My training destination was Kochi University of Technology. I chose this university because it offered a research laboratory specializing in the topics I was interested in, and I also wanted a place that was a bit outside of the city, a place that I wouldn’t often venture to on a vacation. The training program was very well established, and my supervisor was so welcoming that I enrolled in the master’s program at Kochi University of Technology. However, I made a slight miscalculation. I had assumed that all classes would be conducted in English since there were many overseas students, but to my surprise, all classes were conducted in Japanese. Despite this miscalculation, I managed to do my best by studying on my own and asking friends for help.
During the second year of my master’s degree, my friends around me started job hunting. I had some spare time, so I decided to start a job hunt, too. Initially, I had planned to return to Thailand after finishing my master’s program, but when I finally arrived in Japan, I just didn’t want to go back.
When I heard about Torishima’s company presentation on campus, I became interested as I thought the company had something in common with my own research area in the field of water and ice. It was then that I happened to hear from my supervisor that Torishima was recruiting candidates for a job opening. He recommended me for the position, and I was able to get a job at Torishima. My family was happy to send me out into the world, saying that they would be able to visit me anytime if I stayed in Japan. Since Japan is a safe country close to Thailand, they didn’t seem too worried. The reason I requested to join the Procurement Department was because I wanted to bridge the gap between Japan and abroad by leveraging my strengths in English and Japanese, and I found the department to be attractive after reading an article written by a senior employee of the Procurement Department on Torishima’s recruiting website. The job involves the procurement of forgings and castings from domestic and overseas material manufacturers. It is vital to thoroughly control the quality, price, and delivery date of purchased products, and based on the photos and reports submitted by the manufacturers, we determine whether the products have been processed according to the instructions. When purchasing from overseas, we also assess the price, considering the exchange rate. As there are many components in pumps, the more units we purchase, the more difficult it is to follow up on the orders. Furthermore, when meeting with overseas manufacturers, it is necessary to have not only language skills but also the ability to negotiate and convey Torishima’s ideas and passion. I believe that this is something that I personally excel at, and I take pride in my work. Torishima is completely different from the image I had of Japanese companies, where employees can’t go home if their bosses don’t or where there is a lot of unpaid overtime. My boss and the employees around me always support me even when I make mistakes, and they work with me when I am busy or have an unexpected situation. The company atmosphere is great, so I am able to work comfortably. I think the biggest concerns for people coming to work from overseas are food and housing. Fortunately, Torishima has an employee dormitory, where breakfast and dinner are provided upon request, and lunch can be purchased at the company cafeteria. They also help employees navigate visa procedures and house loans, so there is nothing to worry about in terms of living arrangements.
In 3 or 4 years, I hope to expand my activities in overseas procurement. I will continue to work for Torishima and grow in my career!

When I was in my sixth year of working at the Indonesian subsidiary, I was offered a job at a Torishima factory in Japan again. I had a wife and child, so I could not say yes immediately, but I decided to go to Japan a month or two later. At that time, I still wanted to give something back to Torishima.
My family cannot come to Japan now because of COVID-19, but I don’t miss them too much because I call them every day. Besides, I still have a lot to learn, so I enjoy working every day. Unlike when I was here as an intern, now I have to do more work using a computer. I am not very good at that (laughs).
I am now learning how to assemble pumps and read drawings from my seniors, but in the future I would like to improve my skills and train my juniors. The work environment at Torishima is really good. Of course, the people are also good. I am glad to be in the BFP group once again. It is the best group.

I was assigned to the overseas division called Torishima Global Team (TGT), the group that is in charge of global logistics. I was hoping to do international work, so it was just what I was looking for. At first, I had a hard time understanding the Kansai dialect, but my colleagues at TGT made a point of looking after me. With their help, I was able to make connections with people in other departments, and soon I was completely comfortable with my job and the company.
Although Torishima is a Japanese company, TGT has a different atmosphere than most Japanese companies. There are many non-Japanese staff, including a Scottish general manager and Dutch and Filipino staff, and we all speak English together. My current work is arranging to send parts to Torishima branch offices in Southeast Asia, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan. I am always surrounded by people from all around the world, and I enjoy my work very much. I still have a lot to learn, but I am the only male in an all-female group and I am young, so they treat me like a son. I will continue to work hard, learn the job, and expand my possibilities.

