TILT CAREER

Every summer, a program called Job Camp is held for students from 35 metropolitan high schools in Tokyo. It gives students the opportunity to experience real workplaces. < Job Camp > https://jobcamp.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/ In this program, high school students choose a company they are interested in and visit it to learn about work directly from professionals. Many career consultants participate in this initiative, supporting the students' learning. I recently took part myself, and it was truly refreshing. The program runs in three-day cycles. On the first day, career consultants visit high schools or orientation venues to conduct a pre-visit session with the students. This includes the very basics, such as how to greet people when visiting a company, how to bow properly, and other fundamental etiquette. Then we look at the company’s website and explore together what kind of business it is and what kind of work they do. Things get more serious from the second day onward. W...

Last month, the Upper House election was held in Japan. I respected the candidates who are out in the scorching sun, passionately sharing their policies on the streets. I also admired the voters who stop and listen to them with genuine interest. Personally, I couldn't handle the heat and would rather avoid the risk of heatstroke, so I stayed in my cool room and watched the policy broadcasts or campaign speeches online. In the election, one of the major issues being frequently discussed was the “foreigners issue.” It was sudden—why had this theme became a central topic now? But it's not entirely incomprehensible. Back in the mid-2010s, the term “inbound demand” became common, and many foreign tourists started visiting Japan. Although this trend came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, after restrictions were lifted, the number of foreign visitors quickly surged again. With the yen weakening, Japan became a more affordable travel destination, and visitor numbers soon sur...