iU President Gachon: Mrs.Kaori Sasaki

 ■iU President Gachon: Mrs.Kaori Sasaki

From interpreter to journalist to entrepreneur to business owner. She's an amazing woman, even though we're the same age.

I've known him since I was a bureaucrat, around the time digitalization began, so I've been following in his footsteps for about 30 years now.

◆Why start a business?

Back then, the word and concept of entrepreneurship didn't even exist. After graduating from university, I ended up working at the same place where I had a part-time job. Eight or nine years passed, and I thought, "Is this how I'm going to continue?" so I quit.

1. I was working as a freelance interpreter in the music industry. As my workload increased, I was told that having a business name would make it easier for people to pay me.

2. I wondered how I would survive without getting a job, and how I would make a living.

3. It's a waste to only use interpreters and translators as language experts; it would be good to have a system in place to utilize them as comprehensive consultants.

These three factors led me to decide to establish a company (Unical International Co., Ltd.).

◆ e-Woman Co., Ltd. established

I worked in a way that believed doing a thorough and good job would lead to future business. I started using databases and email in 1988 or 1989, and switched entirely to email in 1992. I created a website in 1995. I had always advocated for the impact of the internet on the working lives of women, people with disabilities, and people living in rural areas, and for the concepts of SDGs and ESG, as they are known today.

They were doing it voluntarily using Unical International's profits. I was thinking it was about time we could break even and stop wasting money, and that's when IT came along in 1999.

We hit the bubble. And a lot of people and money came together.

What started as a discussion about how to make the volunteer project less of a burden on Unical International quickly escalated to the point where hundreds of millions of yen in capital were raised. Unical International couldn't handle it all internally, so they reluctantly created a second company. E-Woman was established in 2000.

◆Difficult period

The period from around 2000 to 2010 was incredibly difficult; I barely felt alive. I saw many different sides of people. There were about three times when I could have easily lost my life.

Some companies may struggle with things like not being able to come up with new product ideas, not knowing how to market, or not knowing their people, but all of these problems can be solved by people.

◆ Envisioning the future

I always have ideas and things I want to do. I've been able to continue because I'm basically serious about what I do. I was looking 10 or 20 years into the future. I've been talking about SDGs, ESG, and diversity for 20 years, and now people are finally starting to think they're important. Even when I explained it 20 years ago, my employees didn't understand.

◆People are everything

who work honestly and correctly, who are motivated and give their all even when no one is watching, and who improve themselves and their skills every day. People who can work as a team and understand the company's vision—when such people come together, the company will move towards success.

◆What is a school?

School is a place that constantly presents you with questions. About 50 years ago, school was a place that provided knowledge. Now, you can find knowledge by searching online. School is a place where you deepen your own thinking by exchanging questions with fellow students and teachers about how to use knowledge and why things are the way they are.

◆Roundtable Discussion for Working People

Typically, the media relays what the proprietress says to the common people. The internet is largely the same. The common people ask questions, and experts answer them.

The process is streamlined, with experts asking questions and ordinary people responding with their own experiences and opinions in the form of iStatements, within a set word count. It's training in diversity thinking, and because various experiences and perspectives are gathered from different angles for a single question (North Korea, abuse, education, parenting, beauty, etc.), a database of experiences and wisdom is created. We continue this because it's online and not limited by time or location.

◆University is a place to discover behavior

Universities should provide a more regular setting for professors and students to discuss such questions. Professors should pose questions and offer different perspectives.

A place to discover the habits of learning, thinking, discussing, and combining different perspectives to arrive at better answers.

◆A message for you

I think the most important thing is to increase your experiences, such as meeting many people and going to many places. I want you to accumulate a variety of experiences.

When you travel abroad, you encounter many regions without electricity or even safe drinking water. Returning from such places made me realize just how fortunate I am to live, study, and work in Japan—a rare and exceptional situation in the world.

To make this planet a better place, let's not get discouraged or discouraged by small things, but instead work towards a bigger goal. I also recommend taking advantage of the International Women's Business Conference, which is being held online, to immerse yourself in a shower of knowledge.

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Kyoto International Film Festival 2023, including all kinds of films.

 ■ Kyoto International Film Festival 2023, including all kinds of films.

Kyoto International Film Festival.

Greetings from the Executive Committee Chairman at Gion Kagetsu.

It's like a film festival, but not quite a film festival.

It's like an art exhibition, but not quite an art exhibition.

When I asked what it was

Movies, art, and everything else

Kyoto International Film Festival.

