[Event Report] Panel Discussion about"Shibuya 30" (August 19th)

On Tuesday, August 19th, a panel discussion was held as part of the recruitment for the 9th cohort of the public-private co-creation program "Shibuya 30" The event featured Vice Mayors of Shibuya City, Ms. Sae Sugiura and Ms. Kaori Matsuzawa; Mr. Raymond Wong, a board member of Social Investment Partners; and Mr. Katsutoshi Kaneko, Executive Vice President of Nisshiri Co., Ltd.

The discussion focused on the importance of addressing community challenges, human resource development, and the collaboration between public and private sectors.

Speaker Introductions

• Sae Sugiura

  • Vice Mayor of Shibuya City 

After graduating from the Department of Housing Sciences, Faculty of Home Economics at Japan Women's University, Ms. Sugiura joined Shibuya City as an architectural technician. She has been involved in urban policy, contributing significantly to projects in densely populated residential areas and urban redevelopment. Later, she worked on public facility development and has been engaged in building smart government offices and reforming office work styles. She has held her current position since October 2021.

• Kaori Matsuzawa

  • Vice Mayor of Shibuya City

After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Keio University, Ms. Matsuzawa worked as a lawyer at a major law firm. She completed her LL.M. at Harvard Law School in 2008 and registered as a lawyer in New York the following year. In addition to advising a wide range of companies from listed corporations to startups, she has been involved in public sector reforms. She has also been active in promoting diversity through the development of female executives. From 2017, she served as an advisor on educational policies for the Shibuya Board of Education and as a board member until September 2023. She assumed her current role in October 2023.

• Raymond Wong

  • Board Member, Social Investment Partners / 6th Cohort Member of Shibuya 30

Mr. Wong has built a 30-year career in the financial industry, having worked at institutions such as Deutsche Bank, Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns, Goldman Sachs, and UBS. He became the President and CEO of Wells Fargo Securities Japan Co., Ltd. in November 2014 and stepped down in March 2021. Currently, he is focused on social contribution activities through the R&P Future Diversity Foundation, which he founded in 2014. He participated in the 6th cohort of  Shibuya 30.

• Katsutoshi Kaneko

  • Executive Vice President, Nisshiri Co., Ltd.

Nisshiri Co., Ltd. is Japan’s only specialized silicone trading company, founded 73 years ago. The company is dedicated to contributing to the well-being of people, the environment, and future generations through the unlimited potential of silicone. Mr. Kaneko was promoted to Executive Vice President in May 2022 after serving as Senior Managing Director. Employees from Nisshiri have participated in the 5th to 7th cohorts of Shibuya 30, and they plan to join the 9th cohort as well.

Summary of Speakers' Comments

• Katsutoshi Kaneko

  • Mr. Kaneko highlighted Nisshiri's involvement in the "Shibuya 30" program since the 5th cohort and how their engagement with the local community has expanded their business opportunities. He specifically mentioned their efforts in the Shibuya graffiti prevention project, emphasizing that innovative thinking and social contributions also drive corporate growth. He expressed a strong intention to continue contributing to the community and encouraged employee participation in external activities, stating that this leads to overall company growth.

• Sae Sugiura

  • As Vice Mayor of Shibuya City, Ms. Sugiura discussed the importance of collaboration between the community and the government. She cited an example where the cooperation between Shibuya City and Nisshiri accelerated project implementation. She also expressed her intention to strengthen partnerships with private companies and NPOs and noted that city employees' involvement with external entities and their experience in societal transformation contribute to enhancing the city's capabilities.

• Kaori Matsuzawa

  • Drawing on her experience as a lawyer, Ms. Matsuzawa spoke about the importance of "ownership" in problem-solving. She emphasized the need for young Shibuya City employees to acquire a broad perspective and management skills through social participation, highlighting the necessity of collaboration between private companies and government for societal development.

• Raymond Wong

  • With his extensive experience in promoting cross-sector collaboration between businesses and NPOs, Mr. Wong stressed the need for sustainable social contribution activities. He touched upon the potential for projects in Shibuya to expand nationwide, and he expressed high expectations for the development of social businesses modeled on Shibuya’s initiatives. Mr. Wong pointed out that solving NPO challenges through corporate collaboration is crucial and hoped for the spread of these efforts beyond Shibuya.

Key Topics Discussed

• Human Resource Development and Organizational Growth

  • Mr. Kaneko explained how external activities contribute to employee development and corporate innovation. Ms. Sugiura added that the experience of Shibuya City employees engaging with society leads to the nurturing of the next generation and, ultimately, to the creation of a sustainable future.

• Creating Solution-Oriented Businesses

  • The project "Graffiti Prevention Sheet," born from the collaboration between Shibuya City and Nisshiri, demonstrated that solving community issues can create new business opportunities. This case underscored the importance of leveraging corporate technology and resources to address social challenges.

• Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships

  • Ms. Matsuzawa emphasized the importance of new forms of public-private collaboration, like the one exemplified by this initiative, to enable the government to provide broader services to residents. Mr. Wong pointed out that NPOs could generate broader social impact through collaboration with businesses and expressed hope that the initiatives in Shibuya would inspire other regions.

Messages to Participants

• Both Ms. Sugiura and Mr. Kaneko stressed the importance of having the willingness to improve society through one's own efforts as a member of the local community. Ms. Matsuzawa called for active participation from young people, noting that a proactive ownership approach to problem-solving and the enjoyment of the process are keys to success. Mr. Wong mentioned that the "Shibuya 30" initiative has been featured in the Japanese edition of the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR-J), encouraging participants to experience the model firsthand.

After the panel discussion, participants and speakers were divided into groups to share their impressions.