Never give up on whatever impairments or illnesses you may have.
Kouji Sakamoto, Faculty member of Hosei Graduate School of Regional Policy Design.
Over the years I visited and studied over 6600 mid sized to small businesses. Among them I have some companies, which I visit more than once a year.
One of them is company “N” with about 70 employees, which have the head office in Kawasaki.
The reason for the visit is because company “N” is truly a good company for many people and our society.
There are many reasons to categorize that company “N” is a socially responsible company. One of them is the attitude toward disabled people.
In fact, company “N” was enthusiastic about the employment for disabled people starting 50 years ago. Now about 70 percent of their employees are disabled people.
The official recommedation for the disabled employment rate is only 1.8% by the “Law for the Promotion of Employment of People with Disabilities” yet less than 55% of Japanese companies are fulfilling this legal employment rate. When I think about it you know that cmpamy “N” has dedicated itself to the employment of disabled people.
When I visit N-Company, I always meet and talk with an employee. Her name is H-san who will be 68 years old this year. She graduated from a special needs school 50 years ago and now does her best on the front line of work.
When I visited the company the other day and I asked her. “How is your mother?” And H-san said loudly and clearly “Yes, she is fine. She will be 100 years old this fall.”
I met her 8 year ago, and I saw her nearly every year. I have understood that she has tried hard and I noticed that her disability condition is improving year by year by her work and support of co-workers.
When I recognize such “facts,” I strongly believe that “Never give up on whatever impairments or illnesses you may have, and never surrender yourself.”
Kouji Sakamoto,
Faculty member of Hosei Graduate School of Regional Policy Design
Profile of Kouji Sakamoto
Graduate School professor also a Head of Hosei University Shizuoka satellite campus
He was born in 1947, Yaizu-shi, Shizuoka.
In 1970 he graduated from the business administration department of Hosei University.
After working at a public industry support organization, he worked as a professor at Fukui Prefectural University and at Shizuoka University of Art and Culture. Now he is a professor of the Regional Policy Design, a graduate course at Hosei University.
At the same time he has worked in many public offices, for example, a chairman of the administrative and financial reform council, a chief executive officer of the NPO “All Shizuoka Best Community,” and so on. He is devoted to promoting disabled people employment.
Published Books
To You Who Would Like to Live Strongly WAVE Shuppan
“The Most Valuable Company in Japan.” I/ II /III/IV Asa Shuppan
The Most Fortunate Citizen of a Prefecture in Japan PHP Shuppan
The Story of the Company which is Kind to the Weak Kindai Sales Sha
Website
All Shizuoka Best Community
http://www.all-shizuoka.or.jp/
Yearly Award of “The Most Valuable Company in Japan”
http://www.taisetu-taisyo.com/
Sakamoto Laboratory Blog
http://yaplog.jp/sakamoto/
Policy Creation Graduate Course, Hosei University graduate school
http://chiikizukuri.gr.jp/