Episode #266: Evan Burkosky, Co-Founder CEO of Kimaru AI

“Japan’s strength in rule-based processes has become its weakness in today’s information age.”

“In Japan, leadership succeeds when data removes uncertainty and consensus replaces command.”

“Risk is not avoided in Japan; uncertainty is — and data is the antidote.”

“To lead here, map out every cause and effect until the team sees clarity in the decision.”

“Leaders thrive by respecting tradition first, then carefully opening the door to innovation.”

Evan Burkosky is the Co-Founder and CEO of Kimaru, a Tokyo-based decision-intelligence startup for supply-chain leaders. Previously he was Sales Director at Meltwater Japan, Country Manager Japan for Dynamic Yield, CEO of Tourism Builder, Consultant at J. Walter Thompson Worldwide, Business Development Manager at e-Agency Japan, and CEO and founder of Konnichiwa-Japan.

Evan Burkosky’s career in Japan reflects resilience and a pragmatic approach to change in a rules-bound business culture. After arriving to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities, he built a career in consulting and analytics before co-founding Kimaru to help executives make faster, better decisions with AI. The platform maps cause and effect, builds a digital twin of the decision, and tests permutations to recommend actions — effectively a sped-up ringi-sho that supports consensus with evidence.

Japan’s management DNA values precision, manuals, and codified approval flows. Those strengths delivered quality in manufacturing, yet now constrain adaptability. Burkosky’s prescription is not to reject process but to instrument it with data, so leaders can move at information-age speed without violating norms of harmony and stakeholder respect.

He reframes the stereotype that Japan “avoids risk.” In practice, teams avoid uncertainty. When leaders present decisions like equations — assumptions, scenarios, probabilities, expected ROI — people consent to bold moves because the unknowns shrink. Decision intelligence thus becomes the antidote to hesitation.

Trust grows through transparency and nemawashi. Western “shoot-from-the-hip” calls usually backfire; methodical explanation within a rules-based frame earns respect and aligns stakeholders. Leaders who quantify outcomes and respect ringi-sho reduce friction while preserving speed.

Language fluency compounds it all. By opening meetings in Japanese and keeping the conversation there long enough to establish competence, Burkosky has closed multi-million-dollar software deals — a signal of cultural commitment that strengthens executive presence and trust.

What makes leadership in Japan unique?

Japan’s corporate culture prizes rules, manuals, and consensus. These strengths ensured quality but now slow adaptation. Leaders must respect them while introducing clarity and speed.

Why do global executives struggle?

Decisive, top-down leadership fails here. Stakeholders demand exhaustive, data-backed explanations before supporting change.

Is Japan risk-averse or uncertainty-averse?

Teams avoid uncertainty. When data clarifies the picture, they are willing to embrace bold strategies.

What leadership style works best?

Empathy, patience, and nemawashi. Show the maths, align the stakeholders, and respect the ringi-sho process.

How does technology help?

Decision intelligence creates digital twins of decisions, runs scenarios, and recommends actions — essentially a sped-up ringi-sho for modern business.

Does language matter?

Yes. Burkosky’s ability to work in Japanese, including humour and nuance, has closed multi-million-dollar deals.

[00:00] From Canada’s West Coast to Tokyo: Burkosky builds a career that culminates in co-founding Kimaru to accelerate decision-making with AI.

[05:20] Kimaru builds digital twins of decisions, runs scenarios, and recommends actions — effectively a sped-up ringi-sho.

[12:45] Japan’s reliance on rule-based processes, once a strength, is now a brake on innovation.

[20:10] Japan avoids uncertainty, not risk. When data clarifies outcomes, bold action follows.

[28:30] Leadership advice: explain strategies with clarity, use nemawashi and ringi-sho, avoid command-and-control.

[36:00] Language and cultural nuance matter: Japanese fluency closes deals and builds credibility.

[42:15] Leadership is about being the example others willingly follow — balancing tradition with innovation.

About the Author

Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University.

He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie “One Carnegie Award” (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012).

As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg delivers globally across leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.

He has written best-sellers Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery, plus Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese. He produces six weekly podcasts and three weekly YouTube shows on Japanese business and leadership.