Coach, COACH A Co., Ltd.
Hiroko Kono
“After graduating from college, I worked for a Japanese trading company, followed by twenty years at a foreign asset management company. Over the course of my career, I was involved in employee recruiting, and my experience left me feeling concerned about the paucity of forward-looking, globally-oriented Japanese candidates coming through our hiring process.
As a mother of two high school children, I am often concerned about how best to prepare my children for a world so different from even just ten years ago. Although I cannot accurately predict what my children will face as they move forward, I believe that, as the foundation for the world’s economic growth shifts to Asia, it is possible that Asian values will play a stronger role on the global stage. One thing I am certain of is that in this fast-paced, multifaceted world, we need people who are not only culturally literate, but who can think independently and communicate ideas about Asian culture and values to the rest of the world.
In 2010, we stumbled upon the ISAK Summer Program. In addition to my son attending the program, our family hosted a student from Myanmar who was also participating. The two days we spent with that young student, who grew up in an environment completely different from that experienced by my son and his friends from international school, were full of learning opportunities for all of us, and we were truly impressed by the student’s maturity and love for his country.
ISAK will be an innovative educational environment that exceeds the goals of typical Japanese middle schools and high schools. I fully support ISAK’s educational concepts and unique curriculum, and it is my hope that many students will have the opportunity to choose this school for their future.”