- Tough efforts to match international operators to the needs of government agencies.
- As the project manager for the Expo '70 Commemorative Park Project* in Urban Development Dept. I, I work with joint venture companies to establish policy for the overall direction of business and primarily negotiate with government agencies. Since I also serve in the Content Planning Office, I am also involved in planning and making proposals for not only the tangible but also the essential intangible aspects of urban development.
The uniqueness of the Expo '70 Commemorative Park project lies in the phased and integrated development of an arena of world-class size surrounded by commercial facilities, hotels, and residences. That is why it is vital to design systems from a bird's-eye view of the entire district, including the relationship between assets and the creation of pathways. In addition to government, we must also consider how the district itself should be, both in hard and soft terms, including how to involve surrounding facilities and residents, and how to incorporate IT.
This project is a joint venture with international operators who have successfully managed large-scale urban development mainly of arenas worldwide, and achieving bold ideas requires taking on challenges. The process of making proposals and gaining consensus in a manner that satisfies the government and residents while aligning the values and visions of the operators is extremely tough and challenging. I feel like I am gaining skills in this area.
*The Expo ’70 Commemorative Park Station Area Revitalization Project, a public tender project by Osaka Prefecture, is a joint venture with Anschutz Entertainment Group, an American company, and Kanden Realty & Development Co., Ltd. This project promotes the creation of a new sports and cultural hub in Osaka and Kansai centered on a major arena.
- I do not see myself as a "real estate agent." The joy and rewards of university life remain to this day.
- During my university days in Fukuoka, I had many opportunities to practice area management, which naturally drew me to urban development. Back then, I participated as an intern in councils promoting urban development alongside companies, residents, and the government, working to facilitate communication with everyone involved in the community.
I was deeply involved in urban development and was put in charge of sales promotion and marketing at a central commercial facility, where I learned about facility management on-site. From there, I joined Mitsubishi Estate Group, which operates the facility. Through a variety of connections, I later joined Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development.
Since joining the workforce, I have never thought of myself as a “real estate agent." Even in facility management, I have studied the fashion necessary for communicating with tenants and developed promotional content. At Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development, I recognize that what is expected of me is to integrate value-added content and systems into the facility or area. Reflecting on this, I am still on the growth path of planning and managing events to vitalize the city, just as I was in university. Only now it is on a much larger scale (laughs).
Going forward, I want to see my current projects through and be there for the grand opening of the arena and the district. I have many exciting ideas for content that I would be thrilled to see realized.