I was assigned to the service department, and as early as my first year, I was given the chance to go on an overseas business trip. It was periodic inspection of boiler feed pumps at a power plant in Taiwan. I was of course an assistant, but I was impressed by the craftsmanship of the senior engineer who took me on the trip. There is a metalworking process called kisage (scraping), which involves making microscopic depressions on the order of microns, and it was amazing! At that time, we had to widen a gap of 0.04 mm to 0.09 mm. If we cut too much, we would not be able to get it back, so we had to cut it in increments of 0.01 mm or less. Relying on the subtle sensations in his hands, he repeated the process over and over again until he was satisfied with the results, and finished the work without a deviation of even one hundredth of a millimeter. I was impressed to think that this is the work of Japan, or rather, the work of Torishima.
Customers don’t say, “Send us a service engineer,” they say, “Send us Mr. Takada.” I now understand why. Someday, I would like to be the service engineer who is requested by saying “Send us Luqman.” Of course, I am still at the bottom line. There are no shortcuts to becoming an expert, but I am grateful that Torishima is able to hand down skills directly from masters like this from an early stage. There is a wide range of service work and I still need to learn more, but all of my seniors are kind and I enjoy working with them.

My dream of working overseas came true in my 9th year with the company. I was transferred to Torishima Service Solutions (TSS), a service factory in Dubai, UAE. The team was multinational, with a Scottish president, Indonesians, Filipinos, Egyptians, etc. At first, I had a hard time speaking English well, but I used my strength as an engineer to communicate with them in technical terms. Unlike when I was at the head office, I had to do everything myself, even procuring a single part. It was challenging, but I knew that it was helping me grow as an engineer as well as a person.
What was especially new to me was actually visiting a seawater desalination plant. I was very moved when I saw the pumps I had designed being used as vital equipment. Above all, I learned a lot by directly listening to customers’ needs and ideas. I realized how much I had only been focused on my own work when I was at the head office.
By the time a year had passed, I had become much more comfortable with English, solved problems together with customers, and my own proposals had led to orders, so I began to enjoy my work more. It is tough to take on the challenge of something you have no experience in, but it will always help you grow. For myself, my three years in Dubai have broadened the scope of my work and my perspective. From now on, I would like to focus not only on my own work but also on training my subordinates and grow together as both people and the company.

First, I came to Japan on my own to establish a living environment and started working for an automobile manufacturer. The work itself and the work environment were good, but I was a contract employee and did not know when I would lose my job. So I decided to work at Torishima as a permanent employee. I was a bit nervous about changing jobs from an automobile manufacturer where I had worked for many years to a pump manufacturer, but I took on the challenge, believing that I could do anything as long as I was willing to learn.
Torishima focuses on human resource development, such as allowing us to attend schools and seminars to obtain the CAD certifications necessary for our work. The company also has a childcare support, which was helpful when I needed to visit my child’s school. My coworkers are also very kind, and the human resources staff helps me not only with general administrative procedures such as visa renewal and year-end tax adjustments, but also with any problems I may have in my daily life. For example, when I rented a house for the first time, they helped me contact the landlord and prepare documents on my behalf because my Japanese was not good enough.
When I started working for Torishima in 2008, the global economy was in a difficult situation and some companies were laying people off. Under those circumstances, I was very grateful that Torishima hired me. If I had not worked for Torishima, I would not have been able to bring my husband and son to Japan and build a house here. I hope to continue working for Torishima in the future.

Although it was difficult to satisfy all of the customers’ needs, we took on the challenge to meet them to the best of our ability. Of their various needs, the customers placed the greatest emphasis on high efficiency. Pumps are generally said to account for about half of the power consumption for operating large desalination plants. Therefore, increasing pump efficiency by as little as 0.1% can save tens of millions of yen in electricity costs. Since it is directly related to running costs, customer requirements are also very strict. Through repeated trial and error, the team worked together to complete a product that could meet various needs, including increased efficiency, cost reduction, and easy maintenance. This was followed by a series of orders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, and other Middle Eastern countries.
When I was a student, I honestly had little interest in pumps because they are a simple technology. But now, I have a better understanding. They are simple, yet profound; the more I learned about them, the more interesting they became. Through this experience, I understood the true joy of my work. Thinking back on it, I am grateful to the company for giving me this opportunity to grow, as I have only been with the company for four years.