INTERVIEW #3
Interviews with Professionals in Los Angeles
Interviewees: Mr. Sumio Miyazaki (President, Tokimec USA Inc.) and Ms. Chisako Yokoyama (Executive Director, International School of Motion Pictures)
On 12/28 (12/27 in Pacific Standard Time), I had a chance to talk to two professionals currently living in LA about education for Japanese youth. For those who are interested in economic education in Japan, it will be quite helpful and suggestive to hear the opinions of professionals actively engaging in international business as to what can be said about Japanese young people and what can be expected of them.
Summary of Mr. Miyazaki's Interview:
In the U.S., there are quite a few people who are working hard as a
businessperson on one hand and as a volunteer on the other. A friend of
mine, Mr. Miyazaki, is such a businessman in charge of heading the LA
office of a major precision machinery company in Japan, while
voluntarily offering a short-term training program for Japanese
students to learn from the American way of doing business in
California.
Mr. Miyazaki said that he would like participants to obtain some hints
for their future careers as well as strong motivation to pursue their
objectives in life, whatever career they might choose. Although the
students enrolled in his program so far were "good" students by the
Japanese standard, they seemed very slow and often hesitant in making
their own decisions and expressiong their own opinions in response to
the questions or problems given to them on the program.
Mr. Miyazaki wishes to help students overcome such a negative cultural
attitude by offering a better and longer program next spring.
Hopefully, there will be more programs like this to be offered for
Japanese young people to grow in an international environment, and
Japan needs it for its survival in the future.
Reference:
http://glocom.blog59.fc2.com/blog-date-20061228.html
Summary of Ms. Yokoyama's Interview:
Today I was invited to a party at Ms. Chisako Yokoyama, Executive
Director of the International School of Motion Pictures (ISMP), and
talked to her and her family as well as her students and staff members.
Ms. Yokoyama said that although the school just opened four months ago
and there are still very few students admitted, she already found it
important to adjust teaching programs flexibly to the need and level of
individual students, who tend to have their own specialized interests
and abilities, for example, in sound technology or production
activities. She was pleased with the good (actually better than
expected) sense and ability of her students in handling “visual”
content in film-making. In fact, a student's science fiction was really
great, according to Ms. Yokoyama.
She concluded by saying that “I think I will be able to enjoy teaching
my students, whatever problems they or I might face in the future.”
With such optimism and the family atmosphere prevailing at the party,
she will surely succeed in educating students to become professional
film-making specialists in Hollywood someday.
Reference:
http://glocom.seesaa.net/archives/20061228.html
Previous Interview with Ms. Yokoyama:
http://glocom.seesaa.net/archives/20060622.html
For a Japanese version of this report, see the following:
http://blog.so-net.ne.jp/miyao-blog/archive/20070107