RECRUIT

During my first year at the company, I was in charge of acquiring land for a newly constructed interchange and handling project losses for Gaikan Expressway. The area where radio interference was anticipated for Gaikan Expressway was vast, encompassing thousands of households, so there were some tough times, such as holding explanatory meetings almost every day for a month. Expressway construction significantly changes the living environment of landowners and people in surrounding areas. Experiencing land negotiations and local explanatory meetings firsthand made me realize that you can't build trust unless you imagine and think from the other party's perspective. That being said, at that time, I was just trying my best to get the job done.

At the Chubu Regional Head Office, I was in charge of business certification work based on the Land Expropriation Act. Business certification is one step in the procedure when voluntary land acquisition becomes difficult, but at the time, with the Aichi Expo approaching, we had to handle an unprecedented number of cases, proceeding with business certification for more than 10 sections to ensure that the roads would be completed by the target date. We prepared data on traffic volume after opening, economic effects on the surrounding areas, and requests from the local communities, but I vividly remember how difficult the review process was, more so than ever before.

I was transferred to the Chiba Management Office, which oversees one of the busiest routes in the country. As the person in charge of external consultations, I was involved in a wide range of consultation cases, from the occupation of a single power line to large-scale projects such as the construction of an airport runway on top of Expressway. I had a lot to do, such as organizing response policies and justifications, and coordinating with the technical departments. From this point on, I was increasingly involved in making my own decisions and taking action myself, rather than just completing assigned tasks, and my sense of responsibility for my work grew.
Furthermore, when disasters or major traffic accidents occurred, everyone in the office worked together as a team to respond. Especially on busy routes, road closures affected many people, and being on the front lines made us realize just how important Expressway are to society.

At the Kanto Regional Head Office Management Department, I was responsible for road management operations from Regional Head Office 's perspective, providing guidance and support to the office. At this time, a project team was formed company-wide to improve the process of claiming compensation for damages caused by the responsible party, and I participated in it (the compensation system for damages caused by traffic accidents etc. is a system in which the cost of repairing road structures is claimed from the party responsible for the damage). Until then, I thought that work only needed to be done according to regulations and rules, but by participating in this project to review and improve work flows, I was able to view work from the perspective of those who create the rules, and I think I was able to work with a broader perspective and a sense of ownership.

In my 14th year, I worked in a department responsible for service area operations and Expressway related businesses, where I was in charge of supporting new businesses and operational improvements for group companies, as well as organizational restructuring. In particular, with organizational restructuring, I was involved in company mergers and divisions, and the establishment of new companies. Although it was challenging to learn everything from scratch, such as company law and tax regulations, I gained versatile knowledge and felt a sense of accomplishment from actually creating a new organization and seeing it take shape.

Previously, I had a fear of unfamiliar tasks, but I've changed my mindset to "maybe I can do it if I try." I've come to enjoy the process of trying new things, gaining new knowledge, and growing.

Working in the Public Relations Department gave me the opportunity to reconsider the significance of Expressway business, the company's strengths, and its challenges. I was responsible for public relations work with customers, the local community, the media, and internal staff, learning how to view things from each perspective and what effects different communication methods have. My previous experience working in various departments was invaluable in my role in Public Relations.

One of the most challenging aspects was the PR for the opening of the Chiba Prefecture section of Gaikan Expressway. Because it was about 50 years after the initial plan, there were high expectations, and I struggled to manage the many differing opinions. On the other hand, I gained experience participating in large-scale PR events and appearing on radio programs, which helped me become less flustered in front of people. The awareness I developed in the public relations department—that "getting the message across" is more important than "telling the message"—has been invaluable in my subsequent work and communication with my subordinates.

I was transferred to a management position in the department overseeing road management operations at the Kanto Regional Head Office. In addition to formulating business plans and handling disaster prevention matters, I was responsible for coordinating and managing communication within the department. I also made an effort to build trusting relationships with my subordinates through close communication, striving to create an organization where everyone could enthusiastically utilize their abilities. I believe that all my subordinates acted independently, and the overall strength of the organization was high. For the international sporting event held in Tokyo the following year, we had been preparing for several years in advance to ensure the smooth transportation of athletes. We implemented various traffic measures, such as setting up dedicated lanes for event-related vehicles, restricting traffic around the venue, and closing Expressway entrances. We also established a 24-hour system to respond to accidents, disasters, and terrorism. Contributing to the operation of such a large-scale event was a deeply moving experience and a fond memory.

Then, in 2022, my 24th year in the career, I was transferred to the General Affairs Department. And so, I started a completely new job.