Professional Explores Contemporary Life
The press kit made available to the media regarding the new program on MagicBell, Professional (starting on Sunday, August 19th on Channel 44, KXLA, 7:00 pm) is typical of this kind of production. Perhaps readers would be interested in seeing how Japanese television production companies publicize their programs. Here is a translation of the first few paragraphs (taken from the Japanese website, http://www.nhk.or.jp/professional/about/caster.html): ‘Professional Work Style’ shows that “now” is hotter than the “past.” One’s work style shows how one lives one’s life. Professional explores the various aspects of living on the cutting edge that top flight working people have to deal with in a documentary format.
Appearing on the program are those whom everyone would acknowledge as being professionals in their field. They challenge with their innovations, they forge the way into a new age, battling all the way, they come up with ideas for handling changes in their normal way of life, they innovate in their work to make new paths.
‘What are the ideas that these people map out on the front line of the contemporary world and what are the innovative ways of working that they have developed? Up to now they have gone through all sorts of trials and errors in order to grasp at success. And then, amid the chaos, one sees exactly what kind of society we live in today and what we have to do to progress in our lives.
‘The camera follows these people into their work spaces that are rarely shown to intimately document the roles that these people perform as they appear on the stages of their own lives and interviews are conducted with these people to let them tell the story of the struggles that professionals have as they pursue their “work” in the contemporary world.
‘The production company is renowned for creating “Project X” (shown a number of times by MagicBell in the past). However, Professional is a documentary that sketches out what is happening now and what may be occurring in the future. Since it is a clear-eyed look at the present world, it offers the audience an “eye witness report of what will help people in their own jobs” and shows viewers that “I can also hang tough” so that “tomorrow I will be fine.”
‘The focus is on Mogi Kenichiro, a leading brain surgeon. This professional ponders questions about the heart as an organ and as an essence of life, a trying struggle in his mind that demands a concentrated effort.’
Whether the surgeon will successfully rise to meet the challenges in his life or not is a matter that average Japanese viewers anticipate with delight. Will the program end with a neat resolution? Will this part of the Japanese workplace undergo a change? Or will there be a surprise that turns everything upside down?
‘In the first episode, a manager, Hoshino Yoshimichi, tackles the theme of “The Power to Believe” in order to “Move People.” The key here is that “remaining employees are treasures.”
‘The ones who understand the conditions right there, on the spot are the staff who have been there all along.” That is the basis of Hoshino Yoshimichi’s management style and how he thinks. The resort facilities and ryokan inns have come to a standstill and when Hoshino essays a new management style it is natural that the staff is not used to it. It is just at that time that the remaining employees are a treasure. Facing the guests directly, they are right there, on the spot, and they are given the authority to use as they see fit, which is the motivation that Hoshino uses in his relaxed style with the staff.
“The President is Not So Great”
‘The structure of Hoshino’s company is unique. It is not like a pyramid where the president is at the top but rather a “flat form.” The staff is broken up into units of ten people, with every unit selecting one director who is the one responsible. This director is selected by vote of the employees, so they see their votes as important.
‘In the usual company, important management policies are decided by board meetings, but here they are open to the staff, where critical plans are set. Hoshino sees conferences as a process where the staff agrees on the best way to proceed and Hoshino does not dictate anything about them. In fact, in Hoshino’s company there is no “President’s office.” When he needs to do deskwork, he uses the desk of an employee who is off. While he is building his management style, Hoshino repeatedly says the following words. “The stars of the show are all of you, the staff.”
“Letting people take charge lets them enjoy themselves and take the initiative”
‘Hoshino’s management style places the most importance on right there, on the spot motivation, born of experiences that struck him to the core when he was in his thirties. Hoshino grew up as the eldest son of the owner of an old, traditional onsen hot spring resort in Karuizawa. After graduating from college, he went to America to study hotel management. When he was thirty-one years old, he took over from his father, becoming the president.’
