Principles

This summarizes my principles during student days. These principles have driven me in my university and social activities.

PRINCIPLES

1.    Do the right thing.

This is the most important yet the most difficult thing. I’m sure that if I do something unacceptable, it will be revealed sooner or later. And when I realize that I made a mistake, it is better to say, “I’m wrong”. What's more, it is one of the best criteria for decision making. 

2.    Face difficulties.

I had a compulsory study of micro and macro economics in university. However, I could not get it even after taking the exam three times, because of my laziness. I was almost dropped from the college. At the last moment, I decided to tackle it. I started to take a basic math class. At the end of every class, I asked the professor the points that I couldn’t understand. I studied with freshmen when I was a junior. Once, a cute girl laughed at me. “He asked too many questions”, she said. It was a terrible time for me. Nevertheless, it was necessary for me to overcome these difficulties. If I had run away from this situation, I would have given up on everything. Fortunately, I finally got AA-grade in micro economics and A-grade in macro economics. Hence, we should keep in mind that it will get worse, before it gets better.  

3.    Stretch myself.
I have assigned several positions that exceed my capacity especially at OVAL, in Tohoku, and other activities. I have tried to meet others expectations and it certainly did stretch my capability.

4.    Discipline myself.

Studies in university are more important than I had expected. Self-learning is also crucial for me. Keep learning, don’t settle.

5.    Differentiate myself.

I have been pursuing my specialty. Find out what you are good at, and develop it.

6.    Be comprehensive.

I have poked my nose into a few areas where I knew little: they are business, NPOs and government. I learned about business at OVAL and will learn in P&G. I worked at NPOs or similar organizations at WISE, ETIC, and Tunapro in Tohoku. I also considered working as a bureaucrat and studied law for the exam. These experiences enable me to have several viewpoints.

7.    Decide it.

The only thing that has helped me make progress is decision making. Don’t think too much. Decide it and just do it.

7 Tips for Better Reading Habits

“You are what you read.”

This summarizes my findings from reading. Here are 7 tips for better reading habits.

 

BACKGROUND

These days, we can read anything we are interested in. However, there are too many books. In addition, we have limited time for reading. Consequently, we have to choose books worth reading. So, the question is how do we choose these books from a selection of thousands? Also, how can we find the right place and time to read?

TIPS

1.       The objective of reading is to discipline ourselves to develop our intellectual ability.

Reading books is one of the best ways for us to discipline ourselves. In addition to that, we should expand our knowledge and broaden our horizons, and reading can help with this.

2.      The most effective approach is to read classics of a theme we are curious about.

These classics are worth reading because they’ve endured through the trials of time. Furthermore, classic materials give us a frame work and tend to be the starting point for a discussion. Moreover, these master pieces inspire us creatively. If you read someone’s complete works, it surely enriches your fountain of knowledge. I read the complete works of Niccolo Machiavelli one year ago, and it definitely expanded my insight into politics and human behavior.

3.      Hard material should be read at your desk.

Reading at your desk without interruption for hours is a precious yet rare time. When you want to read hard materials, it would be better to find such time. I sometimes grip a pen, draw lines in the book and write down my learning in a notebook. I need to read several times to understand the author’s thoughts from these types of books.  

(Ex. Niccolo Machiavelli, Discourses on Livy, (1517), ; Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition, (1958). ; Carl von Clausewitz, On War, (1832). ; Levi-Strauss, Tristes tropiques, (1955).)

4.      Literature, novels, and other interesting books should be read for a rest.

When we take a rest from study, or after a meal, it is a good time for reading. I usually read some literatures, novels, and other interesting books about political and economic issues.

(Ex. James S. Fishkin, When the people speak -Deliberative Democracy and Public Consultation-, (2009). ; Elizabeth Haas Edersheim, McKinsey’s Marvin Bower (2004). ; Edited by McKinsey & Company, REIMAGINING JAPAN, (2011).)

5.      Paperbacks should be read on the train.

These days many people use their cell phones on the train. However, I still believe that reading a book is the best way to spend this time. I always carry one paperback in my bag. This paperback might have light contents because we have to stop reading when we change trains. I prefer reading literature on the train and in a café.

(Ex. Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace, (1869). ; Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, (1850).  ; Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, (1880).)

6.      Studying is appropriate in bed just before going to sleep.

The thirty minutes before we go to sleep is the best time for studying. I usually read a history or a language study book.

(Ex.  A grammar book for TOEIC.)

