Results of the Japan E-1 Grand Prix 2025

NTT West Corporation (Representative Director and President: Ryota Kitamura, hereinafter NTT West) held the 'Japan E-1 Grand Prix 2025' on March 19, 2026, as an initiative to promote the creation of new value across companies through employee boundary-crossing activities.

This initiative celebrates 'boundary-crossing activities,' where employees return the knowledge, networks, and experience gained outside their main job to their organization, leading to new value creation. It aims to discover individuals who take on challenges and foster a culture of challenge throughout the organization.

The grand prix received 78 applications, and 11 finalists who passed the first screening presented at the final event. The event was held publicly, with approximately 200 participants attending in person and online.

1. Background of the Japan E-1 Grand Prix

In recent years, as the social environment changes rapidly, companies are required to create new value that is not bound by existing frameworks to achieve sustainable growth.

It is 'people' who create new value. Individuals who grow by gaining knowledge, networks, and experience outside their main job can contribute to the organization, directly leading to increased corporate value through new business creation and operational transformation. Against this backdrop, NTT West places importance on boundary-crossing activities as part of its human resource strategy.

Therefore, NTT West established the 'E-1 Grand Prix' in fiscal year 2024 with the aim of actively evaluating and disseminating boundary-crossing activities, visualizing challenging individuals as role models, and encouraging behavioral change among more employees.

In this grand prix, 'E' stands for 'Exceed/Explore,' referring to activities where individuals step into new areas of their own volition, transcending the boundaries of their organization or business domain. Examples include side jobs, dual jobs within the company, volunteer work, community activities, and cross-boundary training – all voluntary challenges outside one's main job.

Starting in fiscal year 2025, the 'Japan E-1 Grand Prix' was established, expanding beyond the NTT West Group to target employees and staff working at companies throughout Japan, aiming to discover and celebrate social role models.

In the Japan E-1 Grand Prix, evaluations are based not on the boundary-crossing activity itself, but on 'how the insights gained through boundary-crossing activities were brought back to the main job and used to create new value.' This aims to visualize a model where individual challenges lead to corporate growth and are returned to the region and society.

Furthermore, the grand prix holds the final presentations as a public event, involving external experts and general participants to communicate the value of challenge to society.

2. Japan E-1 Grand Prix 2025 Final Presentation Overview

Name: Japan E-1 Grand Prix 2025

Date: March 19, 2026

Venue: QUINTBRIDGE (Miyakojima-ku, Osaka)

Organizer: NTT West Corporation

https://www.quintbridge.jp/event/detail/202602021825.html?date=2026/03/19

3. Awards and Judges for Japan E-1 Grand Prix 2025

■ Awards

・Grand Prize, Audience Award, NewsPicks Award, My Decision Story Award, Persol Career HiPro Award,

Boundary Leadership Award, Parallel Career Japan Award, Boundary Initiative Award, JMAM Award, NTT West Award

■ Judges

・Ms. Rena Kojidera (Deputy Director, Future Human Resource Strategy Office, Industrial Human Resources Division, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)

・Mr. Shinichiro Osato (General Manager, Talent Sharing Business Division, Persol Career Co., Ltd.)

・Ms. Natsuko Atsumi (Executive Officer, CEO Office Manager, Uzabase, Inc.)

・Ms. Atsuko Murozumi (Manager, Career Design Office, General Affairs and Human Resources Department, NTT Docomo, Inc.)

・Ms. Nozomi Kishi (Director/Editor, Lifemedia Co., Ltd.)

・Mr. Hideo Miura (Representative Director, Boundary Leadership Association / Executive Officer, Business Development Office Manager, Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc.)

・Mr. Kota Isomura (Representative Director, Parallel Career Japan / Digital Innovation Division & Human Resources Department, AGC Inc. / Organizational Development Consultant & Facilitator)

・Ms. Miki Harada (Representative Director, Boundary Initiative)

・Mr. Yoji Shimamoto (Director, JMAM Co., Ltd.)

・Mr. Masahiro Kajiwara (Senior Managing Executive Officer, General Manager of General Affairs and Human Resources Department, CHRO, NTT West)

・Mr. Kazutaka Obe (E-1 Grand Prix Founder, Deputy General Manager, Professional Human Resource Strategy Division, General Affairs and Human Resources Department, Culture Producer, NTT West)

4. Japan E-1 Grand Prix 2025 Finalists

・Ms. Tomoko Ara (Section Manager, Consulting Business Headquarters, NTT Data Corporation / Representative Director, AbZero Inc.)

・Mr. Akinori Arai (STYZ Syncable)

・Ms. Eri Okamoto (Co-creation Director, WORK MILL Coordination Center, Okamura Corporation)

・Mr. Takashi Kasubuchi (Specialist, Enterprise Sales Headquarters, NTT West Corporation)

・Ms. Moe Kominami (Innovation Promotion Headquarters, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.)

・Ms. Mika Saruyama (Chief, Sustainability Promotion Headquarters, Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.)

・Mr. Koji Nakagawa (Manager, Sustainability Promotion Department, Corporate Planning Headquarters, AGC Inc.)

・Mr. Daichi Namiki (Management Group, Mansion Block, Suyama Construction Co., Ltd.)

・Ms. Kaho Niida (Social Implementation Promotion, R&D Strategy Department, NTT Docomo, Inc.)

・Mr. Yuji Miki (Manager, Human Resources and Organizational Development Office, Human Resources Department, Asahi Kasei Corporation)

・Mr. Naoshi Yoshizawa (Deputy Section Manager, Business Development Headquarters, NTT East Corporation)

5. Results

The final grand prize was judged based on how the insights gained through boundary-crossing activities were brought back to the company and led to new value creation. The Audience Award went to the person who received the most votes from viewers, and special awards were selected based on each judge's criteria.

Grand Prize: Ms. Eri Okamoto

Audience Award: Mr. Yuji Miki

NewsPicks Award: Mr. Daichi Namiki

My Decision Story Award: Ms. Mika Saruyama

Persol Career HiPro Award: Ms. Kaho Niida, Mr. Yuji Miki

Boundary Leadership Award: Ms. Tomoko Ara

Parallel Career Japan Award: Mr. Takashi Kasubuchi

Boundary Initiative Award: Ms. Eri Okamoto

JMAM Award: Mr. Yuji Miki

NTT West Award: Mr. Daichi Namiki, Mr. Naoshi Yoshizawa

The Grand Prize was awarded to Ms. Eri Okamoto for her project titled 'When I Took the Initiative, the Company Changed: How the Expo Energized Osaka and Cities Nationwide, Leading the Company to Send Employees Company-Wide on a Business Trip to the Expo.'

Ms. Okamoto started her career at Okamura Corporation in accounting and sales administration. After accumulating new challenges within the company as a secretary and community manager, she decided to become a platformer connecting the Expo and the city, participating in demo!expo.