A Journey through My Diverse Perspectives

When observing the current social situations in the world's leading nations, many people feel that ethical lapses have increasingly worsened year by year. Undesirable changes in traditional and cultural values, which cannot be acquired with money, have negatively impacted the fundamental principles upon which society is deeply based. Japan is certainly not an exception in this regard. Therefore, the emergence of new leaders, who embody a solid philosophy and thoughtful approach, is greatly needed in various domains. In order to meet this demand, institutions specialized in human resources development are expected to consistently produce a new breed of leaders from the international community.

When we completely lack new ideas, whether it's related to work or problem-solving, it becomes extremely challenging to come up with a groundbreaking idea that meets our requirements. In such situations, freely generating new ideas that are related to the existing ones can sometimes help us develop a concrete idea that satisfies our needs. Once we have found that idea, the process of implementing it is not as difficult as it may seem. In fact, this method can also be applied to my task of consistently writing a short essay on this page.

Being moderately attached to things has great advantages. This is because it enables us to take better care of our belongings and continuously derive benefits by making the most of them for as long as they remain functional. From the perspective of both our possessions and ourselves, such behavior greatly enhances their value. In Japanese culture, where the belief in spirits dwelling in all things is traditional, we have been taught the importance of taking care of our belongings since childhood. The 5S activities – Seiri (sorting), Seiton (organizing), Seiso (cleaning), Seiketsu (standardizing), and Shitsuke (sustaining) – which are practiced in the manufacturing and service sectors, can serve as effective routines for fostering attachment to our belongings.

When I was in my 20s, I had a precious chance to visit the den of two individuals whom I highly respected. Their dens were very clean and simple, with only a few pieces of furniture and no unnecessary things. During that time, I had a sudden realization that such a comfortable space, where minimalists habitually maintain order, was a crucial element for their productivity and capability. Since then, I have tried to emulate their habits in my private room as much as I can, although there are still unnecessary and unused things around me. What I realized by emulating them was the true value of the necessary things around me and the sense of richness that comes with having a comfortable space. As a result, I no longer make impulse purchases and I take better care of my belongings. I now believe that unnecessary things tend to trigger worldly desires. Thus, my ideal goal for a place to stay is to create and maintain a simple space, similar to those found in Shinto shrines and Buddhist temp

To my shame, after retirement, I can still be aware of what day of the week it is today, but sometimes I can't answer a sudden question like "What day of the month is it today?" This is because taking out each type of trash, scheduled accordingly throughout the week by the city government, has become an important routine task. However, the same cannot be said for knowing the day of the month. Therefore, out of necessity, I find myself asking at least once a day, "What day of the week is it today?" Thus, in my case, every day is neither Sunday nor a holiday, even after retirement.

  Information about various social issues, often accompanied by sensationalism, has inundated the global mainstream and social media. Moreover, negative comments and criticisms related to these issues offer little in the way of constructive solutions and tend to exacerbate the situation. In general, people are naturally drawn to fear-inducing content, which stimulate their curiosity about the severity of these issues. However, constant exposure to such negative information can have a detrimental impact on our well-being. As the saying goes, "Who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl," it is crucial for us to engage with media outlets and individuals who adopt proactive, problem-solving approaches to these issues.

When searching for 'Life after retirement' in the Japanese language on a search engine, websites related to retirement funds are highly ranked. This seems to be the result of a commercialized negative campaign stirring up uneasiness about post-retirement cashflow requirements. There is a dark joke in Japan that goes, 'Japanese elderly tend to save a portion of their pension money just in case they need it in the future.' As a result, this negative sentiment has dampened consumer spending. On the other hand, when searching for the same topic in English, websites related to tips for enjoying a happy life after retirement, mostly originating from US websites, are highly ranked. Thus, the perspectives on post-retirement life and saving or spending in both countries are markedly contrasting, regardless of whether it is good or bad.