インタビュー・対談シリーズ『私の哲学』
Presented by "My Philosophy®︎"
Vol.8　Yuriko Takahashi

Yuriko Takahashi, who launched her career from an unexpected job offer and has since accumulated a wealth of accomplishments, shared reflections on her career journey. She discussed her approach to work and her perspectives on the essence of a new company.

Japanese

Profile

Vol.8 Yuriko Takahashi

CEO of E.OCT Inc.
After graduating from the College of Arts at Rikkyo University, Yuriko Takahashi joined The Yomiuri Shimbun. In 1987, she founded Office Oct Inc., where she handled a wide range of tasks from advertising production and exhibition planning to resort planning and architectural concept development. In 1990, she established Envirotec Inc., becoming the exclusive distributor in Japan for Sweden's ORWAK, and began importing and selling environmental equipment. Her achievements were recognized in 2000 when she received the Swedish Trade Council Grand Award. In January 2011, Office Oct Inc., and Envirotec Inc., were merged to form E.OCT Inc., aiming to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society with environmental considerations. The company is engaged in the business of eco-designed products and recycling-related projects.
※Titles and affiliations are as of the time of the interview in April 2011.

Start of Career

In 1971, the year I graduated from university, Japan welcomed its first McDonald’s and saw the launch of the magazine an-an. At that time, The Yomiuri Shimbun, where I worked, was located in Ginza, allowing me the pleasure of daily shopping and dining at exquisite restaurants. However, the company soon relocated to Otemachi, which I found dull in comparison, and I left the job after just a year and a half. I was married and not working until, out of the blue, I received a request from The Yomiuri Shimbun’s advertising department to create a newspaper advertisement for Takashimaya.

This request marked the true beginning of my career. Following this advertising job, and coinciding with the economic bubble, I began receiving a variety of work offers. I undertook projects I had never before considered, including resort planning and exhibition production. I did not specialize in any particular area; instead, I eagerly accepted whatever tasks were proposed to me. I have always enjoyed embracing new and unknown challenges. Approaching each job with the conviction that nothing was beyond my capabilities led to a diverse array of assignments. Without that initial job offer from the newspaper, I might have remained a homemaker indefinitely.

Encounter with ORWAK

About three years after the Takashimaya newspaper advertisement, I started questioning my role in the projects I was involved in. For instance, even if I were involved in planning a resort, the final output was executed by others who might not fully understand the intricate details of the plan. It became a situation where, unless I personally attended every meeting, the clients wouldn’t be satisfied. While I didn’t have a specific alternative in mind, I began to feel that something was amiss. During this period of contemplation, a casual conversation with a friend sparked my interest. The topic was a device that could reduce the size of trash, a concept that intrigued me immensely. This device turned out to be a “compactor” from Sweden, a product that had been a bestseller in Europe for 40 years. A single compactor could reduce the volume of over five 90L trash bags to the size of just one. The first time I saw it, I was so impressed that I immediately wrote a letter to the company’s headquarters in Sweden. In 1990, this led me to establish Envirotec Inc.. Despite having no knowledge of sales techniques, the product was featured in a “new products” section of a newspaper at my request, which led to inquiries from various places. Twenty years have passed since then, and now the product has been delivered to approximately 3,500 locations.

Changes in Environmental Awareness in Japan

From the start of Envirotec Inc. in 1990 until 1995, the concept of “environment” as we understand it today scarcely made its way into newspapers, with maybe one or two mentions per week at best. This changed significantly around 1997, with the enactment of the “Containers and Packaging Recycling Act” serving as a pivotal moment. Before this law, all PET bottles were disposed of as waste. The Containers and Packaging Recycling Act aimed to recycle a substantial portion of waste generated from containers and packaging, marking the year of its implementation as the dawn of recycling in Japan.

In 1993, PET and beverage manufacturers joined forces to establish the “The Council for PET Bottle Recycling”. At the time, only 1.5L bottles were available, and naturally, manufacturers were keen on producing a convenient, lighter 500ml version with a cap. However, given the existing situation where PET bottles ended up as trash, the government was not supportive. Consequently, the council set up Japan’s first PET bottle recycling plant in Tochigi Prefecture. They then requested local governments in the Kanto region to separate and collect PET bottles for recycling. While several municipalities agreed to this proposal, the challenge of transporting the bottles to the Tochigi plant emerged. PET bottles are bulky, and a 10-ton truck could only carry about 500kg of uncrushed bottles, making transportation inefficient. This highlighted the need for compaction machinery. Hearing that the council was soliciting manufacturers for such machinery, my company aggressively entered the competition and convinced Japanese manufacturers to develop a small compactor with a hole-punching feature. Eventually, our compact machine became the bestseller, adopted by over a hundred municipalities. From this point on, the concepts of eco-friendliness and recycling began to.

To say that it is good for the environment

Consumers typically purchase items based on a gut feeling of liking something. Telling them to buy a product because it’s “good for the environment” often leads to a polite refusal. Everyone wants to buy what they personally like. Highlighting the environmental benefits doesn’t directly drive purchases. The key for consumers is to pursue what they naturally enjoy and seek genuine comfort without necessarily thinking of it as something special. For example, although the coolness of an air conditioner feels good during a hot summer, the natural breeze under the shade of a large tree is inherently more pleasant and sustainable. While air conditioning provides momentary comfort, it’s not beneficial for the environment or our health.

My aim is to pursue this “inherent pleasantness.” I believe that it’s possible to chase this inherent comfort without opposing the advancements of civilization. This approach means that we don’t have to endure or force ourselves for the sake of the environment, and still achieve positive outcomes. Efforts that are forced will not be sustainable in the long term. Only when actions bring about a smile naturally can they truly be considered good for the environment.

My philosophy

When merging the two companies into one, I decided to fundamentally redefine the foundation of the company. Upon reflecting on what matters most, I arrived at the conviction that contributing to the sustainability of our planet’s environment was paramount. Moreover, I realized that the greatest joy for me lies in ensuring that the team I work with, every single employee, feels happy, finds purpose in their work, and achieves a fulfilling life. Considering we spend the majority of our waking hours at work, if we aren’t happy there, then what truly can make us happy? I believe that gathering individuals who share this sentiment, who are committed to producing environmentally friendly products and introducing them to the world, is essential. Our mindset, reflected through our products, will resonate with consumers, spread to communities, and ultimately contribute to significant societal change. This belief represents the value and mission of E.OCT.

img

I deeply resonated with the philosophy of putting one’s heart into their work, approaching tasks with humility, and never forgetting gratitude—values imparted by someone who has lived life as a mentor to others. The individual’s energy is infectious, making it exhilarating to be around them. This interview introduced me to an exemplary executive who truly practices work-life balance.

“My Philosophy” Editor-in-Chief, DK Sugiyama

April 2011, at E.OCT Inc. Edited by: Naomi Kusuda Photography by: Daiki Ayuzawa