Your own#
# "Creating a city that makes people happy"
My Mission
My Mission
#Asia University career
Ryoho Takamoto
FamilyMart Co., Ltd.
Graduated March 2019 Faculty of Urban Innovation Department of Urban Innovation
Graduated March 2019 Faculty of Urban Innovation Department of Urban Innovation
Photographed in January 2023
Where do you work?
Convenience store part-time job
The learning and experience at Aichi University
Thoughts on "urban development"
The learning and experience at Aichi University
Thoughts on "urban development"
When I was a student, I had a part-time job at the FamilyMart convenience store near my house. At times, I would go to work four days a week.
Even though I was just a part-timer, I started thinking about my daily work and services, thinking, "Wouldn't it be more efficient if we did it this way?" or "If we did it this way, it would be more convenient for customers." I realized that this would benefit the store, the customers, and lead to the development of the town.
What is it like studying at Asia University?
Faculty of Urban Innovation
Department of Urban Innovation
Reason for choosing
Department of Urban Innovation
Reason for choosing
I had studied abroad in the United States for short periods during my junior and senior high school years, and I also wanted to study abroad in college, so I chose Department of Urban Innovation because studying abroad was a required course and I was very interested in the concept and curriculum of "creating cities that make people happy" that was offered at the time the department was established.
In the second-year specialized course "Practical Smart City Development," students analyzed the process and factors that lead to the development of a city while examining actual examples from Japan and abroad, and came up with new ideas. They were able to get a glimpse behind the scenes of cutting-edge city development.
I chose to major in smart cities for my seminar.
In the seminar, we also had a class where we thought up new services using drones. We invited people from companies who were actually considering using drones to come and present our proposals. The feedback from the companies was very educational, and I have made full use of the creativity and presentation skills I developed here even after I entered the workforce.
The theme of Bachelor’s Thesis was "The Abolition of Convenience Stores." Her thesis explored the role of convenience stores in a smart city, and she also presented it at her job interview.
In the second-year specialized course "Practical Smart City Development," students analyzed the process and factors that lead to the development of a city while examining actual examples from Japan and abroad, and came up with new ideas. They were able to get a glimpse behind the scenes of cutting-edge city development.
I chose to major in smart cities for my seminar.
In the seminar, we also had a class where we thought up new services using drones. We invited people from companies who were actually considering using drones to come and present our proposals. The feedback from the companies was very educational, and I have made full use of the creativity and presentation skills I developed here even after I entered the workforce.
The theme of Bachelor’s Thesis was "The Abolition of Convenience Stores." Her thesis explored the role of convenience stores in a smart city, and she also presented it at her job interview.
How was student life?
My experience at Student’s Association
Multifaceted perspectives and
Develop presentation skills
Multifaceted perspectives and
Develop presentation skills
I was also heavily involved in the activities of Student’s Association for four years. After seeing the seniors I met at the freshman training "Encounter Square," I wanted to support my juniors, so I joined Freshmen Orientation Committee, and served as chairman Sports Day Executive Committee in my second and third years, and Central Executive Committee in my fourth year.
The main task of Central Executive Committee is to propose plans to improve the student experience at university. The budget is funded by Student’s Association paid by students, so we analyze the issues students face and the university environment from various angles and consider their needs so that we can give back to all students.
At the time, we came up with the idea of inviting food trucks onto campus and installing digital signage to replace bulletin boards. We were involved in important proposals for food-related services and information acquisition for students. Some of the projects were worth tens of millions of yen, so in order to make them a reality, we had to get approval from the "Liaison Council," a forum for negotiating with the university. We carefully prepared materials, including on-site surveys of other universities and simulations, and made presentations in a conference room where President university president and other corporate departments were gathered. We were constantly nervous as we had to answer tough questions about the cost of implementation, management methods, and cost-effectiveness, but looking back, it was a very valuable experience and gave us confidence. I'm glad that both proposals were successfully realized.
This perspective of capturing what most students want from multiple angles, without bias, is also utilized in the convenience store business, which aims to reflect a wide range of customer needs.
The main task of Central Executive Committee is to propose plans to improve the student experience at university. The budget is funded by Student’s Association paid by students, so we analyze the issues students face and the university environment from various angles and consider their needs so that we can give back to all students.
At the time, we came up with the idea of inviting food trucks onto campus and installing digital signage to replace bulletin boards. We were involved in important proposals for food-related services and information acquisition for students. Some of the projects were worth tens of millions of yen, so in order to make them a reality, we had to get approval from the "Liaison Council," a forum for negotiating with the university. We carefully prepared materials, including on-site surveys of other universities and simulations, and made presentations in a conference room where President university president and other corporate departments were gathered. We were constantly nervous as we had to answer tough questions about the cost of implementation, management methods, and cost-effectiveness, but looking back, it was a very valuable experience and gave us confidence. I'm glad that both proposals were successfully realized.
This perspective of capturing what most students want from multiple angles, without bias, is also utilized in the convenience store business, which aims to reflect a wide range of customer needs.
Have you had any study or work experience abroad?
Study Abroad in Shanghai, China
Expanded through overseas work experience
Global Perspective
Expanded through overseas work experience
Global Perspective
In Department of Urban Innovation, a six-month study abroad and work experience program, mainly in Asia, is compulsory.
Students study the second foreign language they begin learning in their first year at universities in China, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. for about five months, and then participate in a work experience program at a local company for about three weeks.
