[Musashino University] Learning the secrets behind hit products broadens students' horizons; Marketing research special lecture held in Department of Human Sciences; Industry-academia collaboration with Asmarq Inc. teaches the power of research supporting society

A special lecture titled "Research Cases from Marketing Challenges - The Secret Story of Developing 'Sellable' Products" was held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in the seminar of Professor Mikako Yazawa in the Department of Human Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, Musashino University (Legal entity: Koto Ward, Tokyo; President: Seiko Konishi). The lecture was delivered by Asmarq Inc.

This lecture was conducted as part of an industry-academia collaboration, aiming to teach students (3rd and 4th year) in Professor Yazawa's seminar, who specializes in industrial mental health and career support, about the practical aspects of marketing research and how its results are utilized in corporate activities.

The lecture introduced the research process behind the creation of hit products and the stories behind them from a marketing perspective, with numerous examples. In the latter half, episodes unique to the field and the mindset of a research professional were shared. Through Q&A, students had a valuable opportunity to experience the reality of the real world while concretely imagining themselves working as professionals.

Details of the event were also posted on Asmarq Inc.'s website on Wednesday, July 8.

[Lecture Details]

Date and Time:

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Location:

Musashino University Ariake Campus (3-3-3 Ariake, Koto Ward, Tokyo)

Duration:

90 minutes

Lecturer:

Shunsuke Kano, Marketing Communication Group, Corporate Planning Department, Asmarq Inc.

Program:

What is Marketing Research?

What can be understood from research?

The secret story of developing "sellable" products

What is a research company? Working at a research company

Q&A

Student Comments (Excerpts)

● I discovered that research is conducted not just by analyzing vaguely, but by devising data collection and analysis methods according to the objective, and even considering how to communicate the results to the company.

● Through success stories, I learned the necessity of reviewing strategies in response to consumer needs and changes in the market environment. I felt that marketing is not just a method of selling products, but an important activity that continuously captures consumer needs through research and provides value.

● The process of bridging the gap between what companies want to convey and what consumers want to know through research was impressive.

[Comments]

Mikako Yazawa, Professor, Department of Human Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences

My research field is industrial mental health and career support. In my seminar, we learn about future career formation and support based on psychological theories, deepening self-understanding and understanding of others, with the central question being "How to work and how to live."

Through this special lecture, students were able to deepen their understanding of the job of marketing research and concretely learn what kind of value research data creates in the actual business field. The lecture also served as an opportunity to significantly broaden students' horizons, sparking interest in industries and job types they had not previously considered as career options, and providing 4th-year students with new perspectives for their graduation theses.

I feel that experiences like these, which connect "learning" and "practice," have become a major catalyst for students to proactively think about their own futures and careers. Two of our university's graduates, who are now working at Asmarq Inc., also participated on the day, and seeing our successful alumni served as good role models for the students in envisioning their own futures. I would like to express my sincere gratitude once again for this valuable opportunity.

[About Musashino University]

In 1924, Musashino Women's College was established with the ideal of character education based on Buddhist principles. Succeeding Musashino Women's University, it was renamed Musashino University in 2003. Since becoming co-educational in 2004, the university has promoted reforms and developed into a comprehensive university with over 14,000 students, including 13 faculties, 21 departments, 14 graduate schools, and a correspondence division. In 2019, it established the Faculty of Data Science, the first in a private university in Japan. In 2021, it established the Faculty of Entrepreneurship, the first in Japan, and launched "Musashino INITIAL," a common basic curriculum for all students, making "AI Utilization" and "SDGs" compulsory subjects. In 2023, it established the Faculty of Sustainability, the first in Japan. In 2024, celebrating its 100th anniversary, it established the Faculty of Wellbeing, the first in the world. In 2026, it will establish the Faculty of International Data Science through its correspondence division, proposing a new form of learning for distance education. The university is advancing reforms to foster creative human resources for the future towards 2050.

Related Links

Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Human Sciences:

https://www.musashino-u.ac.jp/academics/faculty/human_sciences/human_sciences/

Asmarq Inc.: https://www.asmarq.co.jp/

Marketing Research Special Lecture:

https://www.asmarq.co.jp/news/id_ac_clb_musashino/