My future vision evolved into something even more exciting.

I want to work doing what I love. This has always stayed in my heart ever since I first envisioned myself working, and for me, it was delivering content for children.

The reason my focus being on children is my younger brother, who was born when I was in kindergarten. When he was still very young, I was struck by the way he would devour moving round objects on educational TV programs. Although I was a kid myself at the time, I did not feel the same way, and I realized that there was content that only very young children may find interesting. Since that time, my interest for the world of children has remained unchanged. And the reason I want to deliver them content is because I have always loved picture books and stage shows, which enable me to dive into a world that is apart from reality.

Therefore, in both my internship and job-hunting efforts, I proceeded with my “love” as a keyword, ranging from broadcasting stations, publishing companies, entertainment-related companies, and so on. I participated in events of educational TV programs, which I had a particular interest in, as well as working part-time at a Japanese broadcasting station. While I gained knowledge and experience bit at a time, I realized that there was more than one way to deliver content to the public. For example, publishers could offer content in a variety of ways, not only books, but also film, stage, and so on. My desire as a professional to challenge myself with a job that allows multiple approaches grew stronger, and I also sensed a great deal of hope for the future as the scope of my work expands, so I decided to work for SHUEISHA.

Move first, out of curiosity. It might lead to unanticipated outcomes.

The reason I joined Sophia University was because of my interest on studying about the children. Sophia offers a wide range of psychology courses focusing on children, ranging from developmental psychology to clinical psychology with renowned professors, so I thought I could study multiple perspectives. My thesis, to represent my four years of study, is a joint research project with a group of experts. By actually visiting kindergartens and talking to people on the front line, I believe I have gained an expansive view that goes beyond just the superficial aspects of children’s lives but taps into their true nature.　

One of the highlights of my college life was an internship at an international broadcasting station that I found on a university bulletin board. As I missed my study abroad opportunity due to the Corona crisis, not only was I reminded that the world was still very much in motion, but I realized that no matter where it is when people from all corners of the world come together, regardless of differences in culture and ideas, all sorts of interactions can take place. I remember being very fascinated to hear that the sons of my foreign bosses loved Japanese manga and anime characters. I realized the value of Japanese content that resonates beyond differences in backgrounds, and it was a moment when my future became more defined that I, too, wish to deliver world-class content that thrills people.

For the past four years, I have always been motivated to try anything that interests me, even just a bit. In particular, I recommend checking the university’s bulletin board regularly to know what is available out there. Of course, it takes courage to take on challenges, and sometimes they didn’t end in success. But even so, I just try to make the most of it moving forward. In my case, without physically bring myself to all those places, and actually meeting people, I didn’t have the same opportunity to gain useful information or fresh ideas. So, I believe that it is critical to go for it with no fear.

【St. Ignatius Church】
Located next to the campus, St. Ignatius Church is a very international church where mass is celebrated in various languages on Sundays. 1999, the oval-shaped main chapel was built to represent the resurrection of Christ in the form of an egg, a symbol of life and resurrection.

*Please note that the content of this article is subject as of October 2022