Teaching the Ability to Think Critically

Nearly all elementary and junior high school students in the town of Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, were able to safely escape the tsunami that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake. This was because for more than ten years they have been taught to think and act by themselves, rather than to wait for instructions from adults. These students had developed critical thinking skills; that is to say, they realized that sometimes unexpected things may happen in this world, and you cannot always rely on adults to tell you what to do. In many ways, this disaster is stimulating changes in the traditional Japanese ways of doing things. People are starting to realize that they need to abandon rote learning — “education for the sake of education” — and instead, instill young people with the ability to think critically. The important thing is to develop a child’s ability to respond quickly to a given situation, to think, act, implement, and act spontaneously on intutition. I think that Benesse should encourage this approach to education.

Promoting the Concept of Self-Sufficiency, on a Global Basis

In the field of nursing care, the recent earthquake provided many important lessons. The elderly people who were most likely to survive the disaster were those who lived in facilities that focused on fostering self-sufficiency, not those that treated residents like weak charges who must be cared for. As Japan’s population ages, it is important to promote the idea of improving quality of life by helping elderly people to be more self-sufficient. The issue of aging demographics is gradually becoming a global issue. As one of the leading players in the elderly care business, Benesse should learn the importance of self-sufficiency among the elderly, as demonstrated by this disaster, and promote this concept globally.

Moreover, it seems to me that the connections between Benesse’s main businesses are still weak. For example, the Group should seek new ways to unite the resources of its child care and elderly care businesses, to create inter-generational operations that enhance happiness for both children and the elderly.

Promoting Critical Thinking Among Employees

Though the words “living well” have a good ring to them, it is not always clear if the positive message of Benesse’s corporate ideals are fully embraced and implemented by employees. Are employees are truly using their own preferences and initiative to select and guide their work activities — I have the sense that Benesse employees are still not able to reach beyond the framework of their job responsibilities, and I think that more critical thinking and action is required to reshape business activities. Benesse has abundant experience and knowhow, but the question is how the Company can best put that knowhow to use. For example, rather than promoting an elder “care” business, it might be better to seek ways to ensure that people can remain productive and active for their entire lives. I hope Benesse will examine all of its businesses from this sort of innovative perspective.