131
found, by the individuals themselves. QOL improves because it is something the
individual choses of their own will from diverse options. What is needed now is a
place to study, where people can polish up their skills for the Platinum Society.
In July 2016, the Marunouchi Platinum University was opened in a business
district in Tokyo. The career courses serve as a venue for lots of people to undertake
new studies and to take up new challenges. Initially it was intended for businesspeople in their forties or fifties who work in the Marunouchi, Otemachi and
Yurakucho areas. However, after it was launched we found that the classes were full
of a diverse range of students, from those in their twenties to the senior generation
who had already reached retirement.
The Town Revitalization by Outsiders Course began as soon as the university
opened. Office workers from big cities have to think about revitalization of areas
that are trying to deal with various problems. Over a period of 4 months the students
learn about three cases and create business plans for each of them.
One of the cases is that of Isen town on Tokunoshima in the southwest island
group of Kagoshima prefecture. What made this town, with its popular of just over
7000 people, so famous throughout Japan is the longevity of the island residents and
the island’s fertility rate. Of the Japanese people listed in the Guinness Book of
Records for their longevity, two out of the three are from Tokunoshima. The number
of centenarians on the island always numbers twenty or more while the average life
span is more than 80 years of age. The total fertility rate is about twice that of the
national average at 2.81. The island has boasted this top record for two consecutive
years.
Mayor of Isen, Akira Okubo, who was a guest lecturer at the university, said that
the reason for the town’s high birth rate was that the local community was still quite
strong and helped to bring up the local children. Tokunoshima is famous for bull
fighting and it is still very popular in Isen. Mayor Okubo said that bullfighting generates a lot of energy that excites people of all ages and both genders. This energy
may be behind the longevity and the high birth rate of Isen (Fig. 6.10).
But even Isen is experiencing a decrease in population, and revitalizing the town
and securing employment for the future are major challenges. At the Marunouchi
Platinum University, such challenges are shared and people who are not from Isen
but who are business people living in Tokyo, try to think up ideas for overcoming
these challenges. The students at the university are given homework and as they are
attending the course of their own volition, each person has a very serious attitude
towards their study.
Tomoo Matsuda, Vice President of the Marunouchi Platinum University, said
that usually meetings are carried out within the vertical superior-subordinate relationship structure of Japanese companies but meetings at the Platinum University
are held with students are of differing ages and with different kinds of work. So it is
possible to have a discussion with everyone on the same level, thus causing an unexpected chemical reaction. People from the financial world stress that sociality is
vital while those from NPOs stress that if ideas are not feasible from the business
side then they will not be sustainable. One of the appealing things about the university is the unpredictability which is surprising in itself.
6.6 New Industries Created in a Platinum Society
found, by the individuals themselves. QOL improves because it is something the
individual choses of their own will from diverse options. What is needed now is a
place to study, where people can polish up their skills for the Platinum Society.
In July 2016, the Marunouchi Platinum University was opened in a business
district in Tokyo. The career courses serve as a venue for lots of people to undertake
new studies and to take up new challenges. Initially it was intended for businesspeople in their forties or fifties who work in the Marunouchi, Otemachi and
Yurakucho areas. However, after it was launched we found that the classes were full
of a diverse range of students, from those in their twenties to the senior generation
who had already reached retirement.
The Town Revitalization by Outsiders Course began as soon as the university
opened. Office workers from big cities have to think about revitalization of areas
that are trying to deal with various problems. Over a period of 4 months the students
learn about three cases and create business plans for each of them.
One of the cases is that of Isen town on Tokunoshima in the southwest island
group of Kagoshima prefecture. What made this town, with its popular of just over
7000 people, so famous throughout Japan is the longevity of the island residents and
the island’s fertility rate. Of the Japanese people listed in the Guinness Book of
Records for their longevity, two out of the three are from Tokunoshima. The number
of centenarians on the island always numbers twenty or more while the average life
span is more than 80 years of age. The total fertility rate is about twice that of the
national average at 2.81. The island has boasted this top record for two consecutive
years.
Mayor of Isen, Akira Okubo, who was a guest lecturer at the university, said that
the reason for the town’s high birth rate was that the local community was still quite
strong and helped to bring up the local children. Tokunoshima is famous for bull
fighting and it is still very popular in Isen. Mayor Okubo said that bullfighting generates a lot of energy that excites people of all ages and both genders. This energy
may be behind the longevity and the high birth rate of Isen (Fig. 6.10).
But even Isen is experiencing a decrease in population, and revitalizing the town
and securing employment for the future are major challenges. At the Marunouchi
Platinum University, such challenges are shared and people who are not from Isen
but who are business people living in Tokyo, try to think up ideas for overcoming
these challenges. The students at the university are given homework and as they are
attending the course of their own volition, each person has a very serious attitude
towards their study.
Tomoo Matsuda, Vice President of the Marunouchi Platinum University, said
that usually meetings are carried out within the vertical superior-subordinate relationship structure of Japanese companies but meetings at the Platinum University
are held with students are of differing ages and with different kinds of work. So it is
possible to have a discussion with everyone on the same level, thus causing an unexpected chemical reaction. People from the financial world stress that sociality is
vital while those from NPOs stress that if ideas are not feasible from the business
side then they will not be sustainable. One of the appealing things about the university is the unpredictability which is surprising in itself.
6.6 New Industries Created in a Platinum Society