“I aim at perfection every day. Something like perfection has been beyond my grasp all my life, but that kind of perfection is what I aim at.” —Hoshino Yoshimichi
Professional, Sundays on Channel 44, KXLA, 7:00 pm; subtitled in English.
BACK ISSUES: Entertain Your Brain
August • July • June • May •
Appearing on the program are those whom everyone would acknowledge as being professionals in their field. They challenge with their innovations, they forge the way into a new age, battling all the way, they come up with ideas for handling changes in their normal way of life, they innovate in their work to make new paths.
‘What are the ideas that these people map out on the front line of the contemporary world and what are the innovative ways of working that they have developed? Up to now they have gone through all sorts of trials and errors in order to grasp at success. And then, amid the chaos, one sees exactly what kind of society we live in today and what we have to do to progress in our lives.
‘The camera follows these people into their work spaces that are rarely shown to intimately document the roles that these people perform as they appear on the stages of their own lives and interviews are conducted with these people to let them tell the story of the struggles that professionals have as they pursue their “work” in the contemporary world.
‘The production company is renowned for creating “Project X” (shown a number of times by MagicBell in the past). However, Professional is a documentary that sketches out what is happening now and what may be occurring in the future. Since it is a clear-eyed look at the present world, it offers the audience an “eye witness report of what will help people in their own jobs” and shows viewers that “I can also hang tough” so that “tomorrow I will be fine.”
‘The focus is on Mogi Kenichiro, a leading brain surgeon. This professional ponders questions about the heart as an organ and as an essence of life, a trying struggle in his mind that demands a concentrated effort.’
Whether the surgeon will successfully rise to meet the challenges in his life or not is a matter that average Japanese viewers anticipate with delight. Will the program end with a neat resolution? Will this part of the Japanese workplace undergo a change? Or will there be a surprise that turns everything upside down?
‘In the first episode, a manager, Hoshino Yoshimichi, tackles the theme of “The Power to Believe” in order to “Move People.” The key here is that “remaining employees are treasures.”
‘The ones who understand the conditions right there, on the spot are the staff who have been there all along.” That is the basis of Hoshino Yoshimichi’s management style and how he thinks. The resort facilities and ryokan inns have come to a standstill and when Hoshino essays a new management style it is natural that the staff is not used to it. It is just at that time that the remaining employees are a treasure. Facing the guests directly, they are right there, on the spot, and they are given the authority to use as they see fit, which is the motivation that Hoshino uses in his relaxed style with the staff.
“The President is Not So Great”
‘The structure of Hoshino’s company is unique. It is not like a pyramid where the president is at the top but rather a “flat form.” The staff is broken up into units of ten people, with every unit selecting one director who is the one responsible. This director is selected by vote of the employees, so they see their votes as important.
‘In the usual company, important management policies are decided by board meetings, but here they are open to the staff, where critical plans are set. Hoshino sees conferences as a process where the staff agrees on the best way to proceed and Hoshino does not dictate anything about them. In fact, in Hoshino’s company there is no “President’s office.” When he needs to do deskwork, he uses the desk of an employee who is off. While he is building his management style, Hoshino repeatedly says the following words. “The stars of the show are all of you, the staff.”
“Letting people take charge lets them enjoy themselves and take the initiative”
‘Hoshino’s management style places the most importance on right there, on the spot motivation, born of experiences that struck him to the core when he was in his thirties. Hoshino grew up as the eldest son of the owner of an old, traditional onsen hot spring resort in Karuizawa. After graduating from college, he went to America to study hotel management. When he was thirty-one years old, he took over from his father, becoming the president.’
“I aim at perfection every day. Something like perfection has been beyond my grasp all my life, but that kind of perfection is what I aim at.” —Hoshino Yoshimichi
Professional, Sundays on Channel 44, KXLA, 7:00 pm; subtitled in English.
BACK ISSUES: Entertain Your Brain
August • July • June • May •