PCE Topics List for Advanced class
上級者用話題集
話題集のタイトルをクリックすると、それぞれのテーマ、関連記事、要約、質問にページが移動します。
IT関連
・Current Status and Future Possibilities of the Metaverse
メタバース(仮想空間)の現状と将来の可能性
・Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Its Future AI
AIの将来性
英会話
・Future Need for Japanese to Improve Their English Conversation Skills
今後の日本人の英会話力アップの必要性
（外国資本が日本企業を買収する中で）
・English as Common Corporate Language
英語の社内公用語化
・Why are Japanese struggling to improve their English? Ranked 49th globally
日本人の英語力が世界の49位、何故低い?
環境
・Global Warming
地球温暖化
経済
・Japanese economy after COVID
コロナ後の日本経済
・Stagnation of average annual income of Japanese and future outlook
日本人の平均年収の低迷化(国際的比較において)と今後の見通し
・Acquisition of Japanese Companies by Foreign Capital under the Weakening Yen Value
円安下に於いて外国資本の日本企業買収展開
・Low Birth Rate and Aged Population Problem for Japan
少子高齢化問題
・Regional Revitalization
地方創生について
・Future Trends for Sharing Economy
シェアリングエコノミーの将来
スポーツ・旅行
・Otani's future success and record in the major league baseball
大谷選手、メジャーでの今後の活躍と記録
・Will oversea trip return to before COVID momentum?
コロナ後の海外旅行はコロナ前に戻るか？
ジェンダー
・Improvement of the status of Japanese women
日本女性の地位向上
（ジェンダーギャップ調査で156ヵ国中120位）
・Balancing family and work by women in Japan
日本における女性の家庭と仕事の両立
・Future Trends for Childrearing
日本の子育ての将来トレンド
・Promoting Female Managements
女性管理職の登用
仕事
・Future Outlook of the Job Market in Japan
日本に於ける転職市場の今後の展開
・Pros and Cons of Telecommuting
テレワークで得た功罪（企業から見た、個人から見た）
・What businesses will be generated in light of overwhelming increase in Japan's aging population?
日本の高齢化人口の圧倒的な増加から生まれるビジネスは？
・Businesses that will disappear due to Japan's labor shortage and their future
日本の労働人口不足で消滅するビジネスと今後
・Need to hire high-skilled foreign professionals
高技能外国人の採用の必要性
・Work from Home and Its Trends in the Future
在宅勤務と将来のトレンド
・Changes in Employment Styles in Japan
日本の雇用形態の変化
・Work Style Reform
働き方改革
・Future Job Market
将来の就職市場
生活
・New Lifestyle Post Covid
新生活様式（ニューノーマル）
・Infection Control Measures
感染症対策
政治
・The China/Taiwan Issue and Its Impact on Japan
中国/台湾問題と日本への影響
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Current Status and Future Possibilities of the Metaverse
メタバース(仮想空間）の現状と将来の可能性
Article: Insights on the Metaverse Technology and Its Future Potential
How does Metaverse work?
A metaverse is a virtual, digital 3D universe formed by merging various kinds of virtual spaces. Users can enter this digital universe using their virtual identity in the form of digital avatars and can move across various metaverse spaces for shopping, hanging out, or meeting friends, just as they would do in the real world
メタバース（VR)にアプリかブラウザを使用して参加すると、貴方のPC画面上や専用ゴーグルの中で、現実世界と同じような仮想空間が再現され、ショッピングや遊び、友人との会合など、様々な体験を自分の分身であるアバターを動かして楽しめる様になります。
Metaverse Current Use Example（使用例）
1) If a user takes a virtual tour within a metaverse spot, a store and shops there will serve them via immersive commerce, and the order they place will be delivered to the address provided.（仮想空間での旅行、ショッピング等の実体験）
2) In virtual social events, you are purchasing digital land and building virtual houses.Joining fellow viewers of a virtual rock band concert.（仮想空間での不動産の購入や新築の家の建設、友達と一緒にロックコーサートに行く）
3) Paying visits to virtual museums to view the latest works of art.（仮想美術館で芸術品の鑑賞）
4) Participating in immersive learning through virtual classrooms.（仮想空間での学校の授業の実体験）
5) Employee onboarding.（新人社員研修）
6) Sales, providing customer services.（営業や顧客サービスを仮想空間で行う）
7) Users can also utilize a metaverse for creating, sharing, and trading assets or experiences.（メタバースで仲間や取引先と商品や経験を販売/ 共有）
Questions:
1) Have you experienced using Metaverse yourself?
2) If so, please explain.
3) What would you like to do using Metaverse for your entertainment purposes?
4) What benefits does Metaverse provide to us in business?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Its Future
AIの将来性
Article: Artificial Intelligence: A Rival for Humans, or a Partner?
・Have you seen AI being utilized in your company or elsewhere?
・In general, how do you think AI will benefit our lives?
・What sort of jobs will be influenced due to the emergence of AI?
・What are the dangers of AI?
・Do you think AI will ever replace humans in the workplace? Why or why not?
Future Need for Japanese to Improve Their English Conversation Skills
今後の日本人の英会話力アップの必要性（外国資本が日本企業を買収する中で）
Article: English Abilities Crucial, but Lacking in Japanese Workplaces
Current Issues
1) The biggest issue identified by individuals with, 50.4% said that there were few chances for them to use English at work.
