Panasonic employee drives innovation by connecting young, enterprising new entrants to Japan's workforce

It's often difficult for people to maintain the enterprising spirit they had when they first entered the workplace, fresh out of university. Especially in a large company it is difficult for people's voices are heard, and often they feel isolated as there are not many opportunities to get to know others who share their passions. Many eventually give up asking questions and coming up with new ideas, and start to just go with the flow. In the hope of changing this sense of stagnation and lifting the spirits of young employees at major companies, Makoto Hamamatsu, 35, an employee at electronics giant Panasonic Corp., co-launched a group in September 2016 that would allow people in their 20s and 30s to connect, share ideas and create innovation. Named One Japan, the community has grown in less than two years from some 120 members in 26 firms to roughly 1,200 people in 50 large companies, including Toyota Motor Corp., Canon Inc., NTT group, Japan Post Holdings Co. and Fuji Xerox Co. "We call it a community where the wisdom and passion of young people who work for major companies come together," said Hamamatsu, who currently works at Panasonic's consumer electronics business development section. By connecting people within and outside companies, he hopes to create innovation and revitalize the firms where they work, he said.