I have been interested in other countries and different cultures since I was small, and while I was enrolled at Okayama University my studies had a global focus, making the most of the various programs offered by the university. In my freshman year I studied in Shanghai, gaining a knowledge of the literature and customs of China as a country familiar to Japanese people. I then went on to study in Thailand and Ireland during the long vacations. In my junior year I went back to China to study, which gave me the opportunity to study Chinese seriously.
 While an international student, I learned the importance of having my own “core.” As anyone who has studied outside Japan will know, most university students in other countries have the confidence to clearly state their own opinions. Studying in that sort of environment, I was influenced by those around me, and came to feel that I too had my own ideas and was able to convey my views. I feel that I grew up a great deal at university.
 Even when I was studying in Japan, I took every opportunity I could to engage with other countries. One such opportunity was being active in Okayama University’s “L-café.” The L-café is an institution where students can talk freely with each other, learning about different languages and other cultures. I took part in events such as the Chinese Café and French Café for networking with international students. They offered opportunities to chat with international students in a relaxed way, and these were valuable not only for language-learning but also for finding out about other countries’ cultures. I made friends with students from places like Hungary and Germany, and am still grateful for their stimulating company.
 I actively participated in off-campus programs, and in particular, the activities of the NPO Dappi. Dappi is an organization that arranges for young people who are thinking about how to plan their life to meet successful adults in Okayama. I was involved as a student staff member, and learned diverse values, ways of thinking, and the courage to challenge through their activities to help people explore various ways of life.
 The extensive overseas experience that I obtained as a student led me to conclude that I wanted a job that would enable me to engage internationally, transcending the boundaries of nationality. Straight after graduating, I joined the sales division of global automobile company. My job was to communicate with local affiliates in Western countries and offer help with sales strategies.
 It was a dream come true, and I worked there with a will, but I still felt that I wanted to learn about a wider range of fields as well as the automotive industry, and the Covid-19 epidemic gave me the opportunity to switch companies to Rakuten, Inc., where I now work. I was attracted by the facts that Rakuten is a global company that uses English for all its internal communication, and that it is engaged in a very large number of different businesses. I am currently working on the Rakuten Ichiba online shopping portal, but there are still many other things I want to try, and I want to contribute to society even more in future through my work.
 Since my student days, I have tried my hand at many new things in obedience to my own curiosity. Okayama University offers an environment that supports students as they embark on fresh challenges, meaning you can try one new thing after another. My experience of studying with people from many different countries laid the ground for me to be able to accept differing views. At the same time, I also acquired the capacity to have my own ideas and the practical capacity to try new things. I intend to continue to be curious and try out more and more new things in future.

As of November 2020