MTI President Interview: President Yutaka Yasunaga talks about his goals and ideas in 2008

What is your target for 2008?

So it's vitally important that we accumulate the seeds of needed new technology in our treasure trove here at MTI. We want to reach the point where, when the sales people come up against a problem, they'll automatically ask themselves, "Why don't we just go ask MTI?"

I'd also like to see people from the two sectors come closer together in a cheerful, even boisterous atmosphere to discuss new solutions that they might have trouble formulating on their own.

Four years ago, before MTI was established, I was a member of NYK's Committee of Corporate Officers, and I always felt that the sales sector and the technical sector were miles apart. Because MTI was created to bring the two closer together, we should all contribute to achieving that goal.

A year of opportunities

Today, environmental protection and energy conservation challenge business leaders as never before, particularly because a company's level of CO2 emissions is often seen as a measure of its corporate values. I think this will be a trial year for MTI, a time when the company will be tested on its ability to meet these challenges. Thus, it's crucial for MTI to demonstrate its capabilities not only to our fellow NYK Group members but also to the world. At NYK, senior management has never before placed such emphasis on technology, and my personal mandate for managing the company is, "Let's work together to do all that we can do, and do it now."

A word to MTI staff

I would like the staff see beyond NYK and be sensitive to needs throughout society. Though we maintain several important relationships, none is more important than our relationship with the community. Thus, MTI sees its mission as contributing to the economic and cultural activities of people worldwide. I therefore urge everyone at MTI to work earnestly at developing the technology and monohakobi that will make the world a better place.

To our partners

In our drive to develop new technology, MTI is collaborating with diverse partners in industries that include shipping, logistics, shipbuilding, machinery manufacture, and RFID-related solutions. And in terms of new technology, MTI wants to realize what no single company can achieve alone. Thus, our route means collaboration, blending the wisdom of our diverse partners, and working together to create something new.

Naturally, collaborative work and partnership entail conflicting ideas, objectives, and so forth. But unless we address and overcome such difficulties together, I don't think we can accomplish anything really worthwhile.

In other words, as we work to create new environmental technologies, we would prefer to collaborate rather than work alone.

For instance, if we want to build a more energy-efficient ship, we will contact various shipbuilders and equipment manufacturers, each with its own relevant patents. And if we want to build the best ship possible, we must incorporate different techniques from various builders and manufacturers. That is, if Company A can do this, and Company B can do that, but our objective lies beyond their individual abilities, then it's vital that companies A and B – and all involved – share their talents with one another and use the result to create something that will truly benefit society. I would like to see MTI become a leader in the kind of powerful collaboration that creates breakthrough technology.

To realize such dreams, we would like to invite anyone who wants to try out new technologies, or who is interested in developing them, to work with our partners and us. We are particularly interested in the areas of environmental conservation, energy-saving technologies, and RFID solutions.

We expect to send out such invitations many times this year.

What are your impressions of MTI?

I find it a very young company, a dynamic company with many different types of people, including types we don't normally see at NYK. Yet although MTI is only three years old, I'd like to see it return to our initial ideals and say, "Let's make a fresh start." I've been telling everyone to listen more to the needs of the sales sector. I want our people to actively proclaim, "I'd like to try developing such and such" or "Such and such technique looks useful." I'd also like them to communicate to their superiors what they think should be done, make surveys and analyses, and move ahead with their ideas. I'd like to send this message to everyone inside and outside NYK, as it's a wonderful thing to see people pursue their goals.

In particular, I'd like to see RFID and environmental conservation become MTI's areas of expertise. I'd like to hear people say that NYK owes its eco-strength to MTI. In this sense, I'd like MTI people to be active in their search for solutions in the environmental and energy-saving fields. Whether they do so within their own fields of expertise is not an issue. It shouldn't matter if they end up pursuing solutions that have little relation to their original field. If they find something new or become aware of a technology that is needed, I will certainly welcome hearing about it. I want to establish a system that helps to channel good proposals right up to senior management.

Attractiveness of MTI

MTI provides a place where people of diverse backgrounds can harmoniously engage in open study and discussion, an open forum whose stimulating atmosphere encourages people to consider new concepts and allows newcomers to participate as well. MTI inspires people to break free of established concepts, think across disciplines, and try new things without hesitation.

What is the strength in having both human resources development and technological strategy at MTI, as they serve two entirely different functions?

The strength MTI derives from its two sections is that experts engaged in technological development can teach people from other areas of expertise. That is, our technological experts can conduct seminars for people from other sections of the NYK Group and thus help to spread an understanding of the technological activities that are so important for us all.

Admittedly, the system that the human resources development group now has in place is working well, but I wonder if more internal collaboration isn't exactly what we need. This might help bring our sales and technical people closer together. I think it's our mission to help sales and administrative people learn more about technical matters. I would like to see MTI better able to perform this task. The program we now offer contains technical elements, but this feature should be strengthened.

Further, I want to provide more opportunities to lecture on the technical expertise we have not only within but also outside the company. NYK Group members are always welcome, of course, yet we want to invite others to join us as well. That way, we can establish ties with people outside our organization.

And so, regarding the subject of training professionals in monohakobi, I think there's much we can teach, not only in terms of ship-related topics but also in the changing fields of RFID technology and logistics business models. Ideally, I'd like to incorporate these all these aspects into our human resources development program and thereby make it easy for everyone to understand why MTI works in two complementary sectors: technological development and human resources development.

These are the targets I would like to see achieved in 2008.