（50.4%の日本人は英語を会社で使う機会が少ない）
2) Employees face the issue that is hard to maintain high motivation due to no clear top-down direction.
（英語の学習を継続するモチベーションを維持するのが困難）
3) Other major issues were the varying levels of expertise and not having enough time for training.
（英語を使って行う仕事での専門性が多種多様）
Questions:
1) Do you face the same issues? If so, please explain.
2) What do you do to keep your motivation high?
3) How about PCE program, is it helping you solve that issue?
English as Common Corporate Language
英語の社内公用語化
Article: When a Japanese Company Adopted English as a First Language
・Is English becoming important in your company?
・Do you often use English at work? If so, when do you usually use it? (e.g. meetings with foreign clients, writing emails)
・What will be the benefits and disadvantages of English becoming a common corporate language?
Why are Japanese struggling to improve their English? Ranked 49th globally!
日本人の英語力が世界の49位、何故低い
Article: Rank of Japan: EF English Proficiency Index
・What are the reasons that Japanese English skill is ranked low? (ranked 49th of 88 countries) in 2018.
・Do you do any special effort to increase your English ability?
・Is English becoming more important in terms of your job or business in general?
Global Warming
地球温暖化
Article: HOW THE CLIMATE CRISIS IMPACTS JAPAN
・What major climate changes have you experienced in Japan over the years?
・What causes global warming?
・What actions do we need to take to slow down global warming incidents?
Japanese economy after COVID
コロナ後の日本経済
Article: Japan’s Weak Yen Hampers Its Post-COVID Recovery
Questions:
1) What industries do you think will recover from the recession and why?
2) What sort of businesses will reduce their presence significantly?
3) Will Yen remain weak after Covid?
4) How do households counter the recent inflation?
Stagnation of average annual income of Japanese and future outlook
日本人の平均年収の低迷化(国際的比較において)と今後の見通し
Article: Why Japan's wages aren't rising?
The factors which drive Japanese wages not to increase:
1) Extremely prolonged deflation (since 1997)
2) Labor unions and the management side, both are focused more on protecting employment itself rather than raising wages.
3) Significantly high dependence on part-time and contract workers enables to keep average wages not to increase
Questions:
1) What sort of measures that the government should take to increase Japanese employee’s wages?
2) Will the recent inflationary trend have any impacts?
3) If changing job is more likely, would that affect the employee’s wage increase?
Acquisition of Japanese Companies by Foreign Capital under the Weakening Yen Value
円安下に於いて外国資本の日本企業買収展開
Article: The outlook for oversea investor’s M&A opportunities in Japan is bright with the yen at a 20-year low.
Key Learnings
1) The yen’s recent plunge to around Yen 135 to one U.S dollar has made Japanese assets approximately 20% cheaper in the US dollar term than they were 12 months ago.
2) Japanese companies are facing pressure to restructure their businesses and dispose of non-core assets.
3) Many of the investment opportunities will involve some form of joint venture or alliance with Japanese companies.
Questions:
1) What industries have been under M&A negotiations?
2) What changes will occur in Japanese employees’ job culture?
3) English language ability will be more emphasized?
Low Birth Rate and Aged Population Problem for Japan
少子高齢化問題
Article: Aging of Japan
・What are the reasons that Japan suffers from a low birth rate?
・Can you describe any benefits and disadvantages of an aging population in Japan?
・What do you think that Japan should do to improve the current situation?
Regional Revitalization
地方創生について
Article: Regional Revitalization Paves the Way for the Future of Japan
・Do you think we need to revitalize Japan's local economy?
・If so, please state your opinions?
・Why is urbanization in Tokyo not considered a good trend? Why or why not?
Future Trends for Sharing Economy
シェアリングエコノミーの将来
Article: Why are Airbnb and Uber Regulated in Japan?
・Do you think the sharing economy is good service to you? Such as Uber and Airbnb. Why or why not?
・Do you think they will be a sustainable choice for customers? Why or why not?
・What industries do you think may suffer from sharing economy if they become mainstream?
Otani's future success and record in the major league baseball
大谷選手、メジャーでの今後の活躍と記録
Article: Shohei Ohtani's feat brings scope of major league history into focus
Questions:
1) What kind of number do you think that Ohtani will accomplish with respect to the pitching and batting records in his major league baseball career?
2) In particular, how many home runs and winnings as the two-way player could do? 500 home runs and 300 winnings or more?
3) Why do people get excited about Ohtani as the two-way player?
4) Which team in MLB will Ohtani move to or already moved to? (He will be a free agent in 2023.)
5) What sort of annual income will he get?
Will oversea trip return to before COVID momentum?
コロナ後の海外旅行はコロナ前に戻るか？
Article: THE POST-COVID-19 TOURISM TRENDS: HERE’S ALL WE NEED TO KNOW
What sort of travel style/trends will likely be post Covid 19?
1) Domestic Holidays Rather than Overseas Trips
2) Visiting Neighboring Countries
3) Younger Generation Will Travel More
4) Nature Tourism Will Boom
5) Short Vacations or Micro Holidays
6) Road Trips Will Be In Vogue
Questions:
1) Do you agree or disagree with the style and trends stated above? And state your reason.
