Roger OngAnyone attending the Shikoku Share Summit 2019 was bound to learn something new. Covering a plethora of industries, attendees discovered the uniqueness of each industry and the steps in which problems were solved. In this article, we will pick a few developments coming out of Japan that could very well shape social businesses in Japan in the coming months.
Revitalization around Indigo
Do you know what colour Zenbird’s logo is? Yes, that’s indigo! It was selected because it is a colour that relates to sustainability. It refers to Japan’s traditional dyeing method that is natural and environmentally friendly. Sustainable practices!
And there is a strong gathering around indigo artistry. Since the Shikoku Share Summit was held in Tokushima, we were undoubtedly going to be introduced to developments involving indigo. Tokushima is the birthplace of indigo dyeing in Japan!
When we talk about the indigo artistry, we are actually referring to much more than just indigo dyeing. Indigo is a symbol that many businesses are rallying behind. For example, there’s the BLUE FES TOKUSHIMA, a beach festival promoting the natural beauty of Tokushima, and content creation based on indigo dyeing with Japan Blue Kamita Institute.
The most interesting, however, has got to be indigo dye in food. Recent scientific breakthrough has allowed the dye to be added to food that is safe to eat. While there is no taste and can replace as natural food coloring, scientists at Saisei Pharma is still working on some food that doesn’t absorb the colors readily. No doubt blue food will become a novelty, that could turn into opportunities for Japan.
The Era of Relationship Population
This is a relatively new term, even at the point of the Summit. We talked about this before in our previous article about Otetsutabi too. The term “relationship population” simply refer to a group of people who are related to a certain region. They do not have a physical address in the region, staying outside the region. However, they are more than just vacationers to the region. They can be big fans of a region, or have some close connection to the region.
The relationship population has a few implications of the region itself, with both advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages of having a relationship population is the high amount of interest. These people may be born in a certain region before moving out. Furthermore, there is a fatigue in the city appeal, with more and more city dwellers seeking the rustic lifestyle. Therefore, there is a demand: people want a connection with the regions. This is an opportunity for businesses, tourism and population alike.
On the other hand, we must remember that these group of people do not stay in the rural regions. Some even draw the example that they are “fan clubs”, contributing as visitors, not as citizens. One of the concerns is what value is the region creating, value for visitors or value for citizens. Different values will shape the type of region it will become in the long term. Some organizations already realize that a lack of value for citizens creates a cold region, where neighbors do not know each other.
Remembering that this is a relatively new discussion, it will be interesting to see what kind of developments await us in the future.
Emerging New Work Styles in Japan
To be honest, Japan has been slow to affect changes in the workplace. The rigid structure was once supported cultural conformity and a fear of change. But there is growing realization for the need to change, because of a number of push and pull factors.
The push factors have been growing in the past decade and beyond. They include the dissent of the younger Japanese generation. The continual shrinking of the world because of technology is another. Successful work styles overseas has opened the possibility of use in Japan.
Japan is also realizing the pull factors for change, and that revolves around regional revitalization. One reason for depopulation in rural areas is job opportunities in larger cities. So by bringing job opportunities to rural areas, it would improve depopulation problems. But in order to do so, traditional work styles need to be challenged.
In light of this, more and more services are providing or supporting the new work style of traveling while one works. For example JOB HUB Travel, which matches the skills of professionals with the needs of rural area needs. Accommodation services is supporting such new work styles too, with subscription-based services such as Home Away From Home and ADDress, where a professional can choose to co-live or travel along their networks.
And we’ve only scratched the surface of ideas
There are a lot more developments coming out of Japan, especially in the area of regional revitalization. A personal favorite of mine is definitely the use of a local crypto currency to replace money. It will not be linked to any currency, and can be passed on to others when they have run out of coins. This ideal world makes our concept of money irrelevant, consequently the focus becomes providing services to those who need them. Idealized, yes, but imagine what it can do for rural areas. I cannot wait to participate in next year’s Summit and learn about the new developments.
