In Africa

Africa is a region that has both "attractiveness" and "risk" due to its size and diversity, but its reputation is now undergoing a major transformation. With rapid growth in domestic demand, it is attracting attention from around the world as the last huge market, and investment and economic exchange from developed countries is booming.

At that time, I was in my 20s and was seconded to a trading company to work as a prime contractor on an international airport construction project funded by a yen loan in one of the poorest countries in Africa. Project management in a developing country like the United States was extremely difficult, even to carry out the most basic tasks. There were poor weather conditions, such as a bottomless rainy season, restrictions on sourcing materials due to the country being surrounded by communist countries, subcontractors with low potential, suppliers who did not keep their promises, local workers with low motivation, etc. In a harsh environment, the contract management, quality control, and dispute resolution techniques of a British consultant who was familiar with sophisticated global strategy methods weighed heavily on us.

Amidst the various difficult situations that arose every day, we dealt with the growing delays in the schedule, and at times even disregarded the project's bottom line, airfreighting rebar from the distant South Africa, importing construction equipment and inviting craftsmen from Japan, etc. However, these were not a silver bullet for shortening the overall schedule, and we continued to live in agony, fearing the penalties for construction delays that were stipulated in the contract.

Although it was delayed considerably from the original schedule, it was eventually completed as one of the most important projects for the country. Our tireless efforts up to that point were recognized by the government agencies and related parties, and we were exempt from penalties and our achievements were highly praised. Even now, 30 years after its completion, it continues to shine as an international airport in the continent, making a significant contribution to the country's economic development.

Looking back now, the painful and bitter experiences of those times have been beautifully washed away by the passage of time, and my time in Africa has been elevated to precious and irreplaceable memories of being involved in projects that I could not have experienced in Japan. Under the clear, deep blue sky, on the reddish-brown earth, people of different countries and with different colors of eyes and skin gathered, demonstrating their individual characteristics, working together toward a common goal, discussing and sometimes even disagreeing, sweating, laughing and crying together. The strength of the local people, who never lost their cheerfulness and single-minded attitude towards life even in poverty. Those memories have since become a precious asset for our family.

A two-hour drive from where I lived at the time leads to a large lake that is part of the Great Rift Valley and is nicknamed the "Galapagos of Lakes." It is a peaceful, quiet, and natural paradise on earth where nature is left as it is. The conservation of this paradise and natural environment should be highly praised, but in order to prevent the Japanese archipelago from becoming like the Galapagos Islands in the future, there is something I would like to ask of the younger generation who will support Japan in the future. Technology and wisdom will become obsolete if they are shut up in their shells and cut off from the outside world. People can be healthy and grow by being exposed to various difficult conditions and challenges and by repeating trial and error in an environment that is open to as many people as possible and the wider world. Recently, the number of university students who wish to study abroad has been decreasing, and it has been pointed out that young people are introverted. I hope that they will use their unique Japanese ability to create knowledge to further refine various fields such as education, medicine, construction, energy, and the environment through technical and economic exchanges, and help make people around the world happy.