It's been a while since I last came back to Japan. Prices have gone up...(;'∀')

The contract expires on November 1, 2024. 4512 MAIN STREET, VANCOUVER, BC, V5V3R5 I've been so busy signing my first tenant contract that I haven't been able to write a column. What else should I do? I'll leave that for now and move on to the main topic of glove manufacturing in Nigeria. Let's talk about the preparations to make this happen. I was excited to make gloves in Nigeria and save as many children as possible from baseball who have to give up baseball for economic reasons all over Africa and the world. But, I have never made a glove in my life. I don't even have any experience playing baseball (laughs). A total novice with no connections to glove manufacturers or factories, I simply searched the internet and made inquiries to about 40 companies, both large and small!! Well, the answer I get is, "Africa?! Huh?! I don't really get it." "I'm not happy about technology going overseas..." "Is this an OEM? The minimum order quantity is 10,000 pieces. Is that okay?" Uuuuuuhh... They won't listen to me, and if they did, the lot size would be huge... Moreover, I don't want to do OEM work, I want to set up a glove manufacturing base in Nigeria and manufacture in Nigeria. So, I want to find someone who will take on an apprentice, but Well, you'll be turned away at the door. Behind the scenes, Amir and his then-employer had already come to an agreement. We had agreed that if we could find a glove-making master, we would work together! But... we couldn't find a master... There seems to be a bad image of Africans, that they are scary, likely to cause accidents, smelly...I've encountered so many prejudices that it makes me sad just writing this. The illusion that there is no discrimination in Japan is a lie. It definitely exists. Discrimination exists all over the world. However, I can't give up now, so I'm taking the first step I promised the kids at Makoko. Even if I stumble or fall, I won't die. I just have to get up, persevere, and attack!! In the midst of all this, we received a call from a workshop in Sakai, Osaka, which had been in business for nearly 50 years. "I'm already 70 years old. In the past, I made and provided gloves to players like Yutaka Enatsu, and even now I provide gloves to Makoto Aduwa of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Would you like to try it as my last apprentice?" ? ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ? ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ? ! ? ! ! ! ? ? It's hereeeeeeeeeeee ( *´艸｀) It was worth the perseverance and crawling!! Mr. Ikuno, the representative of Ikuno Studio, agreed to this request!! Quick, contact Amir!! By this time, I had already set up a Canadian branch and was living in Vancouver. While communicating with Japan online, Ikuno asked a question. "Will Amir be the only one to be accepted? I haven't met him yet, so I don't know... but glove manufacturing requires a lot of strength and delicacy. Looking at the photo alone, he seems to have more power than the Japanese physique. His physique is suited to making catcher's mitts, but not to making pitcher's gloves, which are the most delicate. I feel like it would be better to have someone else, a Japanese or Asian person, just to be sure." and. Power and delicacy. These two elements are necessary for glove manufacturing. Hmmmm, should we send someone from the Japanese headquarters? Is there anyone who would be willing to be stationed in Nigeria in the first place? lol In the first place, the Japanese headquarters is also full of tasks, and no one is in an environment where they can be seconded. I thought about training myself, but that's not realistic. We have our headquarters in Japan, and we've just launched in Canada, so it's just the right timing... One step forward, half a step back... ( ﾟДﾟ) Hmmm... Conveniently, someone with lots of baseball experience, preferably Japanese, who can speak English, and who can be stationed in Nigeria... It's not easy to find such a person, so while browsing social media and looking at friends, I started looking for someone who would undergo training and be stationed in Nigeria. Then, all of a sudden, Messenger appeared!! His partner was a senior colleague who had been involved in the baseball world for many years and had also worked as a manufacturer, providing equipment to professional baseball players. "Long time no see! How are you? Where in Canada are you living now? Vancouver?" I replied that I live in Vancouver, "Hey, I have a former Koshien baseball player who's in Vancouver on a working holiday visa. He might be lonely, so could you keep an eye on him?" Basically, she enjoys taking care of people, so I asked her to create a group on Messenger, we started chatting, and she