Ready, set, go!

It always began with a call from Honorary Executive Committee Chairman Nakajima.

That chant is missing.

I offer my deepest condolences for the passing of Mr. Sadao Nakajima.

Thanks to your support, this film festival has reached its 10th year.

Coincidentally, the Agency for Cultural Affairs came to Kyoto at that very time.

This year's film festival, we convey our "thank you" to Sadao Nakajima in heaven,

Building upon its 10-year history, this must be a milestone that leads to the future.

That's why I opened it.

Thank you very much.

Next year, we aim for a new format.

Thank you in advance.　I beg you .

Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa,

Hiroki Furukawa, Vice Governor of Kyoto Prefecture,

Nobukazu Hinata, Councillor at the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

The host is the usual Kim-ni.

Thank you very much.

The Shozo Makino Award goes to Junji Sakamoto.

"The night brings the alcohol."

I love the line that Renji Ishibashi says in "I've never fired a shot ."

I also like Naomi Fujiyama and Ittoku Kishibe in "Kao" and "Danchi," as well as the sticky, lingering feel of the people of Kyoto.

Congratulations on winning the award.

Thank you very much, Yuko Natori.

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Cool Japan: Takeout

 ■Cool Japan: Takeout

NHK Cool Japan “Takeout” episode.

In my neighborhood too, Japanese, Western, and Chinese places all started doing takeout, and around lunchtime the streets got lively with people calling out, “We have bento!”

Japanese cuisine, with lots of soups and noodles that stretch easily, didn’t really lend itself to takeout—but this is the result of tearful efforts during COVID.

“Takeout Surge”

Chinese, curry, French, Italian—everyone started takeout.

There’s a foundation in bento culture.

Food designed to taste good even when cold.

Visual presentation through small portions and careful arrangement.

Containers that are easy to obtain for that purpose.

In Japan, where takeout and takeaway weren’t very common before, a new bento culture has been born through COVID.

“Ramen”

Ramen appears again and again in this program.

In the past, ramen delivered as “demae”—something like takeout or delivery—was often soggy and cold.

But it has been evolving rapidly, and even what’s sold in convenience stores is now quite delicious.

They keep developing, obsessing over noodle texture and soup.

That level of dedication is almost abnormal.

And with COVID, new innovations are emerging.

I’m impressed.

There are over 30,000 ramen shops in Japan, and even during COVID everyone continues refining their flavors.

“Edible Containers”

Japan has long devised ways to eat fish completely, even down to the bones.

And yet, over the past few decades, we’ve been throwing away containers and chopsticks—maybe that was a bit off track.

But making something “edible” to reduce waste, and making it “delicious” at the same time—that feels very Japanese.

Food was one of the sectors most heavily damaged by COVID.

But at the same time, it is trying to use that as a springboard to create new culture.

After COVID settles down, it would be nice if this rich takeout culture remains.

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iU President Gachon :Mr.Junya Komatsu

■iU President Gachon :Mr.Junya Komatsu

 He is the creator of "Chiko-chan ni Shikarareru!". He has also created "Gottsu Ee Kanji", "Laughing Dog Life", "SMAP x SMAP", "Fountain of Trivia", "Honmadekka TV", and many more. In other words, he is a legend.

◆The difference between television and smartphones

The basis is to create something that is enjoyable to look at. It never changes.

The interesting thing about smartphone content is that it uses a touch panel. Television can make what is otherwise a one-way stream interactive. It's interesting and fun to be able to customize the viewing experience for each viewer. The line between television and games is disappearing.

◆ What inspired me to start making this

We're not always looking out at the world trying to create something new.

I often get inspiration from other people. For example, Chico-chan scolds me.

The director suddenly handed me a piece of paper with the question "What is the expiration date for ice cream?" I thought about it, but there was no expiration date. I thought it was interesting that I had lived for 50 years without knowing such a thing. If it was just a trivia quiz, it would end with whether you knew it or not. What's interesting is that we live our lives aimlessly without knowing things that we should know. What would it be like to be asked such a thing and not be able to answer, and a little girl would scold us? This idea was born from a conversation that lasted about 10 minutes.

When something interesting happens in front of you, it becomes a gateway that connects the things you experience in your daily life.

The Fountain of Trivia. Why is Isetan's paper bag the biggest? It was born from that. It's strange, but there are people who are thinking about the same thing at the same time. I started it with those people.

◆Weaving with friends

You may not have thought of it spontaneously. Arrange something that you find interesting while talking. Think of a way to share something that you find interesting with others.