2) Oversea trips will be back to normal or not? And explain the rationales.
3) What do you really want to do in terms of traveling after Covid?
Improvement of the status of Japanese women
日本女性の地位向上(ジェンダーギャップ調査で156ヵ国中120位）
Article: Japan’s stubborn gender inequality problem
What makes Japan to be lower in the ranking?
1) Women are holding low-status positions in the workforce.and underrepresentation of women in politics.
2) Although 77 percent of Japanese women work today — a higher rate than the OECD average of 66 percent more than half of them is employed in non-regular roles.
3) Japanese women’s salaries hardly rise throughout their careers due primarily to very few female management.
Questions:
1) What does the government do to improve this situation?
2) What are the key reasons to make these inequalities cause?
3) How do most Japanese women perceive this issue?
Balancing family and work by women in Japan
日本における女性の家庭と仕事の両立
Article: 50% of Japanese women think work hampers married life
Opinions from Women
1) Work becomes a hindrance to marriage accounted for 37.7%.
2) Asked how their husband’s understanding of their work affects the level of their happiness, 67.4% said they think their happiness “increases with such understanding and decreases without it.”
3) One respondent, a temporary staffer in her 40s, said that while a woman can handle marriage and work, it gets difficult to do both once a child is born. “Women need some kind of support.”
Questions:
1) What are your thoughts on work-life balance?
2) What if, you will have a child, what sort of support is needed?
3) Do men become more supportive to help raise a child in general?
Future Trends for Childrearing
日本の子育ての将来トレンド
Article: Child Rearing in Japan
・Are there many men who take paternity leave in Japan? Why or why not?
・What things do husbands usually do to help raise the children?
・Will there be any changes in childrearing between wives and husbands?
- If so, how? What factors are causing these changes?
Promoting Female Managements
女性管理職の登用
Article: Women in management at Japan firms still a rarity: Reuters poll
・How many female managers are in your company?
・Is it difficult for women to get promoted? If so, why?
・What are your thoughts around promoting more female managers?
Future Outlook of the Job Market in Japan
日本に於ける転職市場の今後の展開
Article: Middle-aged job-hopping booms in Japan
Current Status
1) Japan has seen a surge in job-hopping among older workers as companies seek experienced individuals who can help them grow in the post-pandemic era.
2) The job hopping rate for Japanese employees whose age with 41 or older has grown at a much faster pace than that for younger people. It has gone up 2 times more from five years earlier,
3) The fastest pace of growth among any age group, with those in their 40s and 50s leading the pack.
4) Used to be in Japan, age 35 has been considered the cutoff for making a meaningful career change
5) An increasing number of older workers are changing jobs in part because companies are accelerating restructuring.
6) As a result, job placement websites have seen a sharp increase in registrations by former employees of companies that have adopted plans to encourage early retirement.
7) "Demand for aging workers is increasing among growth companies and those overhauling operations," said Takayuki a manager at En Japan.
Questions:
1) Do you also see senior employees whose age over 40s opted to change jobs?
2) What do think as to what drives this to happen in comparison to the past practices?
3) Would this make the economy get better?
4) Would you also consider yourself to change jobs if it makes sense?
Pros and Cons of Telecommuting
テレワークで得た功罪（企業から見た、個人から見た）
Article: PROS AND CONS OF TELECOMMUTING
Pros:
1) You do not have to spend time commuting back and forth from work.
2) There are no transportation costs.
3) It can provide a better balance of work and personal pursuits.
4) Employers may save money on real estate and other overhead expenses.
5) It has shown to be more productive for many employees.
6) People can work at their own pace without pressure.
Cons:
1) The employee has less personal contact with managers and coworkers, hindering communication.
2) It can be more difficult for managers to supervise someone working from home.
3) The worker may have more disruptions at home, resulting in reduced productivity.
4) You might miss the social aspect of working with peers.
5) Having a remote workplace could jeopardize security for the company.
Questions:
1) What do you see from your case about Pros and Cons?
2) Do you support work from home or not and state the reasons?
3) Do you rather want the hybrid type of working style, home, and office?
What businesses will be generated in light of overwhelming increase in Japan's aging population?
日本の高齢化人口の圧倒的な増加(65歳以上が全人口の30％）から生まれるビジネスは？
Article: Why Japan’s Aging Population Is An Investment Opportunity?
Japan’s Aging Status and its Criticalness
1) Elderly people in Japan, traditionally defined as those 65 or older, a total of some 35.57 million, accounting for a record-high 28.1% of the population.
2) The International Monetary Fund has warned that the aging population and the diminishing labor force are putting a drag on the nation’s economic growth.
3) Japan’s aging population will continue to put pressure on public spending on health, which is the sixth-highest among OECD countries, and spending on long-term care, which has risen rapidly in the last decade.
Innovation Examples-Business Potentials
1) Panasonic has developed a smart walker that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to help users stay mobile and independent for as long as possible.
2) Sohgo Security Services, known as ALSOK, created thumb-sized electronic devices that can help track dementia patients who are likely to wander from their homes or care facilities—a potentially useful tool given the fact that increasing numbers of people are going missing due to dementia.
