Notes on hard work

I found an interesting article on Financial Times last week. The report says Goldman Sachs analysts complained hard work over 95 hours a week and some executives reacted sympathetic, and others were critical about such a young voice.

I fell that situation is quite common among financial companies, including even in Japan.

Even for me, I had worked near 90 hours a week, when deals were busy. Though it is impossible to do so every week, there are sometimes cases; “no choice but to do”. This is responsibility for the position.

And on severe business scene, it can be understood the comment in the article “go the extra mile for our client, even when we feel that we’re reaching our limit”. As long as competitive society, such a view continuously would be supported.

But we need to be careful when hard works are forced. It is just mistake of staffing. There is absolute difference between company relying on employees’ long hours work and staff voluntarily working hard. Its operation is up to management of executive and workers should think back on whether they are “slave”.

Can the Olympics in Tokyo be held?

On March 25, the torch relay for the Tokyo Olympic 2020 has started.

Can the Olympics be held in the first place? No one has the answer.

The government is positively coordinating for the held. However, it seems that a lot of people are negative about it, according to polls and social media comments. We can understand the idea that the event should be canceled while the Covid-19 infection has still not been resolved.

Should the Olympics be held? It cannot be concluded with simplistic point of view. It needs to be carefully taken in consideration of not only measure policy for infectious, also the economy, especially the living of the citizen.

Some studies show that the economic loss of canceling this Olympics would exceed USD 40 billion. Many Japanese companies have invested largely, since 2013, when the held in Tokyo determined. And then if it could not recover them, it would be a considerable impact.

At this moment, the question comes up; which is more important, human life or economy?

Let me introduce one data below.

According to a public agency survey in Japan, the number of suicides in October last year was higher than the death by Covid-19. In addition, the report by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfarethe shows the number of suicides in 2020 increased for the first time in 11 years (3% compared to the previous year). We should realize this fact, though Japan is one of top of “suicide country”.

It is easy to emotionally cry out the cancelation of the Olympics. However, opinions should be made with consideration in impact of economy and the relation between it and the people’s lives.

The government has already abandoned for receiving foreign spectators. How can we minimize whole damage to the society? It is time to rack our brain.

Notes on SDGs and Capitalism

The importance of the SDGs in the business is increasing day by day, and it has reached a stage where companies cannot ignore this topic. For example, concerning for the environment and human right are becoming the standard policy, and companies that cannot adjust that will not be selected. Investors would leave away and it affects significant impact on corporate value.

 Even for me, who works at Japanese bank, I often talk to customers on this topic.

 One of factor on the decision for loan is including the environment, and we began to deal with sustainable finance as new products. There are also topics of business scene; the ESG rating, the method of information disclosure in IR, and the advice to sell non-sustainable businesses segment etc. Even for a bank manager, I also cannot ignore SDGs.

 As we know, the movement of SDGs has been running for the future world. On the other hand, it has the aspect of new business opportunities. Some people point out this fact and regard it capitalistic and unpleasant.

 Certainly, it is the capitalism that has cause environmental problems, and it can be understood that the current issue is deeply related with growthism. And, interestingly, there are some opinions such as demise of capitalism or post-capitalism and even reconsideration of Marx. (This kind of book is ranked as a bestseller in Japan)

 It supposed that capitalist society should regret on current issue, but I think it is difficult to break away from capitalism. Propulsion of capitalism is powerful, and it can arouse people’s attention through placing market value on a certain goal. (which used to be growth) When SDGs becomes such a goal and makes market value, things will be achieved. No matter the motive is indecent, the result will be obtained. If we really want to solve problems for humankind, capitalism would be effective in a sense.

 I do not think that such a wily or clever capitalism breaks down so easily, as it provides some freedom and accepts all desires in the society. Of course, we realize there are a lot of issues to be overcome and not only merit.

 I should not write this topic in such like a short post, but recent economic trends give us critical asking. To be continue.

Life in Tokyo under the statement of emergency

Let me tell a little bit about life in Tokyo now.

The second state of emergency has been declared since the beginning of January this year and we are requested self-restraint by the government. As restaurants and cafes are restricted to work until 20:00, it is difficult to eat and drink outside. But many people still go to their office. For example, I work in home only twice a week. We can see usual rush hour in the morning, and in holidays, there are a lot of people in the daytime. Although the number of cases of Covid-19 in Tokyo per day is around 300 and it seems that current statement is effective, we do not feel “emergency”.

