Looking back, it feels similar to what’s happening in 2025, with people losing jobs due to AI development—it was as if my existence at the company no longer had any meaning.
At that moment, I was afraid of the future, but it also made me realize something: I needed to live life on my own terms. I decided to find a place where I truly wanted to be. My choice wasn’t even in Japan. I wanted a huge challenge—something completely different, like living abroad.
One of my favorite anime, Lupin the 3rd: Return of Pycal, showed Greek or Roman ruins. I thought, It would be amazing to visit those places, just to relax and reflect on what I want in life.
My First Adventure Abroad
In 2009, I walked into a local travel agency in Niigata, bought a plane ticket, and flew to Greece—alone. At the time, I didn’t speak English or Greek.
Looking back, 2009 was a very different time for travel. There were no smartphones, no internet roaming, and no WiFi everywhere. I had nothing but a travel book, a Greek phrasebook in my pocket, and a digital camera. Compared to today, when smartphones do almost everything, it truly felt like an adventure.
I spent two weeks traveling alone through Crete, Santorini, and Athens. What struck me the most was how much safer the world was compared to what Japanese people were led to believe. In Japan, there’s a lot of propaganda about how the world is dangerous and that Japan is the safest and best country. While Japan is indeed very safe, the extreme beliefs many Japanese people hold about foreign countries are often exaggerated and misleading.
As a 21-year-old Japanese woman traveling alone in Greece without knowing the language, I felt a deep sense of accomplishment. If I had to sum up that feeling in one sentence, it would be:
The world is amazing. I need to see more of it with my own eyes.
That experience changed me. It planted the seed that eventually led me to live in Greece, though it took almost five years before I actually moved here in 2015.
The Start of Japan Language Factory
Now, back to the original question: why did I start Japan Language Factory?
When I moved to Greece in 2015, I had no language skills. I could only speak Japanese. That meant my job options were extremely limited. The only thing I could do was teach Japanese—because that was the only thing I could do in Japanese.
And that’s how it all began.
Japan Language Factory: japanlanguagefactory.com
What an inspirational story
Leeman Brothers bankruptcy was the prelude of the economic crisis in Greece. My generation was completely Fd because of the immaturity of some people. You’re the best Terumi San. I hope one day that Greeks and Japanese will have stronger bonds. Your friend from youtube
Evangelos Nassiou.
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