Intern explores Japan’s culture and cutting-edge AI

Matt (right) with fellow Foundation interns Tim Llanes (left) and Luca Parussini (centre) who interned at international law firm Logan Lovells at the same time as Matt

Like many Kiwis, my perception of Japan was shaped by a mix of social media highlights, Youtube videos and stories from friends who had visited.

I imagined the vibrant streets of Tokyo, neon lights and food to die for, all with a seamless blend of tradition and technology painting a picture of an incredible country to explore. Yet, whenever I mentioned my upcoming internship, conversations quickly shifted from exciting travel plans to curious questions about Japanese work culture. "Will you have to work super long hours?", “How strict will it be?”

These were questions I asked myself too, as I prepared to shift from a familiar New Zealand environment into what I imagined would be a completely different professional world.

I arrived in Tokyo with equal parts excitement and apprehension, my suitcase packed with business attire and preconceptions about Japanese corporate life.

NEC (Nippon Electronics Corporation) stands as one of Japan's technological giants, with an impressive footprint covering a variety of different industries like telecommunications, logistics, and healthcare.

After joining the team, my workplace stereotypes quickly dissolved. Rather than the rigid and strict environment I had braced myself for, I discovered a team culture surprisingly similar what you would find in New Zealand.

My colleagues welcomed me with genuine warmth, eager to share not just their professional expertise but pieces of their lives outside the office, with recommendations for weekend activities, amazing places to visit, and lots of good food to eat.

These anecdotes made the vast Tokyo metropolis feel more navigable, transforming it from an overwhelming urban sprawl into a collection of neighborhoods each with their own distinct personality.

Being placed in the AIDD (AI Drug Development) division meant stepping into the future of medicine. It was a thrilling opportunity to experience cutting-edge innovations in technology and healthcare through the drug development for personalised cancer immunotherapy and infectious diseases using AI.

I can't go into too much detail about the work I was involved with at NEC as much of it was commercially sensitive. But, in general, the team were involved with using AI to help develop personalised cancer drugs, which involves comparing normal cells to cancerous tumor cells.

In short, tumor cells are abnormal because mutations in their DNA lead to changes in the amino acid sequence of proteins, like sections being added or removed where they shouldn’t be. By using AI, we can analyse the normal sequences and compare them to the cancerous ones to pinpoint where mutations have occurred. Proteins from these cells, called antigens, have specific regions known as epitopes. These epitopes are important because they can be targeted by drugs or the immune system to fight cancer. AI helps us identify these regions and develop more effective treatments. 

Matt's colleagues at NEC made sure to welcome him into the team and provided him with insider tips on where to go and what to see in Tokyo

During my time in AIDD, I worked on various projects. In one project, I used Python to generate visualisations of epitope overlaps. Traditionally, this comparison was done manually, which risked missing critical information. My project automated this process, highlighting mismatched epitopes efficiently. This not only saved time but also simplified the process in designing the appropriate vaccine.

My work at AIDD significantly deepened my understanding of AI, particularly its applications in bioinformatics and drug development. This experience helped grow my problem solving and technical skills, while giving me insight into the practical challenges of integrating AI into healthcare solutions. 

During my time in Japan, I lived in Otsuka, one station away from Ikebukuro on the JR Yamanote line, and about a 50-minute trip to the office located in Tamachi, Minato.

Unfortunately, this was one of the last residential stops so like the videos I would see online, I had to squeeze my way onto the packed carriage in the mornings, pushing off the inside of the door frame to fit in before the doors sealed shut. Even if I did miss a train another one would arrive every few minutes—Japan's public transport really is as efficient and punctual as it's renowned for being.

Matt: "Each district [of Tokyo] offered its own character and things to do."

My weekends allowed me to explore more of Tokyo. Each district offered its own character and things to do.

I frequented Ikebukuro and Harajuku most days for their variety of food and shopping opportunities, which I definitely spent too much time and money on.

I was also able to explore other prefectures and places such as Kamakura, Enoshima, Nikko and Hakone. These places offered a vibrant cultural contrast to the futuristic, busy streets of Tokyo, allowing me to see the beauty of Japan’s traditional culture and natural environment.

Winter brought special magic in the form of snow.

I had the opportunity to venture to regions like Hokkaido, where I experienced the snow festivals in Sapporo to see the massive ice sculptures, Otaru to walk along the famous canal with hand-lit snow lanterns glowing on the water, and Lake Shikotsu’s ice festival with crystalline illuminations changing colors, creating a surreal dreamscape and definitely one of my highlights.

Matt's team at NEC

As my internship concluded and I prepared to return to New Zealand, I realised how profoundly this experience had changed me.

Japan has transformed from a collection of impressions and beautiful images on social media into a complex reality of wonder that I am keen to revisit and learn more about.

The technical skills I gained at NEC will be valuable for my career in the future and the cultural understanding I've gained from living in another country is invaluable.

Japan has become more than a destination checked off a list, it's become a lens through which I now view efficiency, beauty, tradition, and innovation.

 The Foundation's Business Programme supports New Zealand companies to better understand Asia so they can make the most of opportunities in the region. It also supports to grow the next generation of Asia-savvy business leaders.

Our internship programme helps interns build a better understanding of the people, place and culture of their Asian host country, while developing industry-specific skills that will benefit them as they progress in their careers.