[No. 79] Kazuhide Saruwatari

I was a so-called returnee student, having come back to Japan from Panama in Central and South America when I was in the sixth grade. At the time, there were no Japanese schools in Panama (although a supplementary school that met only on Saturdays was established later), and my life at the local international school was conducted entirely in English and Spanish. As a result, when I returned to Japan, I was a bit of a strange Japanese person (laughs), and I went through an identity crisis, especially during my impressionable junior high and high school years.

Amidst this, I was saved by finding a light in the clarity of mathematics and chemistry and the depth and fun of the natural sciences, which led me to pursue a science-oriented path. I liked the atmosphere when I visited the Mita Festival, so I decided to aim for Keio University. I tried to get into Keio in high school but was unsuccessful; however, I was finally able to fulfill my dream by entering the university.

After entering the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University, I took a wide range of classes during my Hiyoshi years (first and second years). In particular, to maintain and improve the language skills I had acquired in my childhood, I took classes at the language audiovisual institute. I will never forget being able to learn while enjoying activities like training camps with students from all years and faculties, including my British teacher, Mr. Evans.

For my club activities, I joined the Juku-recognized Rei Tennis Club, but I rarely practiced tennis and was mainly there for the social gatherings (laughs).

Also, to gain social experience, I did a variety of part-time jobs, both serious and fun, such as being a disco DJ, a private tutor, a program developer, and a model. However, it was my student entrepreneurial activities that became the origin of starting and managing my own company. I gained a wide range of experience, starting with organizing parties by renting out popular discos of the time, and moving on to running ski tours, contract program development, dispatching private tutors, and even "sweetheart research." Through these experiences, I felt a sense of accomplishment that went beyond a typical part-time job, realizing that my ingenuity could make a huge difference in profits. I believe this led to my later desire to start a business.

Getting hooked on the disco boom around that time also sparked a lifelong passion for dancing, and I now continue with salsa and Argentine tango.

After moving to the Yagami Campus, I joined the Nakanishi Laboratory and majored in computer science. At the time, I was researching methods for curve generation using a DEC PDP-11 in the lab at Yagami, a Fujitsu mainframe at the Institute for Information Science in Hiyoshi, a VAX-11 and an Intergraph graphics computer at Muto Kogyo in Chigasaki, and an NEC PC-8801mkII at home. It was a time when I was completely absorbed in computers.

Upon graduation, I was torn between getting a job, going to graduate school, or starting a business. I decided to get a job first to gain social experience with the future goal of starting my own company, and so I joined NEC. There, I was able to gain experience in marketing computers and communication equipment mainly for overseas markets, as well as in launching and managing overseas subsidiaries. I have particularly fond memories of achieving top market share for PCs and mobile phones in Malaysia.

Initially, I had planned to start a business by the age of 30, but by then I had become busy with work and couldn't find the right timing. Finally, at the age of 35, I was able to become independent after applying for an in-house venture program.

When I first started the company, I began with consulting. After going through various businesses, we now primarily operate an IT on-site support service called Japan Aid PC Emergency Team and provide language services.

This year marks a milestone of 13 years as a company employee and 13 years since becoming independent. I am now planning to expand the business with a view toward future global development.

With the recent spread of social media, it has become possible to learn from the past. At Keio, a grand alumni reunion is held in the 25th year after graduation. I belong to the 126th Mita-kai , and last March, I served as an organizer and we were able to hold a grand reunion for 1,200 people, booking the entire Hotel New Otani. I believe it is thanks to the Juku that I was able to reunite with familiar faces after a long time during this 25th anniversary, a time when we are in the prime of our professional lives, and gain something more than just nostalgia.