Yuta Hanada, Talent & Culture Department, Dome Corporation

Enriching society through sports

■ Profile

He joined Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. as a new graduate and then moved on to Dome Corporation.
His experience as an American football coach led him to develop an interest in human resource development and team building. He is currently working in human resources, trying to create an environment where Dome employees can thrive and grow.

■Please tell us about the characteristics and future prospects of the industry.

Dome Corporation is the exclusive distributor of Under Armour in Japan. We offer sports apparel, footwear, and more. We define all our customers as athletes, and our brand mission is to support everyone who wants to improve.
Sports have a positive impact on both the body and mind, and are characterized by their contributions to all who participate in them. In recent years, with the spread of COVID-19, there has been a renewed awareness of the importance of health and sports. This is an industry that is still in the growth stage and can create new value in "sports."

■Please tell us about the appeal of the industry.

The biggest attraction is that sports are close by. In fact, most employees have experience playing sports, and many feel that sports play a part in character formation and growth. When they enter the workforce, they will be able to protect that environment and provide it to children, and it is a place where they can directly utilize their "interests" and "strengths." This is a distinctive and attractive feature. And the most rewarding thing is being able to support someone's growth through work and expand their potential for growth.
Next, we believe that one of the attractions is that we are selling products that people don't need. "It's okay if you don't have it, but if you have it, it will make you better." It's up to us to thoroughly understand that value and communicate it to people so they will buy it. This is both rewarding and difficult.

■Please tell us the type of person you are looking for

　The first prerequisite is someone who can empathize with the philosophy of "enriching society through sports." While expertise has been gaining attention in recent years, what we are looking for is someone who can think and act independently. Because we don't know what will happen, we need the ability to think and act in the moment and communicate that to those around us. While it is naturally important to communicate correctly and clearly, we also place importance on whether you are speaking honestly in your own words. And, as a basic principle, it is important to be straightforward and honest.

■Message to university students

　There are an infinite number of options for what you can do and what you can accomplish. These days, social media and other platforms are flooded with information about how you should be. Instead of being influenced by prominent people, base your decisions on what you want to do and who you want to be. Ultimately, the decision is yours, and in order to be satisfied with that decision, it's important to know yourself. I think it's good to create opportunities to get to know yourself while you're a student. Rather than thinking about where you want to play, why not think about what kind of play you want to play, and then try out many different things that will lead you to that goal?

Student Newspaper Online Tokyo University of Science, 2nd year student, Harumoe Ito