Takashi Kojima, President and CEO of Nichinoken Kanto Co., Ltd.

Let's develop our imagination, creativity, and imagination! Important skills in this age of convenience

President and CEO of Nichinoken Kanto Co., Ltd.
Takashi Kojima

Born in Yokohama in 1968, he attended Seijo Gakuen for junior high, high school and university. After graduating from university, he worked at Fuji Bank before becoming Vice President of Nichinoken Kanto Co., Ltd. He was seconded to Sanwa Research Institute Co., Ltd., where he was in charge of consulting work. In June 2006, he became Representative Director and President of Nichinoken Kanto Co., Ltd., a position he holds to this day. He subsequently founded Gaudia Co., Ltd., Private School Scholarship Support Insurance Service Co., Ltd., and Private School Myoan Research Institute Co., Ltd., all of which he serves as representative director.

Rather than joining the company founded by his father, Kojima took a job at another company. He ventured into a field he didn't like, and brought back the ideas he developed during that time, hoping to apply them to his main business. In education, he is concerned about the use of AI to teach exam preparation, and advocates education based on human skills that values ​​the connection between students and teachers. What are President Kojima's dreams and joys?

During my student days, I spent all my time working part-time jobs and playing golf for club activities. It was the time of the bubble economy, so I was doing well. I was able to earn a decent amount of money just by working as a caddy, and I was also able to practice, and I even got golf tickets. I lived in good times.

Choose "what you don't like" and get a discovery

　Nichinoken was a company founded by my father, but I didn't choose it as my first career. However, I knew I could return someday, so I decided to try my hand at a field that wasn't my forte and something I didn't like, and got a job at a bank. After working at financial institutions such as banks and research institutes for about eight years and hearing about various industries, I realized that Nichinoken had some really great assets. Setting aside the question of "do it or not" or "can do it or can't," I like to think about things, and I would write down ideas every day, wondering what I could do at Nichinoken. So, when the time was right, I told my father that I wanted to return, and he allowed me to return to Nichinoken.
　If I had started working at Nichinoken from the beginning, I don't think I would have made any new discoveries. For example, even at club drinking parties, I was able to talk to people I don't usually have much contact with.
I believe in the idea of ​​deliberately choosing things I don't like because I can always go back to the things I like.
　On my days off, I often play golf or do strength training, but I also enjoy experiencing what are known as "trendy things." Food, movies, books,
Apps, live shows, tourist spots, etc. If something is popular in the world, there must be some reason for it.
I also think, "If I were to apply this, I would do it like this." I think this is important in business and in life.
　Above all, it's fun. I love thinking. Like this (taking out my notebook), I make notes, take photos, and scrapbook things that I find interesting, and next to them I leave notes saying, "This is how you can apply this at Nichinoken."
　The distinctive feature of Nichinoken is that we only do junior high school entrance exams. While there are many cram schools that offer junior high school, high school, and university entrance exams, we have only been doing junior high school entrance exams.
I have never done anything like that before, and I have no intention of doing it again in the future.
　Other companies are able to continue teaching students in high school and university entrance exam courses even if they fail the junior high school entrance exam, but we cannot do that.
It's a one-shot deal for junior high school entrance exams. In that sense, it may be a big risk from a business perspective. However, on the other hand, with that kind of resolve,
That means it's being done.
　So why did we make such a decision? It's because we don't want to spread our resources too thin. If we try to expand too much, there will be areas that are left unfinished. That's why we want to keep it simple forever.
　I think it's important to decide what not to do, whether it's work or anything else. It makes things easier.

The use of AI in junior high school entrance exam prep schools will not be successful

　The moment the children are happy is what gives us meaning in life. It could be something big like, "I got into the junior high school I wanted to go to!" or something small like, "I solved a difficult problem!" I think that kind of joy can only be felt when teaching face-to-face with students. Especially with elementary school students, I teach face-to-face, sometimes patting them on the head and praising them even if it's a bit exaggerated.
　I think that's the way classes have to be taught. In that sense, I don't know about education for other age groups or fields, but I don't think junior high school entrance exam prep schools will be replaced by AI. After all, the connection between students and teachers is vital in this industry.

＊ message ＊

Daydreaming, imagining, and delusion. I want you to be especially conscious of these three things. I think that these abilities are becoming more important in this convenient age. People who have the habit of daydreaming, imagining, and delusional thinking will surely be good at their jobs and become popular.
I think so. Human thinking is amazing!

From the October 31, 2019 issue of the Student Newspaper (by Yoshio Ogawa, a fourth-year student at Keio University)