“Sensitivity and appreciation at any time !”
–Why did you join Toyota Tusho?
I was offered to join by my senior in a seminar at university, whom I respected very much. His voice sounded like the God’s voice.
–What do you think about Australia?
I think it’s a nice place to live. My first impression is that unlike in Europe, people are slowing down and amiable. I think slowing down is one of the things Japanese people should try. In Japan and Europe, I was living a busy life, so I am thinking of living a 10 or 20 % more relaxed life here. However, one problem is what is expressed in the term “mate.” This word is difficult to interpret both in a good or bad sense, but if we have an excessive “mate” spirit, we would lack a feeling of seriousness at work. We need to slow down, but we shouldn’t lack an appropriate sense of seriousness.
"learned many things though rugby."
–By the way, I heard you were playing rugby in your school days.
I was playing rugby at high school, university and even after I began to work. When I was in Japan, I was the captain of a team of the company. The purpose for a student team is to win the game, but on the other hand, the purpose for amateur team is not only to improve their motivation but also to contribute to the community by instructing local students or opening rugby schools. In addition, in an amateur team, people are mainly instructed about their mentality, which is different from what students are instructed in a school team. What is important is to have people are able to have good manners, pay others respect, and have a sense of gratitude for being a respectable member of society.
In a rugby team, each individual hones his skills and it makes the team stronger. Under the leadership of the company, the members create a sense of teamwork and all of them push forward towards one goal. I think rugby is the same as the way of living a life as a member of society. I might have over-exaggerated though… but I learned many things though rugby.
–What is your motto?
One thing is consideration of others’ feelings. I think that is what Japanese people have more than those in other countries. I want to be able to consider others’ feelings all the time. The other thing is to have a sense of gratitude. What is important is not that I feel grateful because I am happy but that I can feel grateful, so I am happy.
–What is your dream?
I think that we should let people in Australia know Japanese culture and history more, so I want to activate not only economic exchange but also cultural exchange. I like calligraphy, so I want to be involved in the cultural exchange through calligraphy by teaching it to people or demonstrating it in festivals or events.
"Working for self development"
–At the end, could you send a message to young people?
I want young people to go to Phillip Island to see the penguin parade. Parent penguins go to sea to get food at daytime and come back to the nest to feed their chicks. While getting food, penguins are hanging in even though they are exposed to any threat. I want young people to feel family love by seeing that. I want them to think a great deal of the sense of loving family that people do not have much today.
Also, there is a word “3U principle”, which is “Uemuki, Uchimuki and Ushiromuki”. It means to follow superiors all the time, to think only inside of the company, and to complain of being unable to do something.” I don’t want young people to do this. In order to avoid going to these 3U principles, people need to think strongly that “working is for developing themselves” I want them to try to find something meaningful to do at work all the time.
–Thank you very much.
