Under the influence of my father, who in his youth had been a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer, I chose Okayama University because of its emphasis on global activities. I enrolled in the Faculty of Agriculture and studied forest ecology, particularly the dynamics of broad-leaved trees in bamboo groves.
 In my senior year, I was selected for MEXT’s Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Young Ambassador Program, and studied for a year at Kasetsart University in Thailand. I decided that while studying overseas I would continue to try and learn about agriculture, but that rather than limiting myself to the classroom I would act for myself and try my hand at as many things as I could. To experience forestry on the ground in Thailand, I asked the faculty at Kasetsart University to let me take an active part in fieldwork. When research groups visited from other Japanese universities, I also asked if I could join in their activities. Having this experience of acting for myself, and of obtaining others’ understanding by clearly conveying what I was thinking and why, was a major realization for me at the time.
 After graduation, because I wanted to work in the forestry sector on the global stage, I took a job with Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd, which engages in business across the world. After spending around two years in sales in Japan, I was seconded to the company’s local affiliate in China as resident staff. The differences in business customs between Japan and other countries sometimes lead to misunderstandings. Every day, I have to try my best to engage closely with customers, confirming that there are no differences in understanding between us and that nothing has been missed. Daily communication is also important in order to develop good relationships with these customers. Although the differences with Japan can sometimes take me aback, because I have to give my full attention to each individual piece of work, I feel that I am growing and developing as a person much faster than I ever did in Japan.
 As China is a growth market, companies that are not continually changing will get left behind. Constantly having to think about how to rise to fresh challenges makes for a stimulating environment. I am currently considering new products that make connections with the environment and SDGs, with the goal of setting up a new project that can provide a key source of revenue for our local Chinese affiliate. New projects like this come into being precisely because of existing connections with customers. By valuing everyday communication and clearly explaining what I think and why, I have been able to draw in customers and the people around me, and feel that they will support me when it is time to set things in motion myself.
 I feel that having your own views, being able to explain clearly why you think the way you do and taking action are important everywhere, not only outside Japan. Of course there are linguistic and cultural differences between countries, but clearly formulating your own thoughts and putting them into words is what enables engagement with other people at a deeper level. And I also think that it is the links that we forge with other people that enable us to rise to new challenges. I hope to continue to be involved in new sorts of work while valuing my connections with people.

As of January 2022