Insights from the Successful 'Empathy Value Blueprint' Seminar in Osaka, Japan

Recap of the Full House Seminar on Empathy Value Blueprint

On January 15, 2026, Imagina Co., Ltd., led by CEO Yoshiki Sekino, hosted an incredible 'Inner Branding Seminar' in Umeda, Osaka. The event attracted a significantly larger audience than anticipated, resulting in a full house. This article reports on the seminar's outcomes and the innovative solutions presented to tackle the 'four afflictions' of Kansai businesses.

Context: The 'Silent Crisis' in Kansai Business

The pre-seminar announcements flagged the 'four afflictions' affecting companies in the Kansai region, including education neglect and the hollowing out of corporate ideals. The reaction was overwhelming, drawing leaders from both traditional manufacturing and emerging service industries in Kansai. These attendees shared common concerns, such as rising employee attrition despite salary increases and difficulties in communicating with younger workers.

Yoshiki Sekino addressed these issues by emphasizing that while Kansai has a rich 'philosophy of business,' it lacks translation into contemporary contexts relevant to the younger generation and the AI era. “The solution is not to redefine the philosophy but to redesign it into 'empathic values' that resonate,” he asserted.

Seminar Highlights: Three Prescriptions for Participants

The seminar distilled the essence of the newly published book, Empathy Value Blueprint, into actionable frameworks that participants could implement immediately. Here are the three critical prescriptions shared:

Diagnosis: Quantifying Organizational Health

Attendees learned about the importance of utilizing engagement surveys to quantify levels of understanding, empathy, action, and dissemination regarding corporate ideals. Many companies discovered alarming deficiencies in their empathy metrics, showcasing that simply progressing on a ‘gut feeling’ was insufficient.

Treatment: Moving Beyond Education Neglect

Participants were educated on the dire consequences of leaving training to informal on-the-job training (OJT). Sekino advocated for purposeful 'inner branding' that articulates the company’s vision as robust methodology rather than just jargon. The goal was to shift mindsets from viewing employees solely as 'labor' to recognizing them as 'partners' moving toward a shared mission.

Prevention: Creating Self-Directed Organizations

Instead of merely providing motivational rhetoric, the seminar introduced tangible organizational assessment and reward systems that align behavioral actions with corporate ideology. This unique approach fused the heartfelt 'relation' prevalent in Kansai culture with equitable 'systems,' capturing the attention of numerous participants who diligently took notes.

Feedback from Participants

Attendee surveys reflected the impact of the seminar:

- “The term 'affliction' struck a chord, and it resonated with our situation. I feel an urgent need for fundamental treatment,” stated a manufacturing CEO from Osaka.
- “This is not just a copy of Tokyo methods; I found unique branding insights relevant to my company. Sekino's passion was overwhelming,” a human resources director from a service company in Hyogo remarked.
- “In an AI era, I was inspired by the notion that human-like 'empathy' will be our competitive edge,” commented an IT executive from Kyoto.

Future Prospects: Changing Japan from Kansai

The enthusiasm witnessed in Osaka was a microcosm of the challenges faced by businesses throughout Japan. Imagina plans to hold more seminars nationwide under the theme of 'fundamental education' to support the essence of human capital management. Additionally, they are open to media inquiries that delve deeper into the seminar’s content and interviews with Yoshiki Sekino.

Seminar Notice

Speaker Profile: Yoshiki Sekino
CEO of Imagina Co., Ltd. Sekino has successfully guided over 3,000 companies in branding. He strongly believes that 'education is the key to Japan's future' and has increasingly focused on supporting not only businesses but also educational initiatives for students. His multifaceted strategies have received deep appreciation across various sectors.