When I was in college, I studied english and German history and contemporary culture. During my job search, I visited a wide range of industries that I was interested in, such as entertainment, publishing, and interior design. In the midst of all this, I entered the company because I was familiar with the SEGA headquarters in my hometown, I love games and characters, and I wanted to do a job that would allow me to be involved in what I love. I remember how during the interview, I said, “The power that the characters have is amazing!”

When I was in my third year of university, I visited an amusement facility operated by SEGA (Yokohama Joypolis at the time) and was amazed at the high level of virtual reality technology. I wanted to create a facility for children that used this technology. That’s why I applied to work for SEGA. The interviewer told me, “When you make a career out of something you love, you may have to face hardships as well as good things in the field,” and I felt that this was a company I could trust.

I joined SEGA midway through my career; my previous job was working for an insurance company as an underwriter for automobile insurance. When I thought about changing jobs due to moving, I applied for the general affairs position because I had always liked games and there was an opening where I could use my experience from my previous job.

I have been in the General Affairs Department since I joined the company midway through my career. In the beginning, I was in charge of insurance-related operations, seal stamping, internal approval, etc. due to my previous experience. Later, I was put in charge of vehicle and driver management and security trade management, which required that I study legal regulations. Thus, I increased my knowledge while obtaining qualifications. In particular, since I was in charge of insurance operations for a long time, I was able to gain valuable experience that was different from my previous job even in the same insurance-related operations, such as conducting a large-scale competition involving insurance companies and agents and repeatedly examining which parts of the competition should be used to improve the event.

Currently, I am working in the Asset Management Section, which manages and effectively uses internal assets within the same General Affairs Division. Since the SEGA SAMMY Group is a large organization, there are several departments and sections in the General Affairs Division alone, which allows me to experience a wide range of work.

Perhaps my passion for characters, which I emphasized at the interview, was received well, because I was assigned to the Licensing Division after joining the company. I made figures and strategy books, and supervised the colors, materials, and prices of the goods. I remember being very moved when the work I was involved in was actually completed as a product.

After that, the Compliance Department was newly established and I transferred to this department, which is where I am now. At the time of its establishment, the Group had about 7,000 employees. I thought it would be interesting to encourage all these employees to say and do the right things, and that’s why I decided to transfer. In addition to compliance with laws and regulations, I am working to raise the level of compliance throughout SEGA SAMMY through training and e-learning to improve manners, morals, and risk awareness.

My wish to be involved in creating facilities, which I mentioned at the interview, was also fulfilled, and I worked at Joypolis for three years after joining the company, proposing plans and other ideas based on the revenue and expenditure of the booth. After that, I also worked in sales. I remember walking through the pedestrian mall in Ginza wearing a character costume to promote “Mushiking: The King of Beetles.”

Later, I was involved in developing a business plan for an indoor theme park. Although we were not able to go ahead with the facility, I learned from this project that you cannot make a convincing plan unless you have the financial backing. I thought that was what I was lacking, so I started studying, got certified as a bookkeeper, and now I am in the Accounting Department. My goal is to become stronger in the area of revenue and expenditure, and to eventually become involved in facility development again.

There is a woman in management whom I respect. During the time we worked together, she balanced work and family and was like a mother to everyone in the department. For example, she would notice the slightest change in a subordinate’s behavior and ask, “What’s wrong? Is something wrong?”

As for myself, I have a strong desire to contribute to the support of the organization. The Accounting Department often accepts new employees, so I would like to provide support for those who are working in an unfamiliar environment for the first time.

There are female managers around me, so I would like to challenge myself.

It’s appealing to be able to do big projects as the leader of a team, so I would like to be in a position to say, “Let’s do this together!” I would like to steer the ship and manage the company. Last year, I was in charge of training a new employee who had joined the General Affairs Department for a year. As I taught her, I was happy to see that she gradually increased her abilities, as if it were me. I thought it was a bit like raising a child. I am still working with her now; she is a cute junior colleague and a strong asset to the company.

It’s true that nurturing people is similar to raising children, isn’t it? What you see and hear at work can be applied to raising children, and conversely, what you learn from raising children can be applied at work. As for myself, I am not yet confident enough to be in a position to move people and organizations, but I admire the women around me who are working so coolly.

What I feel through my work in the Compliance Department is that “awareness of compliance” is increasing throughout SEGA SAMMY. For example, I tell the managers that being a boss who subordinates feel comfortable talking to will ultimately prevent compliance violations, and I guide them by saying that chatting is also important. With the Covid pandemic, work styles are becoming more diverse, but it is important to connect with people when we work from home. In our section, we spend about 15 minutes a day on online calls to talk about things other than work. With such a corporate culture and approach, I think it is a safe environment to work in without feeling lonely even though telecommuting is popular.

For women, there may be some concerns and anxiety about having to take a leave of absence or what will happen to their career when they have a baby or raise a child. But I would like to tell you that you don’t have to worry about that as long as you are at SEGA SAMMY. Not only women but also men have taken childcare leave. My husband works in the company, and we are talking about him taking parental leave if we have a second child; the company also supports men taking parental leave. I think this is the perfect environment for anyone who wants to work while enjoying childcare, as it provides a good work–life balance.

If there is something that you want to do, please come here. We have regular interviews where your supervisor listens to what you think about on a daily basis and what you want to do in the future, and I think this company provides an environment where you can make your wishes come true. Also, as you gain experience and build a relationship of trust, you will be given more authority and can work at your own discretion, which makes your work more rewarding. As everyone else is practicing, you can also balance work and your private life. I think that is one of the good things about SEGA SAMMY, that you can continue to enjoy your work even if your environment changes in the future.