Promoting Regional Revitalization through an Industry-Academia-Government Partnership with Kobe Myodani Work Lab AOZORA・SUMAile, University of Marketing and Distribution, and Suma Ward, Kobe
Persol Business Process Design, along with the University of Marketing and Distribution and Suma Ward, launched a student-led project aimed at fostering civic pride in the Myodani area, culminating in the successful 'Myodani Akamichi Hometown Festival'.
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- 📰 Published: April 3, 2026 at 00:00
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Persol Business Process Design Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kazuyuki Ichimura; hereinafter 'Persol Business Process Design'), a member of the Persol Group, which champions the vision 'Work, and Smile,' announces the implementation of an industry-academia-government collaborative project at Kobe Myodani Work Lab AOZORA・SUMAile, a facility combining a job-share center* and a space for regional revitalization. This project was conducted jointly with the University of Marketing and Distribution (President: Nobutoshi Shimizu) and Suma Ward, Kobe City (Ward Mayor: Keiji Iwaki). Launched in April 2025, the project was led by students with the aim of fostering 'civic pride'—an attachment to and pride in their residential area—among the residents of Suma Ward and the Myodani area.
*An office space where individuals with limited working hours due to circumstances like childcare or nursing care can work close to home without commuting to the city center.
■ Background and Purpose of the Collaboration
Through the operation of the job-share center AOZORA・SUMAile, Persol Business Process Design has created employment for approximately 1,000 people, primarily in the Suma Ward and Myodani area. Simultaneously, we have been working to create regional value by hosting various community exchange events, such as seminars and festivals. As a company with an office in the Myodani area, while exploring how to connect 'working' with 'regional revitalization,' we devised an initiative to create opportunities for students to proactively think about and execute regional revitalization. Through this process, students become familiar with 'working' and, by understanding it, develop into individuals capable of thriving in society in the future. Associate Professor Emi Okada of the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Commerce at the University of Marketing and Distribution, and Suma Ward, Kobe City, endorsed this purpose, leading to the realization of this industry-academia-government collaborative project.
■ Roles of Industry, Academia, and Government
University of Marketing and Distribution: Fieldwork, planning, and execution leading to the fostering of civic pride.
Suma Ward, Kobe City: Advice on public infrastructure and support for event hosting.
Persol Business Process Design: Advice on how to proceed with event planning and on careers.
■ Details of the Initiative
In this collaboration, 14 students from the Okada Seminar at the University of Marketing and Distribution were provided with the opportunity to interact with local government, the community, and companies before entering society. Under the theme of 'Fostering Pride in the Region (Civic Pride),' they learned about the issues facing the region. By working on solving these issues through 'collaboration,' they were given the chance to think about how to proceed with work and their own careers.
By walking around the Myodani area, the students identified issues by extracting the gap between statistical data—such as population, number of households, and age demographics in Suma Ward, Kobe City—and their actual observations of the town. The students then proactively executed the project from planning to operation, devising solutions to these issues.
■ Results of