A University for the 100-Year Life Era!? What is LRC?

It's been quite some time since the phrase "100-year life" first gained traction. Considering how Oda Nobunaga once danced while reciting "Human life, fifty years," it almost feels a bit apologetic.

The author collaborating with Mr. Takahashi, this series' supervisor, is currently 53 years old. Personally, I see myself as somewhere between senior and young, but within the editorial department, I'm already considered a veteran. Younger editors would likely insist, "No, no, 53 is definitely a senior!"

Setting aside the debate over what age marks the start of seniority, I aspire to become an appealing senior. I believe two things are indispensable for that: "experience" and "learning." What has been, and what is yet to come. Especially regarding the latter, I can't help but feel that the moment one resigns themselves to thinking, "There's nothing more to learn," they instantly age. This is the honest sentiment of a 53-year-old editor.

In this series, we'll delve into the true feelings of such seniors while exploring what it means to be a senior in this era of the 100-year life.

Responsible Editor: Web Dentsu Inc. News Editorial Department

A "university for seniors" is a ticket to a "multi-track life."

Regarding Waseda University's Life Redesign College (LRC), launching in April 2022, Mr. Moriguchi, Director of the Office of Continuing Education at Waseda University, states: "I believe life used to be linear. Enter a top-tier university, join a top-tier company, climb the corporate ladder to a certain level, retire, and then enjoy a leisurely, comfortable old age. There was only one pattern for success. Everyone aimed for that pattern. But in this era, life isn't linear like that. Values have diversified, and choices are endless. I believe LRC's role is to respond to these 'multiple-track lives.'"

When we hear "learning," we tend to think it's for young people, or perhaps a "means" to become a working adult. But that's not the case. Working adults can learn, and seniors can learn too. Hence, a school for seniors. This sounds obvious, yet it's a new concept.

According to Mr. Moriguchi, LRC's key points are threefold: "Life Redesign," "Curricula Utilizing Diverse Abilities," and "Community Building." Redesigning one's life: What have you done so far? What do you want to do next? How can diverse talents and experiences be utilized in society? And how should this be communicated, including passing it on to the next generation? How should one build a community for this purpose?

Tsuyoshi Moriguchi: Director, Continuing Education Office, Waseda University
Graduated from Waseda University's School of Political Science and Economics. Completed doctoral studies in Management Engineering at Tokyo Institute of Technology's Graduate School of Science and Engineering, earning a Ph.D. (Engineering). After positions at Rikkyo University and others, became a Professor at Waseda University's School of Commerce in 2005. Concurrently serves as Director of the Office of Continuing Education since 2018. Specializes in marketing.

How should advertising agencies commit to the future of seniors?

"Several years ago, we faced the challenge of how to leverage Dentsu Inc. creativity network more effectively for society, even in new domains," recalls Kenta Tanaka of Dentsu BXCC.

"That said, the impetus for the project was deeply personal. Having lived with my grandmother for a long time, the realities of senior life felt very real to me. I particularly sensed a significant gap in society's planning for seniors' lives after retirement. Conversely, life up to retirement generally has a well-established social framework. Before roughly 40 years of working life, there are educational institutions like universities, where the knowledge and communities gained become the foundation for professional life. This contrasting structure led me to think: in the era of 100-year lifespans, shouldn't there be educational institutions serving as social infrastructure to similarly provide knowledge and community for the potentially 40-year post-retirement senior life?"

So in the summer of 2019, I approached Waseda University with this idea. It turned out that at the same time, Waseda's Office of Continuing Education was also considering educational programs driven by a similar awareness of this challenge. Since then, we've held discussions almost every week.

Dentsu Inc. Kenta Tanaka: Dentsu BXCC/Future Creative Center
Creative Planner.
After graduating from the University of Tokyo, he joined Dentsu Inc. after working at a general trading company.
Engages broadly across creative fields, spanning business domains like service design and consulting to expressive domains including branding, copywriting, and video production. Awards include Japan Media Arts Festival Jury Commendation, ACC, ADFEST, and Young Spikes Japan Representative. Production credits include creative direction for music videos like Ryokushoku Shakai's "Mela!" and "Yūshō".

Mr. Hiraga, a Senior Business Project Manager and Producer at Dentsu Inc., states: "What I wanted to do was create 'substance' for seniors. A sense of 'substance,' 'substantive' practice, 'substantive' work... For a generation whose entire working life was the real world, we wanted to create a world where they could still feel that 'substance' after retirement. In the 'Communication (Expression & Transmission)' subject area, coordinated primarily by Dentsu Inc., the core focus is on passing down the skills, knowledge, and experience accumulated over a lifetime to future generations. We hope the LRC becomes a place that provides this kind of "substance" – not just academic – where seniors can feel their past contributions are still needed after retirement, where putting those contributions into practice can lead to real business opportunities. With this vision, we intend to continue cooperating with Waseda University.