Last spring, under the first statement, the situation was different. It was almost like a lockdown. There was no crowed in the train and people were really refrained from going out. We had feared the virus and little knowledge about them.

According to today’s broadcasts, this second declaration will be lifted on March 21st.

Then, the restaurant’s business hours would be free, and we can restart drinking freely. The period from March to April is called the season of “come and go” in Japan. The fiscal year of many Japanese companies is from April to March, and the end of the year there are often personnel changes. And the new school year also starts in April. In addition, at the same time, Sakura will be at their best. We have a wonderful culture of drinking under cherry blossoms, which is called “Hanami”.

Eating and drinking in large numbers is pointed out as the main cause of infection. It would be necessary to be careful.

Of course, remove of the statement has a positive effect to economic. However, I think there are still a lot of unstable factors at the time when the vaccines have not arrived yet.

I was in Moscow on 11th March 2011

 11th March is special day for Japanese. That day 10 years ago, enormous earthquake occurred.

 I am not appropriate to talk about that, as I was not victims and even in Japan at that time. Though I know what has happened on that day, facing the words from “related people”, I am just slight being.

And on 10th year, my mind is still not changed. But if it can be allowed to tell from the aspect of “alienated person”, like me, I try to write my experience.

 “Itta, Japan is in terrible trouble by huge earthquake, is it okay?”

 The first man to tell me about the earthquake was a classmate from Korea. It was when the morning lecture was over. (The time difference between Tokyo and Moscow is 6 hours. The occurrence was on 14:46 of JST and that of Moscow time was 8:46 AM.)

  As I did not have a smart phone on that time, I only heard information by others. So, I thought the earthquake was just huger than usual until backing to home and watching news on the internet. I was shocked at sweeping lands by Tsunami. No, to be honest, I felt as if it was a fiction, like movies.

What made the disaster more complicated was the issue of nuclear power. It’s just an aside, I happened to be traveling to Kiev the week before 11th March. I went to the Chernobyl Museum and just learned that Japan has supported the victims in Ukraine, as only country to have experience atomic bombs. Therefore, when the nuclear power plant problem in Fukushima arose, I felt not only a sense of crisis, also a disappointment with irony.

After that, Japanese student in Moscow had conducted a charity. I only could support through small task, since my return flight to Japan was approached. I impressively remember that at the first donation on the campus of a university, a Russian schoolgirl ran and came to donate while crying. And other students gradually gathered, however the police came and asked us to stop the event. He said there was a territory of university and it was not able to do without permission. We had no choice but to quit it on that time. Sometimes people usually seem to be scared of Russian police officer, since they are kind of muscular and absence of expression on the face (This is my own image), but on that time, I felt the policeman was somehow sympathetic. Not only them, many people in Moscow also gave us words of concern.

 That is my brief experience on the earthquake.

I do not want to discuss whether nuclear power should be stop or friendship between Japan and other countries. I just noted my experience and introduced my mind from my diary. Including victims, a lot of people have thoughts about this earthquake. The most important thing may be not to forget the fact.

I’m Itta, first post

Hi, I’m Itta, live and work in Tokyo.

I’ve loved to express something through writing from childhood and used to have some blogs in Japanese in my school days. However, they were stopped because of my busyness for working. When I realized it, I was absorbed in my work for eight years and forgot to write.

 Just on next month, I become to be 30 years old and then noticed my honest feelings; I want to write.

 Before deciding to start the site, I seriously wondered whether any information from me is valuable. But began anyway. That question would be solved by future readers.

 Let me introduce my short history. Majored for anthropology and study about Russia. Just ten years ago, I was on middle-term study in Moscow. After graduating university in Tokyo, my career started at Bank. Through working in Niigata city and Moscow, and now being a manager for corporate banking department, mainly covering machine industry.

 Some people say my career is interested or unique (kind of strange…). So I believe to describe various events all over the world including Japan from wide range of perspectives. Though I don’t have any specific theme for now, it would be considered step by step.

 As this is my first challenge for express in English, don’t hesitate to indicate language mistakes.