Ohno

Sales Accounting Department No. 1 is the department responsible for the management and support of internal offices generated by the sales department. There are seven members including myself. We follow up and provide advice to ensure that daily business transactions are processed without any problems in accordance with laws, regulations, and internal rules. It is important for me to have knowledge of laws and regulations and accounting, as well as an understanding of the transactions in the department I am in charge of.

Kiri

There are 16 members in the Bar and Steel Powder Office. The main products we handle, steel bars and wire rods, are sold to customers in Japan, and iron powder is sold to customers in Japan and overseas. We conduct sales activities in a wide range of fields, both in terms of the products we handle and the sales areas we are in charge of.

Kuranishi

The Materials & Equipment Trade Office is a department that deals with more than 100 customers worldwide. We export and sell machinery, equipment, spare parts, etc. to overseas steel companies and steel engineering companies. In India and Vietnam, we have opened offices near steel mills and dispatched representatives, and the style of being close to our customers is a characteristic of JFE Shoji Trade. In recent years, the number of capital investment projects involving products that contribute to energy conservation and EVs has been increasing.

Itagaki

The Personnel Office is responsible for all operations related to individual personnel affairs. The scope of work, which was previously limited to JFE Shoji Trade, has been expanded to cover the entire group since October 2023. I expect that in the future we will be able to promote more transfers and personnel exchanges among JFE Shoji Group companies. While many of our members are young, including new hires, we also have many members with extensive HR experience.

Itagaki

Room Staff First! I think it's a good thing. This is my third year in the Human Resources Department. There are many situations where in-depth knowledge, experience, and expertise are required for HR work, and I feel that the members who are skilled in HR work are really reassuring. Rather than standing in front of them and leading them, I am conscious of thinking together, worrying together, and tackling each issue one by one, while emphasizing autonomy.

Kuranishi

I also try to listen to the room members as much as possible and offer tips on how to make the most of their independence and individual abilities. I also focus on creating an environment in which each staff member can work vigorously with a clear vision for the future, while maintaining a fair relationship (as equals) with suppliers, customers, and our company.

Ohno

Our emphasis is on "creating an atmosphere. We believe that by creating an atmosphere in which it is easy to ask questions, seek advice, and express opinions, we can build a team that supports each other and works together with a sense of unity. Since many of our members are young or inexperienced in the department, we respect each member's ideas and create opportunities to find solutions together.

Kiri

One of the missions of the office manager is to maximize the performance of the office staff. I believe that maximization becomes more powerful when it is mutually engaged. I try to discuss things from a compromise point of view on a regular basis. I am always attentive and concerned to better understand the individuality of each room member and to ensure that they are fulfilled both physically and mentally.

Kuranishi

When it comes to contributing to society, our materials and equipment department may be relatively easy to understand. We handle a variety of carbon-neutral and energy-saving related products and equipment, and we believe that the global expansion of these products and equipment will contribute to a decarbonized and energy-saving society.

Kiri

Steel bars, wire rods, and iron powder are products that "support society. Their applications span a variety of fields, including automobiles, construction machinery, industrial machinery, and civil engineering and construction. Although infrastructure is changing in the trend toward carbon neutrality, we believe that steel will continue to be used and will continue to play a role in supporting the world by supplying it.

Itagaki

Steel is an inexpensive and highly processable material. Even as sustainability initiatives such as EVs, wind and solar power generation, and other forms of power generation continue to advance, steel-based equipment will continue to be needed. I believe that steel, which still has a lot of potential, can make a variety of contributions in all areas.

Ohno

Even as the business environment changes dramatically, I believe that the function of a trading company remains the same: to accurately grasp customer needs and lead them in new directions with our unique views and proposals. While making contributions by utilizing our traditional functions, we should seek new business development and continue to discover investments and transactions that will lead to securing stable earnings. I think this is one way to contribute to society.

Itagaki

We are in the midst of a period of change. In addition to "trade earnings," in which we earn profits from product sales and brokerage, we are also seeing an increase in "earnings from business investments," in which we earn profits from investing in and being involved in the management of business companies. I feel that there is an increasing need to develop human resources with the ability to identify issues and solve them after careful consideration.

