Looking back on 2023

(January/Mutsuki) A Giant Star Falls

On Sunday, January 29, 2023, at noon, Mr. Akihiro Yonaiyama passed away.
His achievements in establishing the Deaf Theatre Company and laying the foundation for the modern stage for the deaf were innumerable. He was also involved in a wide range of projects, from mental health to sign language instruction.
He is a man who has been through a lot in many ways, but I personally have never had a bad experience with him.
He would clap me on the shoulder and laugh while drunkenly saying, "Hey, it's the time for young people to do their best," and I will never see him again. R.I.P

(Feb./Kisaragi) Elderly parents

"Life is Better than 70An excerpt from an interesting article.
"When you are 70 years old, tell them you are not at home," "When you are 80 years old, tell them it is too early,"
"When you are 90 years old, tell them there is no need to hurry," and "When you are 100 years old, tell them to wait and I see when the time is right and go to slowly and steadily"

We must make serious efforts to eliminate social disparities by making full use of DX and IT. Makoto Yuasa of New Year's Eve Village and other NPOs and volunteers are doing their best, but there are still limits. What can only a large corporation do? It made me think about the following.

(March/Yayoi) Deeds, not words.

It is very poignant, isn't it, how companies make a big show of DE&I (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), but when you open the lid, it is often nothing. Each company produces impressive figures, but the reality does not accompany them. I was notified of a personnel change at this time, so I was determined to make a fresh start and do my best.

(April/Ugetsu) Personnel change with a full heart

In April 2023, I was transferred to the CIO Office of the DSPU (Digital System Platform Unit). This means that I will graduate from the SE position I have held since I joined the company.

The reason why I was transferred to the CIO Office is so that I can concentrate on the activities of the Minmin Project (*2) that I am working on at Fujitra (*1).

*1 Fujitra (FUJITSU transformation): A company-wide DX project launched in July to transform business processes, organization, and corporate culture and climate, in addition to products, services, and business models, with the aim of strengthening competitiveness in the digital age, and fully launched in October 2020.
https://pr.fujitsu.com/jp/news/2020/10/5.html

2 Minminmin: Abbreviation for "Minna Chiisutsu Minna Ii" project, a company-wide project initiated by Kosaka on May 11, 2021 and sponsored by Yuzuru Fukuda, CIO/CDXO.

The goal is to train Specialist of inclusive designers, reduce the difficulty of working at the company as much as possible, create a company where people with disabilities and incurable diseases can work easily, and stably operate a field where people with disabilities can play an active role.

May through September will be omitted.

(October/Kannazuki) I will go to a foreign country for the first time in 4 years.

During the Corona period, I had to refrain from going abroad due to various restrictions, but I took the opportunity of moving to the 5th category to go to Camposia,and Thailand.
I usually travel mainly to the U.S. or Europe, but I decided to visit a foreign student from Thailand whom I had met several decades ago at NTID (National Technical Institute for the Deaf) (*1). Just before the trip, there was a shooting at Siam Paragon by a seventeen-year-old boy, and I was worried, but my fears were unfounded.
I stayed in Bangkok for two weeks from October 26 to November 8, so I almost conquered the city. I visited Wat Pho, the Royal Palace, and museums, and I will never forget going to Ayutthaya with an international student and his wife. Above all, I have good memories of going around with Mr. Hong, a deaf man who appeared in a commercial (*2) for a Thai insurance company, and visiting NADT (National Associatio for the Deaf Thailand) and Fujitsu Thailand, where we were able to confirm local employment issues.

1: NTID: https://www.rit.edu/~w-ntidpen/newdownloads/conferences/attended/2007/PEPNet_Japan/PEPNet-Japan_MinoruYoshida.pdf
*2: Insurance company CM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEe9Z0YagOA

(November/Shimotsuki) Flying in the Thundering Sky

From November 3 to November 6, I sneaked off to Cambodia, which is located next to Thailand. I was charged a near rip-off entry fee of $30 for a VISA to enter the country, but I was reunited with a friend who had married into Phnom Penh from Yokohama for the first time in about eight years. Through my friend's arrangement, I was able to visit a café where deaf people work and a deaf association.

(December/Shiwasu) I was literally "busy as shit" every day.

On December 1, I succeeded in inviting Mr. Hiroyasu Otome to the company's Disability Week event (I was in charge of everything from planning to negotiating the invitation) and held a talk session with Mr. Yuzuru Fukuda, CIO/CDXO, and Ms. Yuko Seki, CDIO of Ridgelinez (a Fujitsu Group company).

We will strive to make it more tangible next year.

Thank you very much for your support in 2023.
We look forward to working with you in 2024 and beyond.