The new department, headed by the son of the second-generation president, got off to a smooth start thanks to the support of many people within the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We will all support the young successors.
That atmosphere permeated the entire company, and I was working within that flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, I had a conflict within myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The department's theme was "components" supplied to semiconductor equipment manufacturers.
But whenever I get involved, things always escalate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not just a part of the device, but the entire system.
We started receiving inquiries one after another about projects worth tens of millions of yen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was the work I had always been doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the president said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
"That carries risks."
The current approach is producing sufficient results.
Please stop accepting orders for the equipment."<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I was troubled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My income was stable.
My position at the company wasn't bad either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, as an engineer, I wanted to take on bigger projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Around that time, a major wave swept through the semiconductor industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Semiconductor recession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company was in such dire straits that it had to offer voluntary retirement packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I applied for that position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The president was furious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
"Why are you quitting?"<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I had made up my mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, I was on friendly terms with the head of general affairs.
That person intervened, and ultimately, I was able to leave the company amicably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the year-end bonus was cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had never received unemployment benefits before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His annual income was around 10 million yen.
Because my termination was due to company reasons, I received unemployment benefits close to the maximum amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About 400,000 yen per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was paid to me immediately after I retired, for one year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That became the funding for my next life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the time, I owned a house in the mountainous area of Hann\u014d City, Saitama Prefecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a place where a river flowed and was surrounded by forest.
It was a slightly inconvenient location, but the nature was abundant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have a plot of land nearly 100 tsubo (approximately 330 square meters), and I built a prefabricated office in the garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I placed the desk there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I started a company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FM Ecology Research Institute Co., Ltd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company name was a combination of my wife's and my names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was the beginning of it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A year later, the company was incorporated as a limited company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I changed my name too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aqua Green System Co., Ltd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company grew remarkably well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seven consecutive terms
Increased revenue and increased profits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bank gave me a loan of 100 million yen even though I had no collateral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also expanded overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Singapore
Malaysia<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We established a local subsidiary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I had a big dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elemental Life Community<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A utopia where people live in harmony with nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To realize that vision, I moved the company headquarters to Aizu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aizu had a plan to acquire land rights to 500,000 tsubo (approximately 1.65 hectares).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, a plan for a mineral water factory worth 5 billion yen was also underway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First of all,
A plan covering 50,000 tsubo (approximately 165,000 square meters).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That concept drawing is still available on the human resources development page of the website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But looking back now, I understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back then, I wasn't strong enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Large-scale plant.
Overseas infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I lacked funding, experience, and connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And then fate takes a dramatic turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The owner of a mineral water factory committed a crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arrested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The plan suddenly came to a halt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had already made a considerable investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Japan
Singapore
Malaysia<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We ended up liquidating three companies at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company went bankrupt and was insolvent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The land of Aizu at that time is a place I will never forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was an abundant spring there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The drilling for the hot springs had also been completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deep in the forest, there was a fantastical spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A body of water resembling a small swamp.
Still water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stone monument of the water god<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was standing there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I took several people who claimed to be psychics to that place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then they all said in unison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
"There is a white dragon and its offspring here."<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My wife and I went to that spring every morning while we were staying in Aizu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And then I prayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Around that time, although I was a Christian, I was also beginning to become aware of the existence of Japanese gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I also met the Shinto priest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Shinto priest performed a purification ritual for the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The end of the Shinto ritual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The trees in the forest shook all at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A white dragon took flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Autumn in Aizu was beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Golden rice stalks sway in the wind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clouds hang over the mountains, and occasionally, clouds shaped like dragons appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every time I found one, I rejoiced like a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On my day off, I went to a hot spring with my wife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aizu has many excellent hot springs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I soaked in the quiet bath, I thought about the rest of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I also visited the graves of the Byakkotai (White Tiger Corps).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The land that young samurai risked their lives to protect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Standing in that spot, a quiet feeling welled up from deep within my chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Life is like a mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes we climb.
Sometimes you tumble down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But looking back, it seems like everything was a path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company was lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I was still walking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I didn't know yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I believe even greater connections will come from around the world after this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a new story that began in South Korea.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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