7.      To keep a record of the books we read is very useful.

Every time I finish reading, I write down the author’s name, title, publisher, reader rating, and comments in my notebook. I also write a report on the book and submit it to my professor, or I post my comments on my blog. Reviewing is good training for me.

  

INDICATED ACTION

1.       Pursue development of intellectual ability. Go to the book store, and then pick up whatever you want to read. Then, spend time with the book.

Write your Blog in English

 This document recommends that we write our blogs, Facebook or Twitter in English. The objectives are to increase readability of social medias, to develop our English ability, to improve logical thinking and clarity of composition.

BACKGROUND

I have written my blog in Japanese for a few years. As a result, people who are not Japanese cannot access it. Also, it didn’t help to improve my English skill, although it improved my Japanese skill. Lastly, we should practice how to give our opinion logically, and simply, in order to communicate well with people who have different backgrounds than ours.

BASIS

1.       Writing blogs in English will enable people around the world to read it.

I have friends in China, Korea, Vietnam, and other countries. However, if my blog is written in Japanese, they cannot read it. I noticed this fact when I traveled in Vietnam because I could not understand anything that was written in Vietnamese. Actually, the audience of my blog is mostly from Japan, but there are also a few readers from the United States, Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, and other regions. I wonder whether they have been able to understand it because it is written in Japanese. In addition, I think my blog has very similar features to our business cards. If I have opportunities to work with people from different countries, the blog will provide some information about me. That’s why I think that blogs should be readable to everyone all over the world.

2.      Writing blogs in English will develop our English ability.

The only way to improve our English skill is to practice. I need to develop my English skill as quickly as possible, so that I will be able to survive in my new company. In order to achieve that, I write in English, and have my English composition corrected by native speakers.

3.      Writing blogs in English will improve logical thinking and the clarity of composition.

I have to make my sentence simple when I write my thoughts down in English because of my limited vocabulary and grammar knowledge. I cannot pretend, in English, that my composition is something valuable, in the same way I did by using difficult words and good expression in Japanese. Writing in English is good training for us to give our thoughts concisely.

DISCUSSION

1.       The lack of ability is not a reason to hesitate. I do hesitate more than you to show my English composition to everyone, because I know my English is awful. However, these kinds of pressure are very effective to help us improve our English skill. 

NEXT STEP

1.       Write your blog, Facebook, twitter in English.

2.      Have your English composition corrected by native speakers. You can access English schools, friends and other websites.

Funding platform for creative projects

 Have you heard about crowd funding website? In this website, you can find and fund to creative projects, ranging from indies film, supporting NPO/NGO, technology, etc.  

                           http://camp-fire.jp/genkidama

  I am working as an intern for one of these crowd funding platforms in Japan called Genkidama Project, named after famous move in Dragon Ball. Currently, there are projects that support victims affected by Tohoku earthquake.

  These kinds of funding platforms have several benefits for both donor and project owner.

For donor

・You can participate in these creative projects through funding.

・You can get rewarded in exchange for pledging to a project.

・You can share and recommend to your friends through social media about the project you want to support.

For project owner

・You can raise funds for your project from minimum of ￥500.

・You can promote your project through online platform and social media.

・You can share your updates through the platform. 

 These types of platform stared recently and there are many issues we need to consider. One of the area we need to improve is a communication design in both online and offline between project owner and donor.

　クラウド・ファンドレイジング・サイトという言葉を聞いたことがありますか？こうしたサイトでは、個人が立ち上げた魅力的なプロジェクトに寄付し、プロジェクトの成功を応援することができます。プロジェクトには映画製作からNPO/NGOへの支援などがあります。

そうしたファンドレイジング・プラットフォームの一つである、元気玉プロジェクトに私はインターンとして2011年から参加していました。　

こうしたファンドレイジング・プラットフォームには、支援者とプロジェクト起案者の両方にメリットがあります。

支援者側

・プロジェクトを支援することで、そのプロジェクトの成功を応援することができます。

・支援に対して起案者側からお返しのギフトを受けることができます。

・気に入ったプロジェクトを友人に共有し、薦めることができます。

起案者側

・一口500円からオンライン上で支援を募ることができます。

・提案したプロジェクトをソーシャルメディアなどを用いて広く知らせることができます。

・活動報告をプラットフォーム上で行うことで、支援者と継続的な関係を築くことができます。

しかしこうした試みは始まったばかりであり、より改善すべき点もあります。特に、起案者が支援者とどのようにコミュニケーションを取っていくのか、オンライン上だけでなくオフラインで対話をする効果的な方法については、今後取り組める余地が多いと感じています。

Open to the World -Business in Vietnam

  A lot of foreign companies do business in Vietnam, and Vietnamese companies find it easy to expand business in Asia.

