Two things have always fascinated me: books and foreign cultures. 'Foreign' as in not-American, you understand; I grew up amidst the ethnic mêlée of New York City, where everyone was conscious of their cultural origins. So I left university with a bachelor's degree in French, a huge debt, and a determination to work in an international organization.

My ambition was realized when I joined the New York office of a large Japanese trading company. Culture shock gave way to fascination. So much so that I spent two further years studying Japanese language, economics and politics. Armed with an MA and an even bigger debt, I moved to Tokyo, then in the grip of roaring bull markets in stocks and property. There I spent some of the most absorbing years of my life witnessing the social impact of Japan's internationalization and transition to economic maturity.

Since leaving Tokyo I have continued to follow Japan, first as a fund manager in Hong Kong and more recently as an aspiring novelist living in the south of England - talk about culture shock! Occasional visits to the Far East counterbalance the vagaries of English village life, but I hope from this perspective to distil some of my experiences and love for Japan into a compelling narrative.