[Aoba-BBT Group Anniversary Project] How did the 'School of Ambition' Isshinjuku produce 360 social entrepreneurs and 24 municipal heads?

Aoba-BBT, Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Iwao Shibata; hereinafter "Aoba-BBT") will hold a special online talk event on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, as the first installment of its alumni special talk series, part of the group-wide "Anniversary Project: Life-time Empowerment in Invisible Continent."

The guest speaker will be Mr. Nobuo Morishima, Representative Director and Secretary General of the NPO Isshinjuku. For 29 years, he has managed "Isshinjuku," a next-generation leader training school founded by management consultant Kenichi Ohmae in 1994, which has produced 360 social entrepreneurs, 17 members of the National Diet, 24 municipal heads, and 221 local assembly members from its 6,500 graduates.

The leaders of the two educational institutions founded by Kenichi Ohmae—BBT and Isshinjuku—will discuss the secrets of talent development for "citizens changing society" and the unique "Equation for Living with Ambition" (Kokorozashi) method systematized over 32 years of operation.

Corporate Application Page: https://go.aoba-bbt.com/l/963543/2026-03-24/89glt

Individual Application Page: https://go.aoba-bbt.com/l/963543/2026-03-24/89gm1

■ Background: Two Seeds Sown by Kenichi Ohmae

This talk is a key project of the Aoba-BBT Group's "Anniversary Project: Life-time Empowerment in Invisible Continent," running from 2025 to 2027.

Kenichi Ohmae founded Isshinjuku in 1994 with the philosophy of "producing proactive citizens who challenge the creation of a nation based on consumer sovereignty." Isshinjuku has cultivated talent in the unique fields of policy proposal, social entrepreneurship, and civic activity. Meanwhile, BBT (Business Breakthrough), established in 1998, specializes in developing business leaders and global talent.

Having the leaders of these two schools reflect on their respective journeys is a fitting anniversary project to visualize the multifaceted achievements born from Kenichi Ohmae's educational philosophy.

■ Purpose of the Project

The goal of this talk is to share the management know-how of one of Japan's leading "schools of ambition." Isshinjuku is known as a talent-producing institution on par with the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management, and its record of 24 municipal heads actually surpasses that of the latter.

Mr. Morishima left Sekisui House in 1997 to join the Isshinjuku secretariat and has spent 29 years accompanying students on their "challenges to live with ambition" under Mr. Ohmae's mentorship. His expertise and philosophy—incubating over 2,200 social change projects through 100 annual lectures and over 1,000 individual consultations—represent the front lines of NPO management and social entrepreneurship support.

By sharing this trajectory, we aim to provide actionable insights to the next generation of leaders who wish to change society with ambition.

■ Talk Highlights

1. The Original Experience of "Changing Life Tracks": Mr. Morishima, who was involved in urban development at Sekisui House, joined Isshinjuku in 1996 and was shocked by the potential of "living by exposing one's ambition." He will delve into the experience of quitting a stable career the following year to join the secretariat and being drilled in the "zero-based visioning" method under Mr. Ohmae.
2. The Reality of Managing a "School of Ambition" that Produced 6,500 People: How has a school that produced 360 social entrepreneurs and 262 politicians been managed? President Shibata will explore the NPO revenue model, business expansion decisions, organizational development, talent acquisition, and the systematization of the "Equation for Living with Ambition" method from a management perspective.
3. The Evolution and Future of NPOs: 32 years since 1994, when there wasn't even an NPO law. How has the environment surrounding NPOs changed? We will discuss the new meaning of "living with ambition" in the AI era and the 10-year vision for Isshinjuku.

■ Event Overview

• Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 12:00–13:00
• Format: Online (Zoom Webinar)
• Fee: Free
• Deadline: Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 15:00