Regarding the Senior Business Project, it appears distinct from the traditional advertising field. How do you see this? Tanaka states: "It is indeed a new field in terms of industry. However, there is a common ground in the fundamental aspect of 'planning'. Moreover, when engaging with society, insights from expressive fields like design and copywriting are directly applicable." "In new ventures, processes and division of labor aren't yet established, so planners end up handling a wide range of tasks from creative direction to project management. However, I believe this leads to a more pure, holistic vision. We're fortunate to have excellent partners both inside and outside the company, and the project is progressing as more colleagues join us. I'd like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude."

Maki Hiraga: Seconded to TOYOTA CONIQ Pro, Inc., Conic Solution Support Office. Graduated from Kobe University in 1995 and joined Dentsu Inc. Senior Business Producer. Primarily handled automotive-related brands domestically and internationally within the sales division. Planned and executed various initiatives within individual campaigns that formed the framework for future marketing and services, going beyond one-off campaigns. Transitioned from campaign producer to business producer, handling a broad range of responsibilities from planning to production.

The Future of Seniors. What Are the Possibilities?

Mr. Tanaka states: "While individual differences are significant, people tend to maintain strong energy and physical stamina until around age 75. We envision a fulfilling future starting from retirement age up to that point. In past societies, a senior's retirement often meant the simultaneous loss of their accumulated knowledge to society. Our Communication (expression and transmission) curriculum is designed to prevent such a steep cliff. It aims to establish a mutually beneficial process for both the transmitter and receiver, ensuring the transfer of knowledge, experience, and even personal narratives."

Mr. Hiraga states, "Collaboration with companies is crucial for this. Typically, universities send talent to companies. Here, companies send talent to the university, and the university then sends that talent back to companies. Individuals learn how to leverage their socially cultivated experience at the university and then apply it back in society. We aim to create such a virtuous cycle, an ecosystem, together with Waseda University. Anything less would negate the meaning of Dentsu Inc.'s participation in this project."

Mr. Moriguchi speaks about LRC's future vision: "We're starting with a capacity of 50 students, but we aim to increase that number in subsequent years. Currently, the program is set for a one-year period, but we don't want it to end there upon completion. To foster a community, we want to create a system where graduates can maintain connections with LRC and Waseda University. Furthermore, we hope these connections aren't confined solely within the university, but are nurtured together with society. Just as Dentsu Inc. has done, we want to deepen collaboration with various companies and organizations across different industries that share the same sense of purpose.

Finally, Mr. Tanaka added: "The LRC logo design carries a significant counterpoint. I've long felt society's expectations of how seniors should be are overly rigid. Take design, for example: soft pastel colors paired with phrases like 'vibrant' or 'effortless.' While such designs may be appropriate in some cases, designs premised on vulnerability are far too dominant. I believe external environments inevitably influence seniors' self-perception to some degree. That's why this time, we deliberately chose a vivid yellow—almost fluorescent—paired with bold fonts, deliberately departing from the conventional senior tone. It embodies the spirit of Redesign, however modestly."

For more on Waseda University's "Life Redesign College," click here.

For information from Dentsu Inc., click here.

This article was supervised by Kazuki Takahashi of Dentsu Inc. Second Integrated Solutions Bureau.

[Editor's Note]

Finally, we posed the question: "What exactly defines a 'cool senior'?" Professor Moriguchi responded, "It's about being vibrant and full of life."

He further elaborated: "Being vibrant means having confidence in who you are right now. Where does that confidence come from? It's not about titles or status. It comes from connecting with society as your authentic self—based on your own experiences and abilities—and realizing, 'Ah, this is my value.'"

Mr. Tanaka added, "The idea behind our slogan 'It's never too late to learn' is that the attitude of not having reached your peak yet directly translates to a sense of awe, especially as you become a senior." He continued, "It would be good if the 'remaining life' diminished. It's not about the action of working or not working; it's about reducing the period perceived as 'life left over.'"

When we think of seniors, the image is often of either physically and mentally frail "vulnerable individuals" or those who have amassed immense power and wealth – neither of which is an ideal state for a person.

In this one life we have, don't we all want to be cool right up until the end? What does that require? This is a profoundly deep theme.