Graduate Interview
Metal One Corporation
ITO, Yuiko（Graduated from the School of Political Science and Economics in 2014）
I visited Laos to meet fair trade producers
I studied at high school in the United States for a year because of my father’s work. Being surrounded by classmates from various ethnic backgrounds and having lessons that looked at illegal immigration somehow led me to develop an interest in other countries besides those in the developed world. These experiences are partly why I joined an on-campus organization to promote fair trade after starting at Waseda. In the organization, we worked on promotional activities aimed at spreading the concept of fair trade. Examples included holding fashion events based on fair trade products. We also had opportunities to actually visit the producers and learn about their current situation. Visiting coffee farmers in Laos in my second year proved to be a major turning point for me. Up to then, I’d always thought of developing countries as simply being the receiving side of support from developed countries. However, I learned that what’s actually required isn’t a one-way relationship like that, but international cooperation based on understanding the local situation and needs.
I searched for a way to contribute to the development of developing countries
Visiting Laos made me want to see more of the world, so I went traveling around various countries on my own. While doing so, I gradually developed a goal of wanting to do a job where I could help support developing countries through business in ways that were in line with their needs. Ultimately, I decided to join a trading company for steel mill products, which are so deeply connected to the economic infrastructure that they’re called “the core of industry.” It’s safe to say that trading companies are the polar opposite of the fair trade philosophy of “not going through intermediaries.” Learning about fair trade helped me realize not just what its significance is, but also the challenge it faces in that it’s about supporting only a limited range of people. After thinking about how to contribute to the development of developing countries in the long term, I concluded that trading companies held the answer, because they use a wealth of information and logistics to spread their business far and wide. During my four years at Waseda, I learned a great deal from trying whatever I was interested in and meeting lots of people. I really feel that these experiences have helped shape my sense of values and lead me to where I am now. As a working member of society, I want to always continue to act on my own initiative and proactively speak to other people.
【Encounters at WASEDA】I was deeply impressed by how some young Bangladeshis of about my age talked seriously about their country’s future
I went traveling abroad whenever I had time during the second half of my university life. Most of the places I visited were in Asia. I traveled to nearly 20 countries in all. Preferring to travel by land meant I got to talk to many people on trains, passenger buses, cow carriages, and so on. One particularly memorable experience happened when I was traveling through Bangladesh by train and met some young fellow passengers who’d just started up a company. They were about the same age as me, but were already seriously thinking about their country’s future. They said they wanted to do everything they could to help it develop even though there were a lot of social issues to overcome. I was deeply impressed by their attitude. They also told me that achieving that goal would require assistance from other countries in terms of information and financing. This made a lasting impression on me, and become one of the reasons I chose my current job.
- I openly exchanged opinions with Korean students
I studied the history of the Cold War in the Department of Politics. The seminar activities included visiting a university in Korea, which gave me the opportunity to discuss relations between Japan and Korea with some of the students there. This was another experience that’s stayed with me.
- Reflecting on my own preconception of “developing country = unhappy”
While visiting villages in southern Laos and seeing the locals’ self-sufficient way of life, I realized that there are forms of wealth that can’t be measured by GDP.
- I gained experience as an office intern at JICA
In my third year, I made use of a Waseda program to gain experience working at JICA’s Laos office. This gave me the opportunity to learn out in the field where the real work of public support is done.
【Current Job】A role of discovering hidden needs and connecting sellers and buyers
In the first department I was assigned to, I was involved in the export of steel mill products. I got to go back to Bangladesh, India, and some of the other countries I’d been to during my student days, only this time I was in a position to help people do business. That was very moving. Working women are still rare in some countries, and many people wouldn’t listen to me at first. Undeterred however, I spent time building relationships, and continued to expand my business connections.One of a trading company’s roles is to look for hidden needs on both the selling and buying sides of products, then use its own information and logistics connections to connect parties on both sides. It’s very rewarding to be able to really feel that my own work is instrumental in creating new business. Acquiring a broad range of information is essential to serving as a go-between, and I’m experiencing first-hand how important it is to have good conversational skills and be able to take action.
※This article is reprinted from Future Design Guidebook 2021.