immediately invited me to a home party over the weekend. He lives in an area about an hour's drive from my house, and since he's on a working holiday visa, I figured he wouldn't have much financial leeway, so I headed to the meeting place with him. Nice to meet you! Then he took me to my house in his car. The more I hear about it, the more I realize what a glorious baseball achievement he has had!!! ⚾❤ He won the national championship in junior high school, and at Sapporo Daiichi High School, where he was a regular from his first year in the spring, Participated in the Koshien Tournament twice and the Jingu Tournament twice!! That's amazing!! He's at a level where he could become a professional baseball player, lol. However, due to the harsh environment, coaching, and burnout, he quit baseball after high school. He switched to American football in college, but tore his ligaments twice...He started looking for a job, but with the coronavirus pandemic in full swing, there were no vacancies in the position he wanted, so he came to Canada on a working holiday visa. I casually asked him, "You still love baseball, don't you?" "No... I felt like I had given up on baseball in high school, so now, if anything, I don't like it and I really want to distance myself from it." and. Well, the 23-year-old was searching for his next dream and chose to do a working holiday to improve his language skills and gain work experience abroad for his personal growth. He is a good young man with a strong core. He grew up in an athletic environment, so he is very polite and knows how to greet people. He has a lot of experience playing baseball, and is currently studying English. To be honest, I had secretly, and truly secretly, harboured the sweet thought that it would be great if he could train and be stationed in Nigeria, but now that he hates baseball and wants to get away from it, I decided that it wasn't the right thing to talk about, so I zip my mouth. We talked about trivial things, and as the sun started to set, I couldn't see him off because I was at a home party, so I asked him to stay at my house (lol). Yes, the person introduced to me by my senior was "Manato"❤⚾❤ He later became the youngest director of the Nigerian branch and was in charge of Nigerian glove manufacturing together with Amir. Next time, I would like to write about the change in Manato's feelings, who had said that he hated baseball and honestly wanted to leave! Stay tuned!!! ⚾WE ARE ONE TEAM⚾

Today, I'd like to talk about something a little different. We are currently conducting a crowdfunding campaign to unveil Made in Nigeria gloves for the first time in Japan. https://readyfor.jp/projects/re-evolution-africa2?fbclid=IwY2xjawGN95xleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHU5V0VWkHJvsEeQtEIwXsycatr0IgxOdE314KNWefMchlZTG1qaixIYh4Q_aem_LgH0fwCMWQSY0SLUEHzFxw Why didn't you include any items in the return for your support this time? Naturally, we have also received negative feedback, such as, "This is digital begging that appeals to emotion!?", "There's no return...", and "Who the hell is Amir anyway?" We knew that this would happen at some point, so we decided to go ahead with it this time. So - why do you know this and still do it??? I'm an idiot lol but let's leave that aside lol Poverty is widespread throughout the world, but it is difficult to feel in Japan. In fact, I've only been in Vancouver, Canada for two years, but I feel that the security situation is deteriorating day by day, with homeless people flooding Hastings Street and a recent random murder incident. Is the idea that Canada is the most livable and desirable country in the world already an urban legend? The same can be said about our neighbor, America. Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers, who are on the brink of winning the World Series, and their home base in Los Angeles. The gap between rich and poor continues to widen, and homeless people are roaming around the stadium... I think that deep down, everyone is thinking things like, "I wish something could be done about the homeless problem...", "Rents are rising even though the security situation is getting worse...", or "I don't want my children to go near these places, I want to ensure their safety as much as possible." However, few people take any action, or at least few do. The country, the government...it somehow seems like someone else's problem. The same goes for war. Russia and Ukraine are no big deal. As time passes, interest fades, and before you know it, it becomes someone else's problem. In the end, it's a society where it's all someone else's problem. Although the people in African slums and the homeless are from different countries, I believe they are the same in terms of their condition: without a home to live