Japan’s Period of High Economic Growth
During my childhood, I lived near the sea in a place with beautiful sandy beaches. I spent my days playing in the pine groves, swimming in the sea, and fishing – pleasant memories still with me today. At the same time, my home was in one of Japan’s preeminent blanket-manufacturing towns. I was befuddled as a child by the small rivers and canals whose colors changed daily from red to blue. When I got to junior high school, the coastal industrial zone project for our area went into full effect, and before I realized it the beaches were gone, warnings were being issued for photochemical smog during after-school activities, and masks were required when practicing outside. Eventually, we were moved indoors for exercise, inconveniencing both myself and all around me.
Today
The result of this period of high economic growth is that now all Japanese are entitled to equal education and, if one works hard and diligently, can live a normal and comfortable life. Major transportation networks have been put in place, and measures to combat against pollution have resulted in clean towns no matter where you go. As titles like ‘Cool Japan’ demonstrate, Japan has even become an object of admiration around the globe.
However, one negative legacy of this growth is that attitudes such as ‘the end justifies the means” and the practice of assigning ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ became accepted. Yet with the collapse of Japan’s economic bubble and the financial crisis of 2008, I feel this may finally be going away.
The Next Generation: The Importance of Measures for Sustainability
I believe that to create meaningful measures for sustainability it is first necessary to understand Japan’s history. Next, it is important to keep pace with society’s dominant trends. Luckily, today we have abundant opportunities to encounter various businesses, cultures and ideas as well as to converse and engage with people and corporations not only from around Japan but in countries across the world. By capitalizing on these advantages, we hope to draw up a future vision and ideal role for Daito Kasei Kogyo in the world and continuously develop this as we move forward.
First, we have compiled a list of 4 issues we must address by 2020.
- Employees and Families
- “A company is its people”. Each employee should be full of life. It is important that a company be comprised of employees with ambition in their eyes and who are hungry to solve problems – employees who can express frustration together in defeat and share a feeling of accomplishment when things go well. This, we believe, will connect to the happiness of the employees’ families and directly contribute to society overall.
- Tradition
- The modern age demands speed and prioritizes the quick and all that is light, thin, and compact. While traditional arts and artisans and the time-honored practice of natural cultivation are valued, the people and companies who support these seem to be fewer than in the past. Our contributions may be small, but we promise to offer support by creating cosmetics from raw ingredients that have been perfected and harvested through natural cultivation and traditional industries.
- The Environment
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We believe our beautiful Earth and all the natural world is a work of art, from the clear skies and clean rivers to beaches lined with pine trees and mountainous regions covered in green. In the business world, our manmade concrete jungles are primarily functional. While we often encounter fashionable high rises and grand historical architecture, these are surrounded by the masterpieces of the natural world. And it is precisely from these areas of solace that we get the energy for tomorrow. We must leave these natural works of art for the next generation. As we seek to become experts in raw materials for cosmetics, it is particularly important that we have a sensibility and understanding of nature’s art. Without this we will never reach our goal, which is why the environment is such an important element to our business.
- The Next Generation
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We have made sustainability a natural part of our business and ensure that it remains a determining factor in all the daily decisions that we make.
In working so that the next generation and all people of the world can receive equal opportunities and carry hopes and dreams for the future, we will approach all aspects of our business with courage and positivity. We promise to steadfastly implement all that we can to ensure the continuation of a society such as this.
President
