There are very few foreigners in Japan like Brooklyn-born Rick ROA. His 35 years in the “Big Mikan” has seen him working on some of the biggest events ever in Japan, bringing him into contact with many Ambassadors, former Prime Ministers, as well as jobs such as “Director of Licensee for Playboy,” and was the “International Manager for the KANO Sisters,” whom he holds the highest respect and admiration for.

When he first flew into Japan in 1968, Rick saw steam rising from Mt. Fuji. There, he thought, was the insense of Japan. Rick married a Japanese lady, and had his first son Justin. Like most fathers at this stage in life, he realized he needed money, fast. He started English teaching. After a short time, Rick’s entrepreneurial spirit fired up and he began selling English classes to Japanese companies.

A little later, a friend offered him a job in a high-class hostess club where he was a bartender among many beautiful women. Rick mixed many outrageously expensive drinks and enjoyed conversation with many of the big-spending middle and upper management of most of Tokyo’s leading trading companies including Mitsubishi, Sumitomo and Mitsui.

”The American Train in Japan”
In 1987 when the Japanese Government had privatized Japan National Railways, Nihon Kotsu Bunka Kyokai [Japan Transportation Culture Association] was looking for ideas to attract more customers to the newly formed East Japan Railway. Rick attended a meeting and casually suggested, “Why don’t we have a train that promotes American products?” Two weeks later Rick was invited in to discuss his idea for a mobile advertising vehicle called ‘The American Train in Japan.’ “The whole train should promote American products available in Japan.”

Rick signed the contract and soon had an eleven-carriage train which they painted in red, white and blue with a bald eagle on the front. Rick promised American company representatives that their best face would roll through Japan in a huge display of American quality. He flew to Coca-Cola’s headquarters in Atlanta and convinced them to sign up to his promotion plan. After a whirlwind tour through many states, Rick and his colleagues had convinced American Express and many other huge companies to jump on the train.

Transportation Minister Shintaro ISHIHARA (now Governor of Tokyo) and others cut the ribbon and the train rolled out of Tokyo on none other than the Fourth of July. It was a hit everywhere it went, and it went everywhere. “It was like a traveling fair with the best exhibits anyone had ever seen,” Rick recalls.

He brought Whitney HOUSTON, Bobby BROWN, Cindy LAUPER ... to Japan
In 1990, Rick was on a roll. He and his team decided to pull off something extraordinary - stage an American Music Awards Concert series at the Yokohama Arena. After intense negotiations, they had Whitney HOUSTON, Bobby BROWN, Cindy LAUPER, Gloria ESTEFAN, Donna SUMMER, just to name a few, singing for their fans. In the end, the Music Awards were a huge success and a salute to all concerned.

Rick’s extensive history in Japan has provided him with a wealth of experience. One of the most important things he has learnt about Japanese culture is the power of networking. “In no place in the world that I have been to is networking so important as it is in Japan. If you keep at it, it will pay off in dividends and good personal relationships,” he says.

What personal characteristics have enabled him to do so many things? “Perceptiveness, aggressiveness and a very positive attitude,” he says. Rick has straightforward ideas about success. “I don’t like to fail - it is bad for your morale, especially if you are failing with someone else’s money,” he says with a laugh. “In Japan, failure isn’t looked upon so lightly. You choose your own route and I have been fortunate to have taken the right routes.” Rick in the past 10 years has re-married and his beautiful wife Machiko takes a priority in his life.

For more information, please see the new book “American Maverick in Japan” written by Tony Teora.

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