3) At Shintomi nursing home in Tokyo, caregivers are working with 20 different models of robots, including SoftBank Robotics’ Pepper, Sony’s Aibo, and Intelligent Systems Paro, to improve the quality of care for residents.
4) DFree, a wearable sensor developed by Tokyo-based Triple W Japan. Designed for people with incontinence, Dfree attaches to the body and uses ultrasound to detect bladder changes. By linking to smart devices, it alerts users about when they should go to the toilet; sales of DFree Personal, for everyday users who aren’t in nursing homes, began in the summer of 2018.
Questions:
1) Do you know if there are newly created businesses that you know due to Japan’s aging population? If so, please explain.
2) Do you think Japan’s health care policy can sustain or not? Please state your opinions.
3) Do you think those new innovations created for elderly people should lead to the success of new business generations?
Businesses that will disappear due to Japan's labor shortage and their future
日本の労働人口不足で消滅するビジネスと今後
Article: Labor shortages overshadow economic recovery in Japan
Issue Statement
1) Despite a gradual improvement in economic conditions, a labor shortage is slowly starting to bite in industries such as restaurants and manufacturing in which many people already once laid off thus they already switched jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
2) Japan's stringent regulations for foreign workers to migrate to Japan remain one of the crucial issues and worsening the labor shortage.
Questions:
1) Have you experienced the labor shortage issue in your company?
2) What countermeasures should the government take to improve the issue?
3) How about the deregulation of foreign workers’ migration policy?
4) The low birth rate will continue?
Need to hire high-skilled foreign professionals
高技能外国人の採用の必要性
Article: Highly-skilled professionals (as in, highly-skilled foreign professionals）
Current Status
Japan is currently experiencing a chronic labor shortage,
particularly in local SMEs(System Management Engineers), and the acceptance of foreign human resources has become an important issue for improving productivity. For this purpose, the new status of residence “Specified Skilled Worker” was established in 2019 to accept foreign human resources with certain specialized skills and Japanese proficiency, and a willingness to work in Japan. This applies to 13 of the 14 industrial fields (excluding the construction industry) in which Japanese companies need to secure human resources.
Questions:
1) Do you see any evidence regarding chronic labor shortage for skilled workers namely SMEs? (System Management Engineers)
2) Does your company address this as an issue?
3) Having to require Japanese proficiency makes foreign skilled worker to hesitate to come to Japan?
Work from Home and Its Trends in the Future
在宅勤務と将来のトレンド
Article: Remote possibilities: Can every home in Japan become an office?
・Do you work from home or commute to work?
・What are the advantages and disadvantages of working from home? Which working style do you prefer?
・Do you think that work from home remains as a norm in the majority of Japanese companies post Covid-19? Why or why not?
Changes in Employment Styles in Japan
日本の雇用形態の変化
Article: Addressing the Problems with Japan’s Peculiar Employment System
・How do you describe your company employment system (job based or membership based?)
・What will be the future trend in Japan?
・Job based employment measures your performance based on delivery of results you make. Do you think this performance measurement will be accepted by employees? Why or why not?
* Membership based: メンバーシップ型雇用とは、「年功序列」「終身雇用」を前提とした多くの日本企業で採用されている雇用の形です。最大の特徴は、先に人を採用してから仕事を割り振るという点にあります。
Job based: ジョブ型雇用とは、仕事に対して人が割り当てられるという雇用の形で、欧米の多くの企業が採用している形です。
Work Style Reform
働き方改革
Article: Five things to know about Japan's work reform law
・Has your company been implementing any work style reform?
・Are all the measures for work style reform making any benefits to employees as well as employers?
・Do work reforms like the reduction of overtime work(残業時間の減少), staggered working hours(時差出勤) and teleworking already exist in your company?
・If so, how effective have these reforms been? If not, how effective do you think implementing these reforms will be?
Future Job Market
将来の就職市場
Article: JOB HUNTING IN JAPAN DURING CORONAVIRUS TIMES: HOW THE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED FOR RECENT GRADS
・Do you think there will be changes in the job market post Covid-19?
・Is it now easier to change jobs compared to the past? Why or why not?
・What are the pros and cons about changing jobs?
New Lifestyle Post Covid
新生活様式（ニューノーマル）
Article: Post-COVID "New Lifestyle"
・New lifestyle means “while staying away from infectious diseases, work more efficiently and effectively.”
・What are some other characteristics of the “new normal”? (e.g. social distancing)
・What do you do to keep yourself healthy while working at home all day? Please give some examples.
・What other things do you have on your mind regarding your new lifestyle (new normal)?
Infection Control Measures
感染症対策
Article: Post-COVID "New Lifestyle"
・What methods do you use to prevent yourself from infectious diseases?
・How long do you think Covid-19 will continue? What do you think is the best way to control Covid-19 infections?
・Do you have any plans to travel overseas? How about domestic trips?
・If so, how would you ensure your safety from infections during the trip?
The China/Taiwan Issue and Its Impact on Japan
中国/台湾問題と日本への影響
Article: China-Taiwan Issues: Implications and options for Japan
Questions:
1) What would China do in the near future for their next actions?
2) How the US would react and counter China's activities if took place?
3) What kind of incidents would cause Japan if China really took actions?
