Philosophy Cloud Establishes 'Center for Social Implementation of Philosophy' to Bridge Academia and Business and Explore New Value

ShiruBe Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Seiya Kamidate; hereinafter 'ShiruBe') has established the 'Center for Social Implementation of Philosophy' to bridge academia and business and explore new value.

Interest in philosophy is growing at the forefront of business like never before. In the 'Science and Technology Nation Strategy' recommendation announced by the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) on May 19, 2026, the necessity of 'thought and philosophy' was also presented.

'Science and Technology Nation Strategy' announced by Keidanren (announced on May 19, 2026)

In response to the demands of this era, our company held a kickoff event for the 'Center for Social Implementation of Philosophy' on May 22, 2026. Approximately 50 diverse experts, including researchers, business professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, and NPO staff, gathered as participants.

This article provides an overview of the kickoff event report.

For those who wish to see the details, please check the URL below.

Kickoff Event Report

■ Background of the Establishment of the 'Center for Social Implementation of Philosophy'

In establishing the 'Center for Social Implementation of Philosophy', Seiya Kamidate, representative of Philosophy Cloud, explained his original experience and the mission of 'realizing a society that faces what is truly important through the power of philosophy'. He revealed the background of expanding activities through support for Japanese manufacturing companies and investment from the Ritsumeikan Social Impact Fund in 2024, and stated that the center was established to focus on social activities in addition to business in the future.

■ Activity Policies of the 'Center for Social Implementation of Philosophy'

Akina Yuasa, a researcher at the center and Business Development Manager of Philosophy Cloud, presented the center's activity policies, interspersed with examples of projects utilizing philosophy.

① Connect (Applied Research)

This activity involves researching and developing practical knowledge cultivated through business activities and connecting it to companies.

In this area, three projects are already underway.

- Philosophical Innovator Training Course
This course is mainly for those working on new business ventures. Starting from 'one's own way of seeing things (philosophy)', it deciphers the 'new signs' lurking in the world. Two actual participants shared their impressions of the course.

- HR Study Group
This study group is led by Yoshihiro Nakajima, a researcher at the center and a visiting professor at Kochi University. Leveraging Nakajima's experience as a human resources manager at an electronics manufacturer, it provides 'learning places' and 'exchange places' that transcend the boundaries of companies, schools, and NPOs. It aims to develop human resources who can independently think and act on the question 'How should we live?', while also challenging the inheritance of tacit knowledge across generations and solving social issues.

- Manufacturing Research
As an example of the social implementation of philosophy, a collaboration with Sony Corporation's Technology Center, Imaging System Technology Division, was introduced. In this initiative, 'Philosophical Dialogue (*1)' was first conducted as an initial approach. Akifumi Mizukami, General Manager of the division, stated that the dialogue generated many comments not seen in regular work and brought visible changes to the relationships and statements among participants.

Akifumi Mizukami, General Manager, Imaging System Technology Division, Technology Center, Sony Corporation

Based on the positive results of this philosophical dialogue, the project is advancing to explore 'new value' by delving deeper to find new technological possibilities. From Sony's unique perspective, which has long believed in the potential of entertainment and delivered inspiration, the focus was on rethinking technological possibilities from the viewpoints of 'game-like qualities' and 'play'. As part of this process, a field experience was conducted in a snowy mountain to evoke the primitive sensation of 'hunting'. Currently, after analyzing insights gained from the hunting experience, the project is moving to the next step.

*1: Philosophical Dialogue is a dialogue method where a philosopher facilitates a free discussion among multiple people on a theme, sharing each person's assumptions and context, and updating their views/ways of thinking.

② Expand (Pro Bono Activities)

This activity delivers the appeal of philosophy to society at large, including schools.

This year, Motoki Okada, a researcher at the center and consultant at Philosophy Cloud, will conduct extracurricular classes at junior high and high schools in the Tohoku region. The center promotes this activity believing that fostering children's ability to think and dialogue independently is a crucial foundation for enriching future society.

③ Deepen (Basic Research)

This activity deepens and develops 'philosophy', which has continued for 2500 years, in collaboration with other academic fields.

Research will be led by Horikoshi, a researcher at the center and a project researcher at the University of Tokyo. Specifically, the center will conduct 'interdisciplinary research' combining literature research, which carries on the philosophical tradition, with empirical research from fields such as sociology and management studies.

④ Nurture (Career Support)

Researchers in the humanities face fewer employment opportunities compared to those in the sciences, and are placed in unstable environments with low wages and short-term fixed contracts. According to a survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), 45.7% of postdoctoral researchers in the humanities earn less than 350,000 yen per month, with 15.2% working for less than 200,000 yen. Furthermore, approximately 60.5% of postdoctoral researchers have contracts of one year or less at universities or public research institutions, making it difficult to concentrate on research even if they secure a position (*2).

The center will serve as a 'career buffer zone' for these researchers, providing diverse options that allow them to balance business and academic activities. On the day, Lee Sang-on, a philosophy researcher enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School who has been involved in the center's projects, spoke about his feelings.

Lee Sang-on, Researcher at the Center

*2: 'Survey on Employment and Career Paths of Postdoctoral Researchers etc.' (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)

■ Panel Discussion on Capitalism

In the latter part of the event, a panel discussion was held on the theme 'What should we, living in modern capitalism, think about now?' The panelists were Kosuke Shinagawa, author of 'Living with Capitalism' and member of the COTEN Historical Research Team, and Shinji Kajitani, Director of the center and Professor at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School.

Kosuke Shinagawa of the COTEN Historical Research Team (right) and Director Shinji Kajitani (left)

The central question of the panel discussion was 'Is it possible for companies to distance themselves from capitalism?' In capitalism, financial figures like sales and profits are emphasized, but in modern management, the importance of value that cannot be measured solely by these figures is being recognized, and new 'yardsticks' such as SDGs and non-financial indicators are spreading. This discussion sought a path to advance this further.

Finally, Director Kajitani gave closing remarks.

'The greatest value our center provides is connecting 'business' and 'academia', which would not normally intersect. Rather than bringing in abstract theories as they are, it is important to 'reassemble' philosophy into a form that works in the business field. That is what we believe is important.'

The center is