Beams' Minamikoshi Advises Tohoku Businesses on Craftsmanship

A "Manufacturing Seminar" (hosted by NPO Etic and Michinoku Recovery Project Partners) for businesses and organizations affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake was held on September 11 at Dentsu Inc.'s headquarters in Shiodome, Tokyo. Senior Creative Director Kazuyoshi Minamikoshi, Head of the BEAMS Creative Research Institute, served as the instructor.

Mr. Minamikoshi (right) guiding manufacturing

 

This seminar was part of the activities of "Michinoku Reconstruction Business Partners" (Note), a platform where companies collaborate to support local businesses and organizations engaged in reconstruction efforts. Three and a half years after the disaster, the focus has shifted from purchasing products as a form of donation-based support for the affected areas to creating products chosen for their "intrinsic value." Five organizations from Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures, actively involved in manufacturing, participated. Mr. Minamikoshi provided specific advice on each group's product lines from the perspective of a fashion and lifestyle goods expert. Planners from the participating partner companies also joined, offering support on how to apply Mr. Minamikoshi's advice to their businesses.

Mr. Minamikoshi stated, "Creating appealing products that leverage Japan's traditional techniques and regional characteristics is no easy task; I myself continue to experiment and refine my approach. I hope they will keep exploring every possibility and challenging themselves. I want to support this momentum."

Emi Uchino, manager of the participating "Otsuchi Recovery Sashiko Project," expressed enthusiasm: "We received expert insights on target customer demographics and potential collaboration partners. We aim to build on this for future activities."

(Note) Michinoku Recovery Project Partners = A framework where companies collaborate to support leaders working on recovery in disaster-affected areas. Participating companies include Ajinomoto, Isuzu Motors, Kao, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance, Dentsu Inc., Toshiba, and Benesse Holdings (as of September 2014).