From Classroom to Kanto: Bridging Cultures with Language

From six-year-old scribbles to cybersecurity in Tokyo, one ANU student followed a love of language and culture to a life on the other side of the world.

For William Loughton, it all started with six-year-old scribbles in katakana. One of his primary school teachers was Japanese, and she taught him to write his name in the flowing, foreign script. For a child growing up in an English-speaking household, it was a lightbulb moment: not only did other languages exist, they offered entirely new ways of communicating. “That moment sparked an interest in other languages that continues to this day,” he reflects.

That spark found fuel in pop culture. Like many of his generation, he grew up immersed in Nintendo games and the broader “Cool Japan” wave. The idea of playing his favourite games in their original language became a personal challenge and a goal. And that interest stayed with him through to university.

At ANU, he pursued a double degree in Languages and Computer Science — a combination that might sound unusual on paper, but which made perfect sense to him. “For the most part, it was just fun being able to go into uni every day and learn about interesting things.” His involvement with the Japan Club, especially the casual language exchange sessions, helped build his confidence and made the language come alive outside the classroom. His commitment to Japanese studies culminated in a major milestone: receiving the Carol Hayes Prize for Excellence in Japanese Cultural Studies in 2024. “I’m incredibly grateful to all of my wonderful Japanese teachers at ANU,” he says. “The award is all thanks to them.”

Today, William lives in Tokyo and works as a cybersecurity engineer at a mid-sized IT firm. The degrees he once juggled in parallel now work hand in hand. “It’s been rewarding to see the difference between what I learned in cybersecurity at University and what’s standard in the industry,” he says. He hadn’t expected his English skills to become such an asset — but in a tech world where most documentation and support is in English, he’s become a key liaison between his Japanese colleagues and international partners. “I was hired purely as a technical engineer, but I’ve ended up leading meetings and helping bridge the gap.”

His Japanese language skills have also proven essential in daily life — in more ways than one. “When I moved into my apartment, the electricity wasn’t connected on the first night. I had to call the power company. I’m not sure how long I would’ve been without heating if I couldn’t speak Japanese.”

But language is more than vocabulary and grammar — it’s culture, too. “It’s very hard to separate the two, and that’s especially true in Japanese.” The complex system of keigo, or polite speech, is a clear example. It reflects deeply rooted social norms and hierarchies, and mastering it takes more than just a textbook. “Without understanding Japanese social structures, you’ll likely end up sounding stilted or even accidentally offending someone,” he explains. “That said, people are usually kind and give you a gentle reminder — but they definitely appreciate it when you try your best.”

His understanding of Japanese culture doesn’t just help with language. It’s also what makes his knowledge of English more useful in a Japanese workplace. “It works in the background. Without my cultural and language knowledge to make that English knowledge accessible to my coworkers, it wouldn’t be as helpful.”

Outside of work, William has been enjoying the simple pleasures of life in Japan: hiking in the mountains near Tokyo, and picking up a childhood pastime again — baseball. “I’ve been trying it again with some new friends here. It’s a very popular sport in Japan, but I hadn’t played since I was five! I’m definitely less skilled than my friends, but it’s always fun to learn something new.”

Asked about his dream job or future plans, he doesn’t try to project too far ahead. “For quite a few years it was a goal to live in Japan for a while, and now I’m just enjoying that dream. I’m sure something else will catch my attention eventually. But I’ll always be grateful for the experience of moving here.”  For other students thinking about diving into Japanese culture, he offers a gentle reminder: “Culture is constantly changing. If you learn a cultural norm, don’t treat it as a fixed truth — treat it as the soil where new ideas keep growing.”

From katakana to code, from language to life, his story is a reminder that curiosity — and a willingness to learn — can carry you across continents.