Design City Japan 株式会社

President and CEOKoji KAJIJoined the company in 1982

Starting as the 14th new hire in the company - to now.

My father was a craftsman in a workshop, so I have been familiar with craftsmen since I was a child. The image of a carpenter or a plasterer making a living with their own skill left a strong impression on me. I thought it was really cool. One day my grandmother approached me and said, “You studied machinery at school, so maybe there’s a company close by that can use you!” When I went to the company in jeans and a golf shirt with beach sandals, the former president mistook me for someone with guts, and since then 40 years have passed in the blink of an eye! Since I began, I was trained both in-house and on site at business partner locations, and I was just the 14th newly hired employee in the company, and now, as someone who is responsible for 80 employees and 200 business partners, I’m still struggling (laughs).
“Work hard, play hard” got me through my twenties.

Your designs bring life to an entire manufacturing plant
The more you strive, the more interesting it becomes

When I was new to the company, my drawings were sometimes rather brutally rejected, occasionally being referred to as “fuel for the boiler.” Even so, I appreciated the frankness of evaluations that boil down to “good things are good, and everything else is bad.” The calculations and drawings are all that is important. On the other hand, it means that if your work is effective, you will be respected regardless of your other attributes. It was really motivating to study, think and work and to see the original rejections turn to praise as I got better. It felt like being in a video game or a movie, where I kept gaining levels and powers and getting stronger as I trained (laughs). It is quite a small industry, so unlike in other industries, as your reputation spreads, you get introduced to new work and both requested and nominated for new projects.

From this point on, it’s your era

I have declared that Design City Japan will become a company that will last 100 years. One goal of the company is to lay a foundation that will allow employees to truly work for the company for their entire working lives. But a job that doesn’t let you eat isn’t a job. As the president, my natural mission is to deliver an environment where employees and their families can work and live with peace of mind. Another goal is to work with our partners to set the pathways to the future. As one of our still-active engineers, I pledge to pass the know-how cultivated by countless Japanese engineers throughout our many companies and industries to young people who will open the treasures of the next generation. It is you, the young, who will forge ahead to create the future. Enjoy the world of design work, where you can make that decision and learn to sell your skill instead of your things, contributing to society!
As the world changes, the company will change and strive!