4) What should Japan do to cope with any Chinese activities?
話題集のタイトルをクリックすると、それぞれのテーマ、関連記事、要約、質問にページが移動します。
IT関連
・Current Status and Future Possibilities of the Metaverse
メタバース(仮想空間)の現状と将来の可能性
・Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Its Future AI
AIの将来性
英会話
・Future Need for Japanese to Improve Their English Conversation Skills
今後の日本人の英会話力アップの必要性
（外国資本が日本企業を買収する中で）
・English as Common Corporate Language
英語の社内公用語化
・Why are Japanese struggling to improve their English? Ranked 49th globally
日本人の英語力が世界の49位、何故低い?
環境
・Global Warming
地球温暖化
経済
・Japanese economy after COVID
コロナ後の日本経済
・Stagnation of average annual income of Japanese and future outlook
日本人の平均年収の低迷化(国際的比較において)と今後の見通し
・Acquisition of Japanese Companies by Foreign Capital under the Weakening Yen Value
円安下に於いて外国資本の日本企業買収展開
・Low Birth Rate and Aged Population Problem for Japan
少子高齢化問題
・Regional Revitalization
地方創生について
・Future Trends for Sharing Economy
シェアリングエコノミーの将来
スポーツ・旅行
・Otani's future success and record in the major league baseball
大谷選手、メジャーでの今後の活躍と記録
・Will oversea trip return to before COVID momentum?
コロナ後の海外旅行はコロナ前に戻るか？
ジェンダー
・Improvement of the status of Japanese women
日本女性の地位向上
（ジェンダーギャップ調査で156ヵ国中120位）
・Balancing family and work by women in Japan
日本における女性の家庭と仕事の両立
・Future Trends for Childrearing
日本の子育ての将来トレンド
・Promoting Female Managements
女性管理職の登用
仕事
・Future Outlook of the Job Market in Japan
日本に於ける転職市場の今後の展開
・Pros and Cons of Telecommuting
テレワークで得た功罪（企業から見た、個人から見た）
・What businesses will be generated in light of overwhelming increase in Japan's aging population?
日本の高齢化人口の圧倒的な増加から生まれるビジネスは？
・Businesses that will disappear due to Japan's labor shortage and their future
日本の労働人口不足で消滅するビジネスと今後
・Need to hire high-skilled foreign professionals
高技能外国人の採用の必要性
・Work from Home and Its Trends in the Future
在宅勤務と将来のトレンド
・Changes in Employment Styles in Japan
日本の雇用形態の変化
・Work Style Reform
働き方改革
・Future Job Market
将来の就職市場
生活
・New Lifestyle Post Covid
新生活様式（ニューノーマル）
・Infection Control Measures
感染症対策
政治
・The China/Taiwan Issue and Its Impact on Japan
中国/台湾問題と日本への影響
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Current Status and Future Possibilities of the Metaverse
メタバース(仮想空間）の現状と将来の可能性
Article: Insights on the Metaverse Technology and Its Future Potential
How does Metaverse work?
A metaverse is a virtual, digital 3D universe formed by merging various kinds of virtual spaces. Users can enter this digital universe using their virtual identity in the form of digital avatars and can move across various metaverse spaces for shopping, hanging out, or meeting friends, just as they would do in the real world
メタバース（VR)にアプリかブラウザを使用して参加すると、貴方のPC画面上や専用ゴーグルの中で、現実世界と同じような仮想空間が再現され、ショッピングや遊び、友人との会合など、様々な体験を自分の分身であるアバターを動かして楽しめる様になります。
Metaverse Current Use Example（使用例）
1) If a user takes a virtual tour within a metaverse spot, a store and shops there will serve them via immersive commerce, and the order they place will be delivered to the address provided.（仮想空間での旅行、ショッピング等の実体験）
2) In virtual social events, you are purchasing digital land and building virtual houses.Joining fellow viewers of a virtual rock band concert.（仮想空間での不動産の購入や新築の家の建設、友達と一緒にロックコーサートに行く）
3) Paying visits to virtual museums to view the latest works of art.（仮想美術館で芸術品の鑑賞）
4) Participating in immersive learning through virtual classrooms.（仮想空間での学校の授業の実体験）
5) Employee onboarding.（新人社員研修）
6) Sales, providing customer services.（営業や顧客サービスを仮想空間で行う）
7) Users can also utilize a metaverse for creating, sharing, and trading assets or experiences.（メタバースで仲間や取引先と商品や経験を販売/ 共有）
Questions:
1) Have you experienced using Metaverse yourself?
2) If so, please explain.
3) What would you like to do using Metaverse for your entertainment purposes?
4) What benefits does Metaverse provide to us in business?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Its Future
AIの将来性
Article: Artificial Intelligence: A Rival for Humans, or a Partner?
・Have you seen AI being utilized in your company or elsewhere?
・In general, how do you think AI will benefit our lives?
・What sort of jobs will be influenced due to the emergence of AI?
・What are the dangers of AI?
・Do you think AI will ever replace humans in the workplace? Why or why not?
Future Need for Japanese to Improve Their English Conversation Skills
今後の日本人の英会話力アップの必要性（外国資本が日本企業を買収する中で）
Article: English Abilities Crucial, but Lacking in Japanese Workplaces
Current Issues
1) The biggest issue identified by individuals with, 50.4% said that there were few chances for them to use English at work.
