I’ve been working in the Sales Department since joining Naigai six years ago. My role is to listen to our clients’ concepts from the initial planning stage and support the entire process through production and delivery. This also involves regular business trips to our overseas factories and Tokyo.

At the same time, I live some distance from the office and have young children, so I usually use our flextime system to leave at 5 p.m. and pick them up from nursery. I’ve also taken parental leave. As a father, I’ve been able to balance my career with family life.

It’s incredibly rewarding when our clients’ gloves sell well and when I see athletes performing at their best while wearing them.

One moment that particularly stands out was during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, when a player hit a home run wearing gloves I had helped develop. I genuinely felt glad to be doing this job and proud to have played a part in creating those gloves.

Being able to work on a global scale from this town keeps me motivated. So does making even a small contribution to Higashikagawa, which accounts for approximately 90% of Japan’s domestic glove production.

There’s also a warm, welcoming atmosphere here. Many people genuinely want to help others and take the time to explain things carefully. Being surrounded by experienced colleagues with so much knowledge to share inspires me to keep learning.

I feel there are still relatively few products in the glove industry that are widely recognized as household names. Just as a particular brand might immediately come to mind when you think of innerwear, my dream is to create a product that becomes a go-to choice for gloves.

With young children at home, I’m not currently in a position to devote all my time and energy to work. Even so, I want to become a role model for delivering strong results while balancing those responsibilities.

On a personal level, I’d love to see my children enjoying sports while wearing gloves made by Naigai.

Anyone with an interest in sports or working internationally is very welcome. You don’t need prior experience in glove manufacturing or working overseas. I hadn’t worked overseas myself, but a senior colleague accompanied me on my first visits and carefully explained the local manufacturing processes and procedures. That support helped me approach the work with confidence.

Managers and senior colleagues provide plenty of support, and it’s easy to share your opinions. If you have a clear idea of what you want to pursue, I think this is a company where you can work with real enthusiasm.