How to spend your student days

I hardly went to college. I wrote scripts for plays and skits in coffee shops. When I was thinking of a skit with a forced theme, I felt like I was training myself quite thoroughly to gather various things and combine them to create a story.

I often made skits. What makes me popular is that I bring out things that are in the everyday lives of people. I value what I think about in my daily life. I thought about what was interesting and lived a fun life every day, and that's all the input that connects me to the present.

◆ Differences between being an employee and starting a business

While in an organization, you have to empty yourself. It's the aesthetics of working. Even if you disagree with something, you have to take responsibility for what's been decided and carry it out. That's work. I think that's a wonderful thing. But it was stressful. After I quit, I felt free.

The reason I decided to quit was because I felt that TV was the only outlet for video entertainment, but times have changed, and various things such as streaming and games have appeared, and the way people spend their time has changed. In order to realize a plan within a TV station, the organization must give the go-ahead. There are some things that can't be done just by being interesting.

Now, if you find something interesting, you can take it to various broadcasting stations, stream it, make it into a game, or make it into an app, so your ideas never die. If you find something interesting, you can make it a reality in some way.

◆Message for you guys

My father told me, "Don't become a craftsman." He was in a research lab, but he said that if you become a specialized technician there, your potential as a human being will be closed off. In other words, "Don't become a professional." Of course, it is important to acquire various skills and use them to gain confidence and confidence.

With the advancement of technology, access to many things has become easier. Many things can be realized. If you decide who you are, you will not be able to go beyond that, and your life will become boring. It is more enjoyable to live life by being amateurish, being loved by everyone in an unfamiliar place, and doing things you have never done before.

★Postscript

He is quiet and calm. He may look like that, but he is really scary on the set. That's what I heard from someone at Yoshimoto + NTT's video platform "Laugh & Peace Mother." Of course. Although he is my junior at university, he is cool and I admire him.

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Cool Japan: Massage

■Cool Japan: Massage

NHK Cool Japan: "Massage" edition.

The word massage is French, but there are many different types, including anma, which originated in China, and shiatsu, which originated in Japan.

Among them, Japan is a major country in the world.

Stiff shoulders have been said to be a national disease, and massage has undergone a unique evolution.

It used to be said that Westerners don't suffer from stiff shoulders, but I hear that with the spread of smartphones and games, stiff shoulders are becoming more prevalent worldwide.

Can Japanese massage bring relaxation to the world?

"Goods"

It seems that it is not actually the case that Japanese people are prone to stiffness and Westerners are not.

In the past, it was said that differences in lifestyle, such as sitting cross-legged and wearing traditional Japanese clothing, were the cause, but that difference no longer exists.

However, compared to Westerners, Japanese people are more aware of the pain of stiffness, so the threshold for massage is lower and they use it casually and without hesitation.

Producing lots of goods for anything is a Japanese specialty, but another factor may be that stiff muscles are more readily available in Japan.

"school"

The national qualification is a combination of the three, called "Anma Massage Shiatsu Therapist."

Massage is a technique performed directly on the skin that was introduced from Europe after the Meiji period.

On the other hand, massage over clothing originated in ancient China and was introduced during the Nara period.

Shiatsu, the technique of pressing with the fingers, originated in Japan during the Taisho period.

Use your fingers to press the acupressure points connected to the affected area.

Shiatsu is now attracting attention around the world, with vocational schools being established one after another in Asia, Europe and the United States.

If smartphones and games make people overseas more aware of their stiff muscles, then Shiatsu may become more popular.

"chair"

When it was first invented about 60 years ago, it was just a big ball sticking out of a chair that opened and closed, but it has evolved since then.

More than 10 years ago, when asked what they would like to bring back to their country, a foreigner answered, "A massage chair."

They say it's a fusion of technology that gently massages the body and beautiful interior design that looks great in the home.

I realized that Japanese massage chairs are the most advanced in the world.

It has continued to evolve since then, and the latest models have become "massage computers" that read each person's body shape and adjust the massage intensity accordingly, with the chairs connected to a communications network and managed using AI and data.

It's like wondering how far it will go.

 

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iU President Gachon. Mr.Tomonori Aoyama

 ■iU President Gachon. Mr.Tomonori Aoyama

He was a researcher at Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation, then a professor at the University of Tokyo and Keio University. He is a leading figure in academia. I was greatly indebted to him during my time at Keio University.

