Hirashima

The turning point was April 2020, when the Japanese government declared the first state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. President Tsuji decided not to temporarily suspend business operations. Rather, Tsuji predicted that customer needs would manifest as people spent more time at home due to pandemic-related restrictions. Therefore, our company decided to work even harder. This was a big turning point that helped Kishun achieve even further growth.

Lin

At that time, Kishun’s business performance was not very good. Nevertheless, no one ever blamed the situation. Instead, we always considered what we could do and acted. Some members even saw the pandemic as an opportunity, not a crisis. Without a doubt, this atmosphere was possible thanks to President Tsuji’s decision.

Takahashi

Most of our competitors suspended operations or restricted their activities. However, Kishun didn’t even implement remote work. Our company believes that face-to-face communication is essential to help customers appreciate the value of jewels, which are a tangible commodity.

Takashima

If asked whether employees at Kishun were worried about coming to the office during the pandemic, I would say yes, there was a small amount of uneasiness. However, that uneasiness was surpassed by a strong sense of unity aimed at making the most of opportunities. That’s why Kishun was able to avoid significant damage even during the prolonged pandemic. Furthermore, it enabled us to achieve rapid growth as soon as COVID-19 was under control.

Hirashima

One of Kishun’s strengths is the smooth collaboration between business divisions. The department we interact with most often is the Product Development Department led by Mr. Takahashi. I am extremely grateful to work with team members who anticipate our needs and proactively take action before we even ask. I can’t express what a big help they are.

Takahashi

The cooperation provided by your department is also a huge help. Many members of the purchasing team led by Mr. Hirashima have knowledge of appraisal and processing, so we are able to work together logically and constructively. Naturally, this leads to great results. The same can be said about collaboration with sales.

Lin

I have never heard of an employee at Kishun trying to leave work to others. For example, when our Jewel Purchasing Department asks for approval on purchasing an expensive jewel, we immediately issue approval and commit ourselves to resale. In this way, the teamwork that enables departments to collaborate in solving problems is a unique strength of Kishun.

Takashima

The source of our collaborative ability lies in the constant evolution of our organizational structure. At Kishun, the same organizational structure never lasts for more than three months. In order to quickly respond to changing needs, we constantly change our organizational structure every few months. This allows for flexible and fast collaboration.

Hirashima

Needless to say, all of these strengths originate from President Tsuji. The most exceptional thing about Tsuji is his decisiveness. For example, when he first started the company, Tsuji had a policy of not dealing in precious metals. However, as soon as he learned that demand existed, he quickly changed company policy to purchase precious metals. The same is true in how President Tsuji expands the organization. Although it may seem prudent to hold off on expanding until younger members have honed their expertise, Tsuji has pressed forward and expanded without hesitation. On a personal note, President Tsuji asked me to set up our Osaka Branch just a few days after telling me to take a business trip to Osaka—I have to admit, I was a little shocked! Even so, Tsuji’s stance toward aggressive expansion has never wavered in the slightest. As a result, our company has been able to grow under any circumstances, and we have developed a myriad of strengths.

Takahashi

To add to Mr. Hirashima’s observations, I would have to say that President Tsuji has an exceptional sense of creativity. When deciding on a booth design and concept for a jewelry tradeshow, Tsuji easily comes up with ideas that we could never think of. Tsuji’s proposals were more than just stylish and cool; they were logical ideas that had been carefully considered to meet customer needs. Although we can give form to President Tsuji’s ideas, we could never imitate his creativity cultivated from building a company from the ground up.

Takashima

For that reason, team members are always thinking about how to best implement President Tsuji’s ideas. Depending on the company, the president may be aloof. But Tsuji is different. We are committed to following Tsuji to the best of our ability because we recognize that every decision he makes is for the good of our company.

Lin

I strongly feel President Tsuji’s desire to improve Kishun. He accepts anyone, regardless of age, gender, or nationality, as long as working together will benefit our company and that individual. I believe that our business is successful because we incorporate such diverse perspectives.

Lin

Kishun is a company focused on markets around the world. However, we are still lacking many qualities for achieving success on the global stage. When exhibiting at a tradeshow in Hong Kong before, the large scale and high level of the other exhibits was an acute reminder of the need to enhance Kishun. In particular, we need to enhance our management team. Currently, there aren’t enough members to connect management and on-site operations. We need to increase the number of managers.

Takahashi

Although the number of young members is increasing, the number of members with management skills is not increasing very much. If this trend continues, our organization will become vulnerable. We must solve this issue by being thorough in our recruitment and education.

Hirashima

Another issue which needs to be addressed is how too much work at our company depends on a single member. Although division of labor has progressed in some areas, we still have a long way to go when looking at the overall picture. We must achieve results through team efforts rather than individual efforts. Accelerating the creation of such an organization is a must.

Takashima

We believe that increasing the number of employees who are willing to take on any task and find a way to be successful will help solve the challenges raised in our discussion. Therefore, the Administrative Department will fulfill this role. Although Kishun appears to be doing well when looking at numbers alone, there are many challenges ahead. We must never become complacent and always give our best effort in pursuit of solutions.