Wait… This Person Makes Over ¥10 Million a Year?

Whoa. The moment I became captivated by a salary figure, the way I saw my entire career as an engineer began to change.

The “Full-Stack Engineer” I Admired

In the world of engineering, there are many people who quietly and steadily build systems behind the scenes—not just those who stand out or take the spotlight.

And engineers tend to be remarkably committed to learning.

I was no different.

Servers. Networks. Applications.

A person who understands each specialized area, can see the bigger picture, and knows what needs to be done—and who needs to do it.

Someone who understands the entire development project and can make the system work as a whole.

People like that are often called full-stack engineers.

Among engineers, they are the people others look up to.

I remember going to take difficult IPA IT certification exams in Japan. The exam would take an entire day, and dozens of engineers would gather at the venue.

I could almost feel the atmosphere:

“Maybe these people are also working toward becoming full-stack engineers someday.”

For me, becoming a full-stack engineer was something to aspire to.

But Then I Met Someone Beyond “Full-Stack”

At one point, I became involved in a project to introduce a system developed in London into Japan.

The system was being supported by a British engineer and a Japanese engineer working as a pair.

The British engineer clearly understood the system extremely well.

Whenever we discussed technology, he quickly grasped the underlying architecture and structure.

I naturally found myself thinking:

“British engineers really are strong when it comes to systems.”

But then, at some point, I suddenly realized something.

“Wait a minute. Who is this Japanese person who is talking to this British engineer as an equal?”

That Japanese engineer was the only person hired locally in Japan who could operate comfortably in both English and Japanese.

He could discuss the system in English.

He could discuss it in Japanese.

But it went far beyond language.

He understood the business side, handled the coordination, and could even implement the system himself.

Systems.

Business.

Language.

He connected all three.

I immediately began to look up to him.

“So, a Japanese engineer can really get this far.”

Only much later did I realize something.

My assumption that “foreigners are better at systems” was itself a form of foreign bias.

What was truly impressive was not simply the British engineer.

It was the Japanese engineer who could stand toe-to-toe with him technically—and at the same time drive the business on the Japanese side.

And Then We Started Talking About Salary

One day, that person mentioned his salary.

At the time, I was reasonably confident about my own compensation.

I was an engineer at one of Japan’s major system integrators.

I was leading the development of a relatively complex financial system within the company.

My annual income was around ¥7 million.

Considering my age, I thought that was pretty good for someone working in IT.

In fact, I thought I was doing quite well.

But then he said—

“Over ¥10 million.”

…Wait.

What?

There weren't that many people in the Japanese IT industry making over ¥10 million a year.

Even at major system integrators, wasn't earning more than ¥10 million usually something you reached only at the level of a department manager?

Something didn't add up.

There was no doubt that he was highly capable.

People relied on him.

He always seemed busy.

But I was working late into the night, too.

I was also coming in early in the morning.

Of course, I understood that it wasn't simply about the number of hours worked.

And yet, something inside me had started to stir.

“Is This Really Where I Want to Stay?”

For the first time, I seriously asked myself:

“If I keep working hard at my current job, can I really break through ¥10 million while I'm still relatively young?”

It wasn't that I simply wanted a higher salary.

More precisely, the question was:

“How far can I increase my market value?”

Becoming a full-stack engineer is already difficult.

But I began to realize that true value goes beyond technical skills.

Understanding servers, networks, and applications.

Seeing the entire project.

Understanding the business.

Being able to discuss technology as an equal with people from different countries.

And actually being able to implement things yourself.

For the first time, I had seen someone who had gone beyond full-stack right in front of me.

That day, I became captivated by the ¥10 million salary figure.

But the number itself wasn't what truly motivated me.

It was this realization:

“A Japanese engineer can get this far.”

That fact changed something inside me.

From that moment on, I began to think just a little bigger about what might be possible for my own career.

I can do it. I'll take the first step tomorrow.