Shingo Okamura, President and CEO, DeNA Co., Ltd.

Wasting time and being confused will broaden your possibilities

President and CEO, DeNA Co., Ltd.　Shingo Okamura(Okamura Shingo)

■ Profile

Graduated from the University of Tokyo Graduate School. Joined the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (now the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) in 1995. In 2015, he was appointed Planning Officer in the Planning Division of the Postal Administration Department, Information and Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. In April 2016, he joined DeNA Co., Ltd., where he served as Representative Director and President of Yokohama Stadium. In October 2016, he was appointed Representative Director and President of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. In April 2019, he became Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yokohama Stadium (current position), and in April 2021, he became Representative Director, President and CEO of DeNA Co., Ltd. (current position).

I was a literary youth during my university days. I had decided to study literature since I was in junior high school, and I actually enrolled in the literature department. I pretended to be a literary youth and competed with my friends in reading books, and enjoyed intellectual stimulation through music and movies.

The Tiananmen Square incident occurred just as I entered graduate school. This prompted me to research the dynasties created by Chinese immigrants. Looking back, I realize that scholars are an incredible group of people. They simply believe in the path they believe is right and dig deep into it. At the time, I too was considering becoming an academic. However, at the same time, I began to feel afraid of being buried in the world of academia. Therefore, after graduating, I changed direction and decided to join the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, as I had been interested in the postal service since my experience working part-time at the post office.

■Joining the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and creating a public magnetic field

At the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, I promoted Okinawa's development through IT. Later, as Director of the Planning Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, I worked on welfare, education, urban development, and even answered questions in the Diet. As the information ageing of various regions, I established the foundation for telemedicine, and during the first Abe Cabinet, I served as Assistant Counsellor to the Prime Minister's Office. The common thread in all of these endeavors was "creating a public magnetic field." In particular, during the transitional period in which the Internet was evolving from a means of obtaining information to a means of connecting people, I was involved in the establishment of the Youth Internet Act. The emergence of the Internet provided a catalyst for connecting minors and adults, and calls for Internet regulation grew louder due to the potential for crime. However, this would severed Japan's cultural and industrial networks. Instead, I felt it would be more important to foster literacy and protect children through legitimate means. I believe my role in coordinating this public magnetic field was significant.

■ Creating a public magnetic field with DeNA

After that, I worked at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications before moving to DeNA. I joined DeNA at the invitation of the current chairman, Mr. Namba. What I felt when I joined the company was that even the private sector could create a public magnetic field. After joining the company, I first became president of Yokohama Stadium, where I worked on creating the "place" that is Yokohama Stadium and developing the city around entertainment such as sports. What I can use to develop the city is the structural strength that Yokohama Stadium is located in Yokohama. There are not many places in a designated city like Yokohama that can make use of a stadium as a base that plays a role in livening up the region.

DeNA is also expanding its business in a variety of fields, one of which is games. Games are a culture, and as technology advances, they become more complex. However, people tend to surprisingly prefer simple things, making them difficult to handle. Games are also the biggest business on the Internet, and getting users to use them is a constant process of trial and error. The key is to use the PDCA cycle to expand services while staying in tune with user reactions. Mobile games in particular are developed with the characteristics of being played in spare time and serving as a means of communication in mind.

■ DeNA's unique style is created by people

DeNA's activities range from entertainment to social issues, but we believe it is our people that make us who we are. Not only are we talented, but we have many people with diverse perspectives, who are unconventional and sincere. Together with our diverse employees, we pursue the wonders of Japan, cherishing the real communities of Kanagawa and Yokohama while looking out to the world. We want each and every employee to be a shining star. It's not enough to be a first- or second-magnitude star at any given time. We want each employee to radiate their own unique individuality and achieve personal growth. It's also important that you grow at DeNA and, through DeNA, have a healthy ambition to "deliver Delight, a joy beyond imagination, to the world." We embrace challenges and change with our skills and passion, delivering Delight that connects to the world and the future. This is DeNA's mission. The "D" in the DeNA logo is depicted as a smiling D lying on its side.

■Message

I believe that it is you who can make a difference in today's difficult times. It is important to look within yourself without being too caught up in the mechanisms of the world. Use your time to wonder and explore your potential. The doubts you have experienced as a student will surely be beneficial for your future. And actively experience things. I myself was able to increase my own value through active experiences. I hope that each and every one of you will learn from this.

Student Newspaper April 1, 2023 Issue Tsuda University 4th Year Student Miyata Ayako