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

Aoba-BBT Co., Ltd. (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 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 representatives of the two educational institutions founded by Kenichi Ohmae—BBT and Isshinjuku—will discuss the secrets of human resource development for "citizens changing society" and the unique "Equation for Living with Ambition" (Shizashi o Ikiru Hoteishiki), a methodology 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 "Anniversary Project: Life-time Empowerment in Invisible Continent," which the Aoba-BBT Group is rolling out from 2025 to 2027.

In 1994, Kenichi Ohmae founded Isshinjuku 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 is committed to producing global talent.

Having the representatives of these two schools look back on their respective journeys and engage in dialogue 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 producing 24 municipal heads surpasses that of the Matsushita Institute.

Mr. Morishima left Sekisui House in 1997 to join the Isshinjuku secretariat and has spent 29 years under Mr. Ohmae's mentorship, accompanying students on their "challenges to live with ambition." His skill and philosophy—having conducted 100 lectures and over 1,000 individual consultations annually, and incubating over 2,200 social reform projects—represent the reality of the front lines of NPO management and social entrepreneurship support. By sharing this trajectory, we aim to provide action-oriented hints to the next generation of leaders who wish to change society with ambition.

Talk Highlights This talk will explore Mr. Morishima's "human resource development strategy for the civic sector" and "secrets of NPO management" from the following three perspectives:

1. The original experience of "switching 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." The following year, he abandoned a stable career to join the secretariat. We will delve into the original experience of being drilled in the "zero-based vision-drawing" thinking 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 (17 national, 221 local, 24 municipal heads) been managed? We will dig into the NPO revenue model, decision-making for business expansion, organizational building, talent acquisition, and the systematization of the "Equation for Living with Ambition" method. President Shibata will explore the accumulation of 32 years of management decisions and the difficulties faced in the process from a manager's perspective.

3. Changes in NPOs and the future It has been 32 years since 1994, a time when there wasn't even an NPO Law. How has the environment surrounding NPOs changed? Has management become easier, or has it become more difficult? We will discuss the new meaning of "living with ambition" in the AI era and Isshinjuku's 10-year vision.

Event Overview - Date and Time: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 12:00–13:00 - Format: Online (Zoom Webinar) - Participation Fee: Free - Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 15:00 - Applications: (Links provided above)

Recommended for: - Those aspiring to start social enterprises or NPOs - Those interested in politics and policy proposals - Those looking for a path to live with ambition in their "second life" - Executives and educators involved in human resource development and organizational building - Current students and alumni who want to know how to apply their learning in practice

Profiles Nobuo Morishima: Representative Director and Secretary-General of NPO Isshinjuku. Born in 1964. After graduating from Keio University, he joined Sekisui House. Joined Isshinjuku in 1996 (3rd cohort), left his job the following year to join the secretariat. Became Representative Director in 2002 upon NPO incorporation. Over 29 years, he has accompanied 6,500 students on their "challenges to live with ambition." Author of "Living with Ambition in Your Second Life" and many others.

Iwao Shibata: Representative Director and President of Aoba-BBT Co., Ltd. Holds degrees from Kyoto University (B.Eng, M.Eng), London School of Economics (MSc), and Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (MBA). Built a career in IT and strategy consulting. Co-founded an online supermarket with Kenichi Ohmae in 1998. Became CEO of Business Breakthrough in 2018. Under his leadership, Aoba-BBT expands diverse educational services focusing on international and recurrent education.