(December) Tsubasa 2024

Eduardo: Hello! Thank you very much for the opportunity to be here being interviewed. My full name is Eduardo Tatsumi Ando Utiyama, but people call me either Eduardo or Tatsumi. I was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brasil. I am currently a 4th year student (51st batch) in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Science and Engineering for Sustainable Innovation.

How would you describe your experience as an online Bekka student in 2020, and how did it shape your perspective on studying in Japan?

Eduardo: When I got the results of my acceptance to Bekka, I was looking forward to coming to Japan. However, as the situation of COVID-19 worsened, I ended up not being able to board on my flight in March. At first, I was disappointed and anxious, first because I would have to learn a new language but would not have much opportunity to practice, and on top of that not knowing when I was going to be able to travel. However, as the time passed by, even though the learning was getting more and more difficult, I had so much support from the professors, and especially from my seniors and friends. If I had to summarize my Bekka experience I would use the words of support and friendship, I could really find people who did their best to support me, and find friends who I consider a second family now.

What challenges and highlights did you experience as a department head during the International Students’ Cafe in 2022, and what lessons did you take away from it?

Eduardo: The International Students’ Cafe in 2022 was the first one to be held in person after the pandemic, so there were many things that we did not know how to do, especially talking about the Construction Department, which has the majority of the activities related to the in person event. Because of this, I had to rely on the documents that we had from the past years, and especially rely on the staff from the department. It was definitely not easy to manage everything while everyone is busy with classes, part time jobs, club activities and others, but the open communication and the willingness of everyone to do their best really made everything work out in the end. I think the biggest lesson from Ryukitsu was how essential organization and communication are to groups.

Can you share why helping others, even when there’s no obligation, recognition, or personal gain, feels meaningful or inspiring to you?

Eduardo: In many cases, even though I do not have any external pressure on me, I still feel that I have a moral obligation to help others. What really inspires me to do that is the fact that I really could not have done anything, or be where I am, if there was no effort and support from others. In general, I have a lot of gratitude towards my parents and my family, and talking more about my experience here in Soka University, the founder, all the professors, the donors that provide the scholarship for me to study here, and all my seniors and friends that have also supported me throughout my 5 years here. So the meaning for me is really paying it forward.

How did you approach your job hunting process, and what specific advice would you give to juniors preparing for their own job search?

Eduardo: That is an interesting question. Until my third year I was actually planning on doing a Masters program. However, in my fourth year, due to some personal circumstances and other external factors, I ended up deciding to go job hunting. So in general terms, I started my job hunting process during the first semester of my fourth year, which is considered kind of late. In addition to that, because I did not have interest in job hunting during my third year, I also ended up not doing any internships. One thing that helped me during the process though, was knowing which industries I had interest in, and knowing at least a bit about what I wanted to work with in the future, that facilitated the process of filtering the companies which I applied to. Because of that, my advice to everyone would be to think carefully about what they want to do in the future, and what are their interests, and how it all relates to what they are studying. In addition, even to those who are thinking about Masters, I would recommend everyone to at least try to go to some events or job fairs, and understand the process of job hunting here in Japan before trying it for real.

What are your hopes and expectations for your future life in Japan?

Eduardo: Since I am starting on a job in Japan that I have a great interest in, my primary goal from now on is to be able to develop more knowledge and skills, and be able to progress in my workplace. I am also thinking about getting a driver's license to be able to drive around and explore Japan more.

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Eduardo: Once again, thank you very much for the opportunity!

Interviewer/Secretary : Lie, Yukie