in, without food to eat, committing crimes, and struggling to survive in the present. The big difference between homeless people in developed countries and homeless people (slum dwellers) in developing countries is, Developed countries try, fail, and become homeless. In developing countries, people are born homeless. I think this is a qualitative difference. However, the essential issue is to escape homelessness, and to find a way to become independent and get back on your feet. As a result, I think a reduction in the homeless population will lead to a more stable public safety situation. So, I thought to myself, all kinds of platforms and systems are being digitized with the evolution of IT technology, and with the development of AI, they are evolving at a dizzying speed. However, I felt that donations and support have always been left behind as analog. Foundations, NGOs, general incorporated associations. The activities of many organizations are analog, steady, and down-to-earth. In developed countries, the number of shelters is increasing and environmental improvements are being made, and even in Africa, like our partner Rochas Foundation, which provides boarding schools with food, clothing, shelter, and education, Although shelter development is progressing, the number of homeless people is not decreasing. Why isn't it moving forward? Well, it is moving forward, but there is no sense of speed. Why? It's because there isn't enough funding. The world's population has exceeded 8 billion and is growing. If each person donates 1 yen, that would amount to 8 billion yen. It's a simple calculation, but even if 30% of the world's people were homeless, 1 yen per person would amount to 5.6 billion yen. If each person donates 10 yen, that would be 56 billion yen. A few years ago, our company received venture capital funding. These are the words the executive in charge said at the time. "Know the weight of 1 yen. If you make someone feel like they don't want to spend even 1 yen, you won't get any more. If they feel like it's okay to spend 1 yen, then depending on your communication you can spend as much as you want. Do you feel like it's okay to spend this 1 yen, or do you make them feel like they don't want to spend a single yen at all? Know the weight of 1 yen." Fortunately, our company was willing to contribute 1 yen, and we were able to make the investment. Back to the topic at hand: homeless people around the world. I think there are a lot of people out there who want to save someone, who want the number of people to decrease. But I think there are a lot of people who don’t do anything. It's not that I don't execute it, but I don't know how to execute it! There's no trigger! Some people may have that opinion. The reason there are no returns for this crowdfunding campaign is because I wondered: does goodwill really exist in the world? If it does, what would make someone worth giving more than 1 yen for? We are conducting this event in the hope that it will provide an opportunity for people to learn about such things. I don't even know if crowdfunding is the right platform for it. I don't know if the text theme, sentences, or photos will change the emotions. This crowdfunding campaign is proving to be a huge struggle. A challenge from Amir, a Burkinabe man I have never met or known. Of course, it's none of my business. So, do you know the homeless people you see or meet around town? Unfortunately, I don't know any of the homeless people on Hastings Street in Vancouver. But in my heart, I want to give as many people as possible the opportunity and support to get back on their feet. What's the right answer? What works? Although I still have no grasp of the current situation, I believe that change in our "other people's problem" society is necessary worldwide. I myself feel a sense of crisis that "tomorrow I could be homeless." Prices in Canada are continuing to soar. Prices in developed countries are rising at an extraordinary rate. If you are left behind, you could be homeless tomorrow. The desire to change and the opportunity to change, from someone else's problem to being a stakeholder. I want to create a circle of goodwill based on empathy. It was with this vague feeling in mind that we launched this crowdfunding campaign. In today's society, the gap between rich and poor is only widening. I want to think of a system that allows money to circulate appropriately between those who have and those who don't. Otherwise, if things continue as they are, polarization will continue to grow and society will become self-centered, lonely, and boring...I do not want to throw my children into such a world and future. The homeless problem is a frustrating one, as we feel the weight of every yen. What is the best thing to do? The struggle continues today.