◆Until now

Born before the war in 1943. Evacuated to his mother's hometown of Yagi-cho, Kyoto. Kyoto was not bombed, and he worked as a farmer, so there was no need to worry about food. At the age of four, he moved to Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture, where his father worked for the Asahi Kasei factory. In middle school, he moved to Suginami, Tokyo. He entered the University of Tokyo, specializing in electrical and electronic engineering, and then went on to a master's degree. In the year he graduated (1969), a university riot broke out, and he joined NTT (Nippon Telephone and Telephone Public Corporation). 1969 was the year that ARPANET used packet communication for the first time, the first moon landing, and The Beatles broke up.

In 1973, he went to MIT for a year. After that, he moved around to various NTT laboratories. In 1997, he became a professor at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Engineering. In 2006, he retired and went to Keio University's DMC Research Institute. He also worked at SFC and the Faculty of Science and Technology.

He later became chairman of the NPO Broadband Association, and is currently a special advisor to the Broadband Association and a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo.

◆ Research

Transmission, digital signal processing, light. 4K. The world's first screen projection system was developed at NTT Laboratories with Mitsubishi and VICTOR. In film. It started in 2001. It has received the Ibuka Award and the Takayanagi Kenjiro Award. It implemented digital TIFF at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

◆Student days

The two years of liberal arts education seemed like a continuation of high school, and I lost all motivation and focused on club activities. I joined the car club. During the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, I worked part-time driving the press to the venue. I watched the Oriental Witches final on a big NHK color TV. I was amazed. I drove through the Shuto Expressway right after it opened. I didn't study, I just did stuff like that.

I moved to a specialized course in my third year. Until then, I just listened to lectures and took exams. For my graduation thesis, I did something I had never done before. I thought it would be good to try new things and ideas on my own. It was my first time experiencing university. Professor Hiroshi Inose told me to join IEEE (an international conference). It was very exciting. He also told me to write a patent. I was supervised by Professor Tadao Saito.

◆Message for you guys

The thesis is extremely important, so put all your effort into it.

The first three years will be crucial

Acquire a specialty in 5 years

If you are going outside, it is preferable to do so after

Join the Society

Experience abroad before you're in your early 30s

English is essential because the other person is not Japanese.

Always keep your antennae out to the world

★Postscript

I didn't know that the great professor didn't study and was in the automotive club. What was the switch that led him to go from there to academia? I'll ask him again next time to dig deeper.

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Cool Japan: Roads

■Cool Japan: Roads

NHK Cool Japan "The Road" edition.

Japan is surrounded by the sea, its land area is small and mountainous, and unlike countries like Europe, the United States, and China which have large land masses and well-developed land routes, it is not blessed with many roads.

However, many people say that Japanese roads are interesting.

"Expressway"

The Shuto Expressway is a 20th century, Showa era infrastructure built in preparation for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

It was modeled after highways in New York and Boston.

While highways in Europe and the United States run around city centers, in both Tokyo and Osaka they run through the center of the city.

Run like you're flying through the skyscrapers.

It is a realization of the vision of the future of the 20th century/Showa era.

Nihonbashi was built as a Showa-era road over Edo's waterway.

Now there is a movement to restore the landscape and bury it underground.

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of infrastructure and roads will be built in the 21st century and Reiwa era.

"Horn"

From the 1960s when I was young until the bubble era, Japan had some of the worst traffic congestion in Asia and the honking was loud.

Traffic congestion has improved considerably now and you don't hear many honks.

Drivers are becoming cooler, technology to alleviate traffic congestion is becoming more widespread, and both software and hardware are evolving.

From now on, sensors and cameras will be embedded in the roads and artificial intelligence and data will be used to make the hardware even more high-tech.

Using technology to improve infrastructure is Japan's specialty.

I hope they will continue to create roads that are safe, fast, and fun to drive on.

"Kumano Kodo"

Pilgrimages to European holy sites are often thought of as paved roads, but Kumano is a deep, deserted rural mountain path.

Yet it continues to receive high praise, including being featured in Lonely Planet, a well-known travel magazine in the West.

In Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, where the Kumano Kodo trail is located, the number of foreign overnight guests increased 35-fold, from 1,200 in 2011 to 44,000 in 2018.

The reason for this is the story and history.

There is a story that gods live here, and a history of over 1000 years of emperors, samurai, and common people walking along the path.

It is a mixture of the mystique of being the birthplace of Japan, yet the commonality of being a place where anyone can walk around easily.

The local people are making a great effort to maintain this environment. I hope they will cherish it.

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