Originally from the U.K., James does not readily fit into a particular category as defined by career path, area of study, or focus of interest. He is a true Renaissance man unafraid to make unconventional choices. James is living proof that foreigners can lead productive and fulfilling lives in Japan on their own terms.

He embodies a series of contrasts. He holds a master's degree yet now works for JR East for just above minimum wage cleaning train stations—on purpose. He is an accomplished novelist and screenwriter. In fact, he is currently collaborating with a movie production company to produce an original horror film that he wrote. James loves Japan and aspires to buy and remodel an abandoned home in the countryside while advancing in his career at JR East.

Key Takeaways

* In Japan, anything is possible. James has chosen a job cleaning train stations for the time being. It's quite physically demanding and doesn't pay very much. Bottom line: He needs to pay the rent. However, the job only requires 37.5 hours per week. It provides an opportunity to exercise outdoors and is free of office politics, which gives James extra time to think. The job does not follow him home. James has learned to optimize his time off to hone his talent for writing.

* A horror movie is in the works: While it’s still “early days,” and pre-production has not yet begun, James has successfully secured his first contract with a movie producer for a script he wrote. There are many steps in the process to get from this point to the ultimate release, but thus far, everything is on track to begin filming toward the end of 2025. In the meantime, James is doing rewrites and helping his producer plan next steps. Very exciting! We look forward to the premiere.

* Avid writer: While screenwriting for Hollywood seems fun and is certainly keeping James busy, his real passion is writing novels. To date, James has published eight novels, which are available on Kindle via Amazon. Recently, his book Ask Mark has attracted a lot of interest (see links below). He has another book in the works called List of Goals, which sounds intriguing.

Also…About 45 minutes into the interview, you will find out which movie star James would prefer for the lead role in his upcoming horror film:

* Willem Dafoe or Christopher Walken?

* Tom Hardy or Benedict Cumberbatch?

Timeline

Substack does not yet have the functionality to allow you to use a link to jump to a specific section like YouTube's "chapters." Please refer to the times listed below to navigate through our hour-long conversation. Thank you for your understanding.

Key Contacts

* James’s Substack

* Extracts from Recent Books

* Meet Mark:

* Disease:

* Amazon

* Meet Mark: https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Mark-James-C-Douglas-ebook/dp/B0DWL4V8NH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ANMZW77R790G&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jlIoEp1zcK1YzTJVa-gUTPOHJNmmLAWQRQWdlHHZltSB-bumoRtH6dPTOKSCNJtv3VUGH8aSjE3bYvDwNyNN9w.NHyBMxQ-qAGTpbG9i9RcPxoeB2reIa5KoJG8cQ63Iu0&dib_tag=se&keywords=james+c+douglas+meet+mark&qid=1750382124&sprefix=james+c+douglas+meet+mar%2Caps%2C311&sr=8-1

* Disease: https://www.amazon.com/Disease-James-C-Douglas-ebook/dp/B0BH174DKN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=236GZ45TV0EH5

* Bar in Shimokitazawa in Tokyo called GariGari where Jamese does live readings every 3rd Friday of the month: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EJNGXTzmewPvmhTFA

#JamesDouglas #JREast #ジェームズダグラス #JR東日本 #外国人 #外人

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