（50.4%の日本人は英語を会社で使う機会が少ない）
2) Employees face the issue that is hard to maintain high motivation due to no clear top-down direction.
（英語の学習を継続するモチベーションを維持するのが困難）
3) Other major issues were the varying levels of expertise and not having enough time for training.
（英語を使って行う仕事での専門性が多種多様）
Questions:
1) Do you face the same issues? If so, please explain.
2) What do you do to keep your motivation high?
3) How about PCE program, is it helping you solve that issue?
English as Common Corporate Language
英語の社内公用語化
Article: When a Japanese Company Adopted English as a First Language
・Is English becoming important in your company?
・Do you often use English at work? If so, when do you usually use it? (e.g. meetings with foreign clients, writing emails)
・What will be the benefits and disadvantages of English becoming a common corporate language?
Why are Japanese struggling to improve their English? Ranked 49th globally!
日本人の英語力が世界の49位、何故低い
Article: Rank of Japan: EF English Proficiency Index
・What are the reasons that Japanese English skill is ranked low? (ranked 49th of 88 countries) in 2018.
・Do you do any special effort to increase your English ability?
・Is English becoming more important in terms of your job or business in general?
Global Warming
地球温暖化
Article: HOW THE CLIMATE CRISIS IMPACTS JAPAN
・What major climate changes have you experienced in Japan over the years?
・What causes global warming?
・What actions do we need to take to slow down global warming incidents?
Japanese economy after COVID
コロナ後の日本経済
Article: Japan’s Weak Yen Hampers Its Post-COVID Recovery
Questions:
1) What industries do you think will recover from the recession and why?
2) What sort of businesses will reduce their presence significantly?
3) Will Yen remain weak after Covid?
4) How do households counter the recent inflation?
Stagnation of average annual income of Japanese and future outlook
日本人の平均年収の低迷化(国際的比較において)と今後の見通し
Article: Why Japan's wages aren't rising?
The factors which drive Japanese wages not to increase:
1) Extremely prolonged deflation (since 1997)
2) Labor unions and the management side, both are focused more on protecting employment itself rather than raising wages.
3) Significantly high dependence on part-time and contract workers enables to keep average wages not to increase
Questions:
1) What sort of measures that the government should take to increase Japanese employee’s wages?
2) Will the recent inflationary trend have any impacts?
3) If changing job is more likely, would that affect the employee’s wage increase?
Acquisition of Japanese Companies by Foreign Capital under the Weakening Yen Value
円安下に於いて外国資本の日本企業買収展開
Article: The outlook for oversea investor’s M&A opportunities in Japan is bright with the yen at a 20-year low.
Key Learnings
1) The yen’s recent plunge to around Yen 135 to one U.S dollar has made Japanese assets approximately 20% cheaper in the US dollar term than they were 12 months ago.
2) Japanese companies are facing pressure to restructure their businesses and dispose of non-core assets.
3) Many of the investment opportunities will involve some form of joint venture or alliance with Japanese companies.
Questions:
1) What industries have been under M&A negotiations?
2) What changes will occur in Japanese employees’ job culture?
3) English language ability will be more emphasized?
Low Birth Rate and Aged Population Problem for Japan
少子高齢化問題
Article: Aging of Japan
・What are the reasons that Japan suffers from a low birth rate?
・Can you describe any benefits and disadvantages of an aging population in Japan?
・What do you think that Japan should do to improve the current situation?
Regional Revitalization
地方創生について
Article: Regional Revitalization Paves the Way for the Future of Japan
・Do you think we need to revitalize Japan's local economy?
・If so, please state your opinions?
・Why is urbanization in Tokyo not considered a good trend? Why or why not?
Future Trends for Sharing Economy
シェアリングエコノミーの将来
Article: Why are Airbnb and Uber Regulated in Japan?
・Do you think the sharing economy is good service to you? Such as Uber and Airbnb. Why or why not?
・Do you think they will be a sustainable choice for customers? Why or why not?
・What industries do you think may suffer from sharing economy if they become mainstream?
Otani's future success and record in the major league baseball
大谷選手、メジャーでの今後の活躍と記録
Article: Shohei Ohtani's feat brings scope of major league history into focus
Questions:
1) What kind of number do you think that Ohtani will accomplish with respect to the pitching and batting records in his major league baseball career?
2) In particular, how many home runs and winnings as the two-way player could do? 500 home runs and 300 winnings or more?
3) Why do people get excited about Ohtani as the two-way player?
4) Which team in MLB will Ohtani move to or already moved to? (He will be a free agent in 2023.)
5) What sort of annual income will he get?
Will oversea trip return to before COVID momentum?
コロナ後の海外旅行はコロナ前に戻るか？
Article: THE POST-COVID-19 TOURISM TRENDS: HERE’S ALL WE NEED TO KNOW
What sort of travel style/trends will likely be post Covid 19?
1) Domestic Holidays Rather than Overseas Trips
2) Visiting Neighboring Countries
3) Younger Generation Will Travel More
4) Nature Tourism Will Boom
5) Short Vacations or Micro Holidays
6) Road Trips Will Be In Vogue
Questions:
1) Do you agree or disagree with the style and trends stated above? And state your reason.
