Struggle breeds perseverance: a story of success

by Socheata RATH

Hagiwara Sopana - taken by Socheata RATH

Hagiwara Sopana is a Japanese-Cambodian who was born during Pol Pot Regime. The wrath of was made his life miserable and forced his family to migrate in Japan. Japan gave him the inspiration to pursue and study hard to be able to reach his goal to run his own business in Cambodia. All his efforts paid off. Currently he is now the Representative Director of JCAM Systems Technology in Cambodia.

We are privilege to have a face-off interview with him to share his experiences and secret recipes for business. Here are the highlights of our interview.

KL: Can you give us a little background of yourself?

A: I was born on 13 July 1968 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. When I was a child I had studied at Malika Elementary School until grade 4. Unfortunately, the Khmer Rouge siege Cambodia from 1975-1979. That the time I could not continue my study; life became miserable, cruel, and millions of Cambodian died. After the fall of Pol Pot, I continued to study at Baktok Junior for one year and migrated to Japan a year after. I attended Yamato Junior High School in 1982, after that, I studied at Mukaino-okka Technology High School from 1985 to 1988.

KL: How was your life in High School?

A: Certainly, while I was studying in High School I also had a part-time job as a waiter at small restaurant to earn money for my schooling fee and I changed to work as a road repairer because it has more salary. Then I changed to another job as an assistant of design at I-com and set up telephone for business (service). Moreover, I often involve myself to help less-fortunate people in both Japan and Cambodia whenever I have a chance to help them.

KL: When did you become Japanese National?

A: I became a Japanese Citizen in 1993.

KL: How many jobs that you work after you graduate until today?

A: After I graduated from 1988, I worked as an electrician in Fuji-tech for one year and I changed to work as a chip computer maker for cars. Then, I studied engineering and work as a software developer in Upload Company because I would like to get more experiences. I also worked as a telecom in NTT and later as technician of CT scan machine in Canon Company. My last job in Japan is creating games and DVD Recorder and a server system of television in Sony Company and sold the program to another country. But now I come to run my own business in Cambodia as a Representative Director of JCAM Systems Technology Co.,Ltd.

KL: How did you become successful in business?

A: First of all, I do research of Location and infrastructure in Cambodia such as: Security, Electricity (have enough energy), Internet process, and Computer spec.

For me I must have a goal to make a plan such as:

•  Should have an abstract idea.
• Do not abandon your goal even if it’s hard for you.
• Must work from the bottom to the top of our goal.
• In order to achieve my goal I had to change many jobs to upgrade my experience from one to another.
• For my main goal I want to establish a company in Cambodia since I had first charity for orphan children in Cambodia in 1994 but there was not enough material, money and electric system. Especially, I couldn’t find the people who would help me to succeed in my goal but I can see the way to reach my goal closely that I choose to establish my Company.
• I do not believed in destiny that it’ll bring you all what we need.
• I don’t care how long I can get my success but I still take effort to reach my goal.