I studied abroad at East China Normal University in Shanghai. Shanghai is a very international city, and I wanted to interact with people from many countries, so I became roommates with international International Student in the dormitory. I shared a room with International Student from Russia and Kazakhstan for two months each, and we spoke in Chinese and English. I sometimes talked with them all night long, and I think my conversation skills improved more than I expected (laughs).
We went out together on the streets and quickly made friends with young people from various countries. Maybe because of that, I can now talk to strangers without hesitation. To be honest, I couldn't keep up with the fast-paced Chinese that was flying around at work, but I made sure to "do what I was asked to do right away." That's still my motto now that I'm a working adult.
At the real estate company where I did my work experience, everyone was Chinese, except for one Japanese who had naturalized in China.
I was able to experience the unique Chinese corporate culture first-hand when I was asked by employees to translate parts of the brochure into Japanese and accompanied them on property tours. Also, the work flow was very fast, and in a way, I was able to get a feel for the momentum of China at the time.
During my work experience, I was given the task of "visiting properties on my own." I struggled with making appointments over the phone in Chinese, but it also gave me courage. I've continued studying Chinese since returning to Japan.
Of course, there are many customers from China at convenience stores, and the FamilyMart where I work has not only Chinese employees but also a Chinese store manager. People are happy when I greet them in Chinese, and explaining nuances that are difficult to convey in Japanese helps them to understand better. Recently, I have been asked by stores in tourist areas to create in-store POPs in Chinese.
Students study the second foreign language they begin learning in their first year at universities in China, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. for about five months, and then participate in a work experience program at a local company for about three weeks.
I studied abroad at East China Normal University in Shanghai. Shanghai is a very international city, and I wanted to interact with people from many countries, so I became roommates with international International Student in the dormitory. I shared a room with International Student from Russia and Kazakhstan for two months each, and we spoke in Chinese and English. I sometimes talked with them all night long, and I think my conversation skills improved more than I expected (laughs).
We went out together on the streets and quickly made friends with young people from various countries. Maybe because of that, I can now talk to strangers without hesitation. To be honest, I couldn't keep up with the fast-paced Chinese that was flying around at work, but I made sure to "do what I was asked to do right away." That's still my motto now that I'm a working adult.
At the real estate company where I did my work experience, everyone was Chinese, except for one Japanese who had naturalized in China.
I was able to experience the unique Chinese corporate culture first-hand when I was asked by employees to translate parts of the brochure into Japanese and accompanied them on property tours. Also, the work flow was very fast, and in a way, I was able to get a feel for the momentum of China at the time.
During my work experience, I was given the task of "visiting properties on my own." I struggled with making appointments over the phone in Chinese, but it also gave me courage. I've continued studying Chinese since returning to Japan.
Of course, there are many customers from China at convenience stores, and the FamilyMart where I work has not only Chinese employees but also a Chinese store manager. People are happy when I greet them in Chinese, and explaining nuances that are difficult to convey in Japanese helps them to understand better. Recently, I have been asked by stores in tourist areas to create in-store POPs in Chinese.
About job hunting and current job
Through the convenience store business
For creating cities of the future
work on
For creating cities of the future
work on
FamilyMart was the only company for which I took a recruitment exam during my job search.
In his second year at the company, he served as store manager in the Shibuya area, and in his third year, he became a supervisor, traveling around six stores in Tokyo and providing advice and guidance on operational management.
What I value most is communication with people. At the store, I listen to on-site issues while chatting and think of countermeasures and improvement plans every day. Based on analysis of "what kind of customers purchased what products and with what payment method" for each store, I consider strategies such as "what kind of products should we offer at this time to attract new customers." The reference materials also include big data.
When I took the course "Big Data Utilization Methods" in my third year of university, I started off with a question: "What is that?", but thanks to the knowledge I gained in class, I was able to understand it smoothly. FamilyMart is setting up charging spaces for electric vehicles in front of its stores, and is promoting the introduction of digital signage and unmanned payment stores. I really feel that they are working towards creating a smart city, the town of the future.
In his second year at the company, he served as store manager in the Shibuya area, and in his third year, he became a supervisor, traveling around six stores in Tokyo and providing advice and guidance on operational management.
What I value most is communication with people. At the store, I listen to on-site issues while chatting and think of countermeasures and improvement plans every day. Based on analysis of "what kind of customers purchased what products and with what payment method" for each store, I consider strategies such as "what kind of products should we offer at this time to attract new customers." The reference materials also include big data.
When I took the course "Big Data Utilization Methods" in my third year of university, I started off with a question: "What is that?", but thanks to the knowledge I gained in class, I was able to understand it smoothly. FamilyMart is setting up charging spaces for electric vehicles in front of its stores, and is promoting the introduction of digital signage and unmanned payment stores. I really feel that they are working towards creating a smart city, the town of the future.
What are your future goals?
To "create a city that makes people happy"
The potential of convenience stores
I want to expand
The potential of convenience stores
I want to expand
Ideally, the various initiatives at convenience stores will be linked to the future of society as a whole. To achieve this, I would like to be actively involved in new business ventures that the company is taking on. In the future, I would also like to work in China, where there is a subsidiary.
Aiming for Asia University
To high school students and exam candidates
Message to prospective students
Learning new things at Asia University is a great asset for me. Committee activities have helped me improve my communication skills within the organization, as well as my preparation and negotiation skills. The most meaningful experience was studying abroad. When you study abroad, no matter where you are in the country, once you leave Japan, your horizons will definitely be broadened and your way of thinking will change. I encourage everyone to give it a try.