2) Oversea trips will be back to normal or not? And explain the rationales.
3) What do you really want to do in terms of traveling after Covid?
Improvement of the status of Japanese women
日本女性の地位向上(ジェンダーギャップ調査で156ヵ国中120位）
Article: Japan’s stubborn gender inequality problem
What makes Japan to be lower in the ranking?
1) Women are holding low-status positions in the workforce.and underrepresentation of women in politics.
2) Although 77 percent of Japanese women work today — a higher rate than the OECD average of 66 percent more than half of them is employed in non-regular roles.
3) Japanese women’s salaries hardly rise throughout their careers due primarily to very few female management.
Questions:
1) What does the government do to improve this situation?
2) What are the key reasons to make these inequalities cause?
3) How do most Japanese women perceive this issue?
Balancing family and work by women in Japan
日本における女性の家庭と仕事の両立
Article: 50% of Japanese women think work hampers married life
Opinions from Women
1) Work becomes a hindrance to marriage accounted for 37.7%.
2) Asked how their husband’s understanding of their work affects the level of their happiness, 67.4% said they think their happiness “increases with such understanding and decreases without it.”
3) One respondent, a temporary staffer in her 40s, said that while a woman can handle marriage and work, it gets difficult to do both once a child is born. “Women need some kind of support.”
Questions:
1) What are your thoughts on work-life balance?
2) What if, you will have a child, what sort of support is needed?
3) Do men become more supportive to help raise a child in general?
Future Trends for Childrearing
日本の子育ての将来トレンド
Article: Child Rearing in Japan
・Are there many men who take paternity leave in Japan? Why or why not?
・What things do husbands usually do to help raise the children?
・Will there be any changes in childrearing between wives and husbands?
- If so, how? What factors are causing these changes?
Promoting Female Managements
女性管理職の登用
Article: Women in management at Japan firms still a rarity: Reuters poll
・How many female managers are in your company?
・Is it difficult for women to get promoted? If so, why?
・What are your thoughts around promoting more female managers?
Future Outlook of the Job Market in Japan
日本に於ける転職市場の今後の展開
Article: Middle-aged job-hopping booms in Japan
Current Status
1) Japan has seen a surge in job-hopping among older workers as companies seek experienced individuals who can help them grow in the post-pandemic era.
2) The job hopping rate for Japanese employees whose age with 41 or older has grown at a much faster pace than that for younger people. It has gone up 2 times more from five years earlier,
3) The fastest pace of growth among any age group, with those in their 40s and 50s leading the pack.
4) Used to be in Japan, age 35 has been considered the cutoff for making a meaningful career change
5) An increasing number of older workers are changing jobs in part because companies are accelerating restructuring.
6) As a result, job placement websites have seen a sharp increase in registrations by former employees of companies that have adopted plans to encourage early retirement.
7) "Demand for aging workers is increasing among growth companies and those overhauling operations," said Takayuki a manager at En Japan.
Questions:
1) Do you also see senior employees whose age over 40s opted to change jobs?
2) What do think as to what drives this to happen in comparison to the past practices?
3) Would this make the economy get better?
4) Would you also consider yourself to change jobs if it makes sense?
Pros and Cons of Telecommuting
テレワークで得た功罪（企業から見た、個人から見た）
Article: PROS AND CONS OF TELECOMMUTING
Pros:
1) You do not have to spend time commuting back and forth from work.
2) There are no transportation costs.
3) It can provide a better balance of work and personal pursuits.
4) Employers may save money on real estate and other overhead expenses.
5) It has shown to be more productive for many employees.
6) People can work at their own pace without pressure.
Cons:
1) The employee has less personal contact with managers and coworkers, hindering communication.
2) It can be more difficult for managers to supervise someone working from home.
3) The worker may have more disruptions at home, resulting in reduced productivity.
4) You might miss the social aspect of working with peers.
5) Having a remote workplace could jeopardize security for the company.
Questions:
1) What do you see from your case about Pros and Cons?
2) Do you support work from home or not and state the reasons?
3) Do you rather want the hybrid type of working style, home, and office?
What businesses will be generated in light of overwhelming increase in Japan's aging population?
日本の高齢化人口の圧倒的な増加(65歳以上が全人口の30％）から生まれるビジネスは？
Article: Why Japan’s Aging Population Is An Investment Opportunity?
Japan’s Aging Status and its Criticalness
1) Elderly people in Japan, traditionally defined as those 65 or older, a total of some 35.57 million, accounting for a record-high 28.1% of the population.
2) The International Monetary Fund has warned that the aging population and the diminishing labor force are putting a drag on the nation’s economic growth.
3) Japan’s aging population will continue to put pressure on public spending on health, which is the sixth-highest among OECD countries, and spending on long-term care, which has risen rapidly in the last decade.
Innovation Examples-Business Potentials
1) Panasonic has developed a smart walker that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to help users stay mobile and independent for as long as possible.
2) Sohgo Security Services, known as ALSOK, created thumb-sized electronic devices that can help track dementia patients who are likely to wander from their homes or care facilities—a potentially useful tool given the fact that increasing numbers of people are going missing due to dementia.