Ohno

How quickly we can respond to our business partners is also required. It is necessary to respond not because we have done so in the past, but to change in accordance with the trends of the moment. I believe that we can continue to grow by responding flexibly to change and creating a system that is resistant to change.

Kiri

People are the capital of a trading company. Therefore, if each employee considers his or her own role, helps each other, and strives to achieve higher goals, he or she will naturally grow individually, which will in turn lead to the growth of the company. To this end, I feel it is our duty as managers to enhance the performance of our employees.

Kuranishi

As a trading company specializing in iron (products, raw materials, and equipment), I think we can place emphasis on thoroughly enhancing our expertise. I believe that by digging deeper into our individual expertise and honing our sensitivity to future predictions, which we can only do as a specialized trading company, we will be able to make bolder business investments and step into new businesses.

Itagaki

The business environment has changed dramatically compared to about 20 years ago, not only in terms of how a steel trading company should be, but also in terms of how women work, overseas initiatives, and so on. I believe that the work of common departments, such as strengthening management capabilities and internal governance, has become even more important.

Ohno

Since the time I joined the company, I have always had the same image of a "comfortable work environment for women. The average length of service for women is increasing, and more and more women are taking an active role after maternity or childcare leave. We have an even better environment that makes it easy for women to continue working even when their life stage changes.

Kiri

We now have more female salespeople, and it is reassuring to know that our human resources have put in place systems that consider "ease of work," such as a system to support balancing childcare and work. We also have a motivating work environment with a free address system and comfortable offices.

Kuranishi

In terms of business operations, overseas expansion is accelerating, and the trend is not to export Japanese products but to manufacture them locally. We are now placing emphasis on what kind of system to create locally and how to nurture the local people. I need a broader perspective, and my business ideas are changing.

Kuranishi

I used to share my opinions with my bosses and seniors, so I used to clash with them when I was new (laughs). (laugh) However, I was helped a lot by my seniors and coworkers who reached out to me at the right time. Thanks to these reliable people inside and outside the company, I was able to grow.

Kiri

My senior instructor at the time I was assigned to the company was very strict, so strict that he would get angry with me every day (laughs). But now, when I think about it, I can use what I learned in various aspects of my life. I feel that it was a loving guidance.

Itagaki

When I was transferred to a different department, I was sometimes perplexed by the differences in business ideas and methods. In my first assignment, I worked with many small-scale customers such as individual stores, but when I was transferred to a new department, I was put in charge of a major manufacturer's customers. I was able to experience both, which was a great learning experience.

Ohno

Although it was a busy department when I was new, I was blessed with good relationships with the members of the department and customers, and I was able to enjoy learning the job. There were many opportunities for employees to interact with each other through club activities and unions, and the relationships with the friends I met continue to this day. There are times when I am helped in my work, and there are also many friends with whom I can talk about the old days. The fact that such connections exist is one of the charms of JFE Shoji Trade.

Itagaki

Value the fundamentals. If you neglect the basics, you will not be able to move on to the next step. In the world of trading companies, there are parts that need to be changed to meet the needs of the times. I think it is important to think about what you can do, and to communicate your ideas while incorporating the strengths of those around you.

Kuranishi

I want you to value the fresh ideas and imagination you have now. On top of that, listen to the opinions of those around you, imagine future changes, and continue to evolve. This should lead to the development of even more new ideas. It is also important to hone the knowledge and ability to give form to ideas and to continue to develop the forms that have been created.

Ohno

When you enter the workforce, it is important to know the environment around you well and to be flexible and adaptable on your own. You should be willing to learn from your seniors who are building good relationships and connecting them to their work. Fresh opinions from young people are needed in the workplace. I want you to utilize their opinions in your work while building human relationships.

Kiri

I want you to proceed with "persistence" in your own mind. In this day and age, along with the ability to adapt to change, it is also important to think about what should be done now in order to connect to the future. In addition to thinking for yourself, you can learn about different opinions by talking with your peers, be stimulated, and think again. This cycle will surely open the way to the future.