You are on the street. On the right side you can find GUCCI, Armani and on the left side you look up and see Sheraton hotel rising in the sky. Then, where do you think you are now? -In NY? -In London? The answer is, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

I went to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam at the end of February with Prof. Tsuboi and his students at Waseda University. Here are some findings about current Vietnam business style.

As written above, foreign companies have been penetrating in Ho Chi Minh City. One of the Vietnamese students said that many promising young talents want to work at foreign companies from USA, Korea, and Japan. Despite efforts of government, at present there is no Vietnamese company like Toyota, Sony, and Samsung. She thought that is one of the biggest problems in Vietnam.

Some Vietnamese companies are aiming to develop their business across Asia. TVM, media contents supplier established in 2005, has been planning to penetrate to Thailand, Laos, and Singapore by its online entertainment website called VIVO. Their slogan is “Open to the world”. Tong Giam Doc, CEO of TVM and a recipient of Ho Chi Minh City’s Best Young Business Award, said their business is starting to open to the Asian countries. TVM is in partnership with SBS, which is Korean company, Shogakukan, BBC, and Warner Bros. We may also find Vietnamese company not only in Vietnam, but also across Asia. 

日本の地域 六 所信

1  住民目線での地域自治

　私は住民自治を基本とした地域自治を自分の今後のテーマの1つとしたい。住民の方々と同じ目線で同じ場所で生活していた気仙沼大島での活動が、今後も自分の原点である。それを自分の核とし、住民目線で地域の在り方を考えていく。

　地域のありかたを考える上では、特に4つの分野について考えていきたい。それは、地域産業の活性化、NPOの活用、文化の継承、多文化共生である。

　地域産業の活性化は、地域の活力や雇用創出のために重要である。気仙沼で活動したことで、地域に根ざした企業活動の重要性を認識した。同時に自分には知識も経験も足りないことを痛感した。卒業後は会社で経営戦略を体系的に学び、その経験を活かして経営支援を行いたい。

　NPOの活用は、少子高齢社会を支えていくために必要不可欠である。3ヶ月の気仙沼での活動を通して、地域住民との協働の方法を学んだ。また同時にNPOという組織運営の現場での経験を得ることもできた。震災後の5月にはNPO法人ETIC.で震災復興プロジェクトにインターンとして携わっていた。ETIC.は日本のNPOの中間支援組織であるため、様々な分野で活動している方々との交流を持ち、NPOの活動を支援していく方法を学んだ。現在は元気玉プロジェクトという、一般の方々から少額の寄付を募ることで震災復興やクリエイター活動を支援するクラウドファンディングサイトの運営に関わっている。元気玉では人々からの支援という共感の集め方を学んだ。こうした経験を通して、地域のためにNPOを効果的に活用する方法を提案していく。

　文化の継承を通して、地域の文化資本を高めることを目指す。北辰一刀流剣術の稽古では、礼法作法も指導されるため、自然と正しい姿勢や目上の人への接し方が身につく。剣術を通して習ったことは、物の見方や考え方など、何かしらの形で日々の生活に変化を与えている。文化を学ぶことは、自己を向上させることに繋がるのだ。また、道場に通う人々は世代や職業が多種多様なため、普段の生活で接する人とは違う人とつながりをつくることができる。こうした経験を基に、文化を軸にしたコミュニティの形成に取り組んでいく。

　多文化共生では、日本中国韓国の学生によるビジネスコンテストOVAL運営の際の体験や、アフリカ系カナダ人の経営者の下で働いた経験から問題意識を持った。日本はまだまだ外国人が住むことへの敷居が高い。しかし、日本経済の活性化のためには、異なる価値観や知見を持った人に協力してもらうことが必要である。海外の学生と真剣な対話を重ね、日本に住む外国人の視点で日本社会を見た経験を生かし、両者が共存する方法を考案していく。

　現状では、私はこうした分野について未だ不勉強である。しかし、知識や経験がないことは、行動しないことの言い訳にはなりえない。たとえ私一人に出来ることが小さくとも、それでも自分の成すべきことは成したい。未来を創るのは私達であり、次の世代にどのような世界を受け渡すのかは、私達のこれからの行いに懸かっているのだ。