3) At Shintomi nursing home in Tokyo, caregivers are working with 20 different models of robots, including SoftBank Robotics’ Pepper, Sony’s Aibo, and Intelligent Systems Paro, to improve the quality of care for residents.
4) DFree, a wearable sensor developed by Tokyo-based Triple W Japan. Designed for people with incontinence, Dfree attaches to the body and uses ultrasound to detect bladder changes. By linking to smart devices, it alerts users about when they should go to the toilet; sales of DFree Personal, for everyday users who aren’t in nursing homes, began in the summer of 2018.
Questions:
1) Do you know if there are newly created businesses that you know due to Japan’s aging population? If so, please explain.
2) Do you think Japan’s health care policy can sustain or not? Please state your opinions.
3) Do you think those new innovations created for elderly people should lead to the success of new business generations?
Businesses that will disappear due to Japan's labor shortage and their future
日本の労働人口不足で消滅するビジネスと今後
Article: Labor shortages overshadow economic recovery in Japan
Issue Statement
1) Despite a gradual improvement in economic conditions, a labor shortage is slowly starting to bite in industries such as restaurants and manufacturing in which many people already once laid off thus they already switched jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
2) Japan's stringent regulations for foreign workers to migrate to Japan remain one of the crucial issues and worsening the labor shortage.
Questions:
1) Have you experienced the labor shortage issue in your company?
2) What countermeasures should the government take to improve the issue?
3) How about the deregulation of foreign workers’ migration policy?
4) The low birth rate will continue?
Need to hire high-skilled foreign professionals
高技能外国人の採用の必要性
Article: Highly-skilled professionals (as in, highly-skilled foreign professionals）
Current Status
Japan is currently experiencing a chronic labor shortage,
particularly in local SMEs(System Management Engineers), and the acceptance of foreign human resources has become an important issue for improving productivity. For this purpose, the new status of residence “Specified Skilled Worker” was established in 2019 to accept foreign human resources with certain specialized skills and Japanese proficiency, and a willingness to work in Japan. This applies to 13 of the 14 industrial fields (excluding the construction industry) in which Japanese companies need to secure human resources.
Questions:
1) Do you see any evidence regarding chronic labor shortage for skilled workers namely SMEs? (System Management Engineers)
2) Does your company address this as an issue?
3) Having to require Japanese proficiency makes foreign skilled worker to hesitate to come to Japan?
Work from Home and Its Trends in the Future
在宅勤務と将来のトレンド
Article: Remote possibilities: Can every home in Japan become an office?
・Do you work from home or commute to work?
・What are the advantages and disadvantages of working from home? Which working style do you prefer?
・Do you think that work from home remains as a norm in the majority of Japanese companies post Covid-19? Why or why not?
Changes in Employment Styles in Japan
日本の雇用形態の変化
Article: Addressing the Problems with Japan’s Peculiar Employment System
・How do you describe your company employment system (job based or membership based?)
・What will be the future trend in Japan?
・Job based employment measures your performance based on delivery of results you make. Do you think this performance measurement will be accepted by employees? Why or why not?
* Membership based: メンバーシップ型雇用とは、「年功序列」「終身雇用」を前提とした多くの日本企業で採用されている雇用の形です。最大の特徴は、先に人を採用してから仕事を割り振るという点にあります。
Job based: ジョブ型雇用とは、仕事に対して人が割り当てられるという雇用の形で、欧米の多くの企業が採用している形です。
Work Style Reform
働き方改革
Article: Five things to know about Japan's work reform law
・Has your company been implementing any work style reform?
・Are all the measures for work style reform making any benefits to employees as well as employers?
・Do work reforms like the reduction of overtime work(残業時間の減少), staggered working hours(時差出勤) and teleworking already exist in your company?
・If so, how effective have these reforms been? If not, how effective do you think implementing these reforms will be?
Future Job Market
将来の就職市場
Article: JOB HUNTING IN JAPAN DURING CORONAVIRUS TIMES: HOW THE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED FOR RECENT GRADS
・Do you think there will be changes in the job market post Covid-19?
・Is it now easier to change jobs compared to the past? Why or why not?
・What are the pros and cons about changing jobs?
New Lifestyle Post Covid
新生活様式（ニューノーマル）
Article: Post-COVID "New Lifestyle"
・New lifestyle means “while staying away from infectious diseases, work more efficiently and effectively.”
・What are some other characteristics of the “new normal”? (e.g. social distancing)
・What do you do to keep yourself healthy while working at home all day? Please give some examples.
・What other things do you have on your mind regarding your new lifestyle (new normal)?
Infection Control Measures
感染症対策
Article: Post-COVID "New Lifestyle"
・What methods do you use to prevent yourself from infectious diseases?
・How long do you think Covid-19 will continue? What do you think is the best way to control Covid-19 infections?
・Do you have any plans to travel overseas? How about domestic trips?
・If so, how would you ensure your safety from infections during the trip?
The China/Taiwan Issue and Its Impact on Japan
中国/台湾問題と日本への影響
Article: China-Taiwan Issues: Implications and options for Japan
Questions:
1) What would China do in the near future for their next actions?
2) How the US would react and counter China's activities if took place?
3) What kind of incidents would cause Japan if China really took actions?
4) What should Japan do to cope with any Chinese activities?