[No. 147] Yoshiki Hamasaki

My name is Yoshiki Hamasaki, and I am a graduate of the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology. I work for PMT Corporation, a semiconductor-related company in Fukuoka Prefecture. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Kaminari for giving me the opportunity to write for the Keio University alumni newsletter, especially as I have followed a somewhat unusual career path for a graduate of Keio University's Faculty of Science and Technology and am now working hard in a regional area.

I chose Keio University because I was good at science subjects in high school and wanted to leave Fukuoka to study in Tokyo. The deciding factors were the school's culture of freedom and the beauty of its campus.

During my university years, I was not a student with good grades, but I believe I was memorable to my professors because I was involved in various activities both on and off campus.

Keio has a tradition of the "spirit of jitsugaku," and I was blessed with opportunities to interact with companies. The corporate and factory tours I organized as a third-year undergraduate student made me strongly feel the connection between academics and society, sparked a sense of purpose in my learning, and became a catalyst for me to devote myself to my studies.

At Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, I received a comprehensive education. The book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," which I received during training, is a book that could be called a guide for life, and I still reread it today. It was a crucial period during which I acquired the fundamentals of being a professional in every aspect.

Around 2007, activists such as the Murakami Fund and Steel Partners were gaining attention, and the capital markets were booming. At the time, many Japanese companies had internationally low market capitalizations, and there was a high risk that companies with excellent technology would be acquired. Therefore, I moved to IR Japan, a consulting firm that specializes in hostile takeover defense.

IR Japan was a dynamic venture company where young employees were given abundant opportunities. Thanks to this, I was able to gain valuable experience advising and supporting some of Japan's leading companies on matters such as hostile takeover defense.

One of the great pleasures of a venture company is creating innovation. I see it as a position to challenge existing businesses with new ideas and mechanisms, and to change the industry. During my tenure, I was involved in innovations in the financial world, such as the first new entry into the stock transfer agency industry in 40 years and the implementation of Japan's first commitment-type rights offering (a common financing method in Europe).

Although my work was very fulfilling, I decided to return to Fukuoka for its better living environment for my family. By a fortunate turn of events, I joined PMT, a semiconductor-related company. PMT was founded as a trading company and has been transforming into a manufacturer through industry-academia-government collaboration. Members attracted by the president's high aspirations have gathered, and the company is growing steadily. Recently, its high level of technological capability has been recognized, for instance, through its participation in the national project "Minimal Fab concept" led by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). I am in charge of creating innovation by leveraging our company's technology, and I travel both domestically and internationally. What I feel after coming to Fukuoka is the ease of engaging in innovation. From a global perspective, there is no geographical difference between Tokyo and Fukuoka, and there are ample opportunities in regional areas. Furthermore, due to the diversification of values, talented individuals who prioritize work-life balance are increasingly choosing to relocate to regional areas. Personally, I feel that the unique pace of life in regional areas allows individuals to devote more time to free activities, which in turn provides more opportunities for the "exploration of knowledge" and "deepening of knowledge" that are the sources of innovation.

With the evolution of AI and robotics, it is becoming increasingly difficult to predict the future. In this uncertain environment, I believe that the only way for myself and my company to survive is to continue learning. I myself aim to become a professional equipped with systems thinking and design thinking. This spring, I enrolled in the Graduate School of Technology and Innovation Management (MOT) at Yamaguchi University and began studying systems management. I am also involved in joint research on organizational communication design with Professor Kiyosumi of Kyushu University, and I aim to obtain a doctorate in the field of Kansei (affective) engineering and design in the future. It should be noted that this field can only be studied at a limited number of universities. One of them is Keio, and I am considering pursuing further studies there.

Since becoming a professional, I have come to realize even more how blessed I am with my connections to Keio. For example, I am working on collaborative initiatives with everyone at the Haptics Research Center and Motion Lib, a Keio-born venture company. I hope to continue to make use of what I learned at Keio to contribute to society.

Lastly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Makabe, who guided me during my undergraduate years, as well as to the faculty members of the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, my seniors, and my wonderful classmates.