#Japan #Sakai #Sakai City #Professional Talent #Calvin Inc.

Leveraging External Expert Talent in Sakai City

On May 28, 2026, Sakai City in Fukui Prefecture conducted a seminar aimed at local business owners, focusing on how to effectively utilize external expert talents known as professional personnel. The event, held at the city hall, addressed prevalent issues such as personnel shortages, market expansion, and digital transformation (DX) that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are currently facing.

During this seminar, it was emphasized that these professionals, often already working in major corporations, can assist local SMEs as side jobs. The seminar was led by Keishin Higashi, the CEO of Calvin, a company renowned for its expertise in matching professionals with businesses. In its third year of operation, the professional personnel matching support initiative saw a significant increase this year, with the goal of attracting 20 companies, the highest number since its launch four years ago.

Growing Interest in Professional Personnel

With an evolution in the business landscape, local entrepreneurs are increasingly recognizing the value of these external professionals. According to Higashi, the changing regulations around side jobs and skilled labor mobility are creating new opportunities for SMEs, allowing them to overcome challenges without the need to hire new full-time employees.


The matching service works by aligning professional talents with the specific needs of businesses, allowing personal skills to be leveraged in a local context. This year, 30 business owners participated in the seminar, eager to see how these professionals could aid their operations.

Historical Context and Success Stories

The professional personnel matching initiative began as a policy quest for experimentation, starting with just three businesses in its first year, ten in the second, and eight in the following year, totalling 21 businesses over the first two years. Companies from various sectors have benefitted, including textiles, landscaping, hospitality, healthcare, and cleaning services.

The seminar showcased several successful case studies, highlighting businesses that had utilized professional talents effectively. For instance, Kohdai Hasegawa, the CEO of Hasegawa Landscaping, shared how the involvement of a professional talent living in the U.S. helped them establish a unique AI estimation system, dramatically reducing estimation time for projects from a week to just 30 seconds, thereby boosting their contract rates.

Other entrepreneurs also shared how they leveraged online platforms to increase sales, with one proprietor even mentioning how an e-commerce venture they launched from scratch has grown remarkably.

High Interest from Local Businesses

Post-seminar surveys revealed that out of the 12 attending businesses, 11 expressed interest in leveraging professional personnel to tackle their operational challenges. A female entrepreneur specializing in seafood processing noted that although her company specializes in traditional products, she was eager to innovate and enhance sales through expert guidance in social media and digital marketing.

Understanding Business Challenges

In discussion with Higashi, it was clear that identifying internal problems is crucial before attempting to match with professionals. He elaborated on the complexity of challenges facing SMEs today, emphasizing that many do not realize underlying issues until they surface later in the process.

Calvin has developed mechanisms within the seminar to help businesses outline their challenges clearly. Meanwhile, resources such as success story compilations are provided to aspiring businesses so they can understand how similar challenges have been effectively addressed elsewhere.

Support and Financial Context

This year, Sakai City is utilizing a budget of 12 million Yen from national funds to support the professional personnel matching initiative, inviting 20 businesses to benefit from it. With 11 companies already showing positive interest, the city government encourages others to apply quickly, citing this as an effective strategy to tackle management issues and fill expertise gaps. Inquiries can be made through the city’s commercial affairs section or the Sakai City Chamber of Commerce.