Japanese Management Education Falls Shockingly to 60th Place Out of 64 Countries: Imagina's Insight with Cambridge University

The Alarming State of Japanese Management Education

Recent evaluations have yielded a concerning ranking for Japan's management education, placing it 60th out of 64 countries according to the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking. This revelation, made by the Japanese company Imagining, underscores a significant challenge faced by Japanese corporations: the development and nurturing of managerial talent. This critical issue was further highlighted at a seminar hosted on April 15, 2026, by Yoshiki Sekino, the CEO of Imagining and a bestselling author with over 600,000 copies sold of his works.

A Deepening Crisis in Management Training

With a staggering 94% of companies reporting difficulties in nurturing their management staff, Japan is falling far behind global benchmarks set by countries like Switzerland and Singapore, standing at the top of the list. The results indicate not only a structural failing in the approach to management training but also a profound disconnect in leadership development within many firms. The typical trajectory sees employees promoted to management roles without a comprehensive understanding of interpersonal dynamics, resulting in fractured teams and a disengaged younger workforce.

The Shift from IQ to EQ

In the past 25 years, the volume of information humans handle has seen an astronomical rise of 15,000 times. Yet, the human brain can only process so much, discarding 99% of the input from our senses unconsciously. In this age of information overload, the ability to convey messages that resonate deeply with others – a notion more aligned with Emotional Quotient (EQ) rather than Intelligence Quotient (IQ) – is vital for driving organizational success.

Research, notably by Dr. Daniel Goleman, suggests that 90% of success in the workplace can be attributed to EQ skills like self-awareness and understanding others. This shifts the focus from traditional metrics of intelligence to a more nuanced appreciation of emotional capabilities.

Global Standards for EQ Training

In many Western nations, institutions such as medical schools have begun incorporating EQ training and evaluations as a prerequisite for graduation. This practice starkly contrasts the approach still prevalent in many Japanese firms, where high IQ individuals might not necessarily have corresponding EQ skills, often leading to ineffective management and heightened turnover rates.

Collaboration with Cambridge University

Beginning in 2026, Imagining will enter an official partnership with the Psychometrics Centre at Cambridge University. This collaboration aims to utilize psychometric methods to clarify behavioral traits and measure business EQ systematically. By employing scientific data, the company intends to transform methods traditionally grounded in intuition, such as hiring, staffing, and development planning, into measurable, evidence-based practices.

The Educational Investment Gap

A stark comparison reveals that top global corporations allocate approximately 15 times more in talent education than their Japanese counterparts. Companies that can effectively cultivate successors and executive training programs see over 4 times greater revenue growth rates compared to those lacking structured development strategies. Moreover, organizations with a strong adherence to their core values experience significantly lower turnover rates, with a reported 50% decrease in job changes as employees remain engaged and committed.

Imagining will continue to reinforce the foundational role of shared corporate values, promoting essential education in business EQ to help Japanese companies become more competitive and appealing to essential stakeholders in the global market.

About Yoshiki Sekino

Yoshiki Sekino, the CEO of Imagining, began his journey at the age of 15 when he studied in the United States. His career trajectory spanned across Italy and culminated in starting his own business in New York at 26. Sekino has significantly contributed to branding efforts for over 3,000 companies and has authored multiple influential books, including “Designing Empathy Values” and “The Power of Management” that collectively surpassed 600,000 copies in sales.