Well, I grew up without studying properly since elementary school and only played soccer, so this Nigerian baseball business... it took a tremendous amount of time and energy... Well, I couldn't come up with any ideas (laughs). However, during my journey to find examples of failures in promoting baseball in Africa, one word popped out at me: Suddenly, the world opened up before my eyes. I was just like Moses! Burkina Faso is known as one of the poorest countries in Africa. I went to Hokkaido to interview someone who has been promoting and supporting baseball in Burkina Faso for decades. It's huge! Hokkaido is too big! I drove four hours from the airport to meet him. As expected, he has been active for decades, so he told me about many failures. He is a very generous person. As we talked and sorted out what we had, it became clear that the keyword "money" was a common issue for everyone, including the activist groups and local people. I wondered if there were any other issues besides money when it comes to baseball practice, so I asked the question. What is the problem with baseball practice? The answer is "The equipment... bats, balls, and gloves are all second-hand donations. It's rare to find a glove that can actually catch a ball... Most of the time, the only gloves donated are those that are too damaged to catch the ball, so we can't practice properly..." Indeed, the gloves of the Nigerian children playing baseball were worn out. There were few children who could play catch properly, and many of them did not even have gloves. It occurred to me that the problem was not that they lacked the technique to catch the ball, but that the glove itself was the problem... (´；ω；`) Uuuu And then, "Why not make gloves in Nigeria!!!" That's easy to say, but it takes a lot of money and planning to do it. My heart is dancing, but I can't say "That's great! Let's do it!" right then and there... First of all, how many people in Nigeria, where the average monthly salary is 20,000 yen, can afford to buy expensive gloves? (ﾟДﾟ) Probably none... I thought this calmly at the time, and wasn't really enthusiastic about the idea. After the interview, we headed home. I drove my car absentmindedly, enjoying the tranquil scenery of nature. While stopping to rest at a roadside station along the way, I noticed that I had a message on my cell phone. The person who contacted me was the director of a Shizuoka Prefecture-based NGO that provides support to children who want to continue playing baseball but are forced to give up for financial reasons. "Thanks to your sponsorship again this year, dozens of children were able to continue playing baseball ~♪(^_-)-☆♪" In addition to promoting baseball in Africa, our company has also sponsored support for children in Japan who have had to give up baseball for economic reasons. So, finally, it happened! The dots connected and an idea struck me!! 1. Save even one child from having to give up baseball for financial reasons! 2. Create new industries and jobs in Nigeria through baseball! The intersection of these two pieces is the "Globe"!! ⚾ Not only in Japan, but all over the world, the price of gloves continues to rise, and for youth baseball gloves, The average price is 35,000 yen, and for high school baseball it is 70,000 yen, which is very expensive... (´；ω；`) Uuuu So many kids quit baseball because they can't afford it. But some of them might have become professional baseball players if they had continued. It's kind of sad that a child's dreams are being taken away for adult reasons... but then again, gloves are so expensive, so I can understand the adult reasons... I also have three sons, and the two oldest play baseball. My oldest son was leading until the final two in the Koshien qualifying tournament, when he couldn't get the last out and lost in a walk-off... It was disappointing, but what's more, if you go to a strong school, you have to live in a boarding school, and on top of the boarding fees, there's equipment fees, travel expenses... it costs about 200,000 yen a month... (-.-)y-゜゜゜ My second son also went to a strong school, so he went to a boarding school... I've experienced the pain of this expense, so I understand why adults would make them give up... It's an investment with no guarantee that they'll be able to become a professional baseball player in the future, after all. Back to the point, I understand the feelings of adults and children like this, so I bought these damn expensive gloves. If we could provide it at a very reasonable price and with high quality, we could provide it to children all over the world who want to continue playing baseball! This means that we need to keep our costs down to a level that can be offered to children in Nigeria who want to play baseball. So, what was the Nigerian baseball business going to do? That problem has now been put to rest!! in???? How do I make gloves? Do I make them? Who makes them? It's all image-driven, and there's no concreteness to it (laughs). Well, that's fine! We've decided what to do, so now we just need to make it more concrete. For now, I thought it would be ok to send the items to the major manufacturers for confirmation! Okay, okay… It wasn’t going to go so smoothly, and from here on, The journey of Made in Nigeria glove manufacturing has begun! Will they be able to navigate the ocean full of obstacles and be hit by a giant tsunami? Will the Margerick Nigeria be able to reach the goal safely? Please look forward to the next one!! ~To be continued~ ⚾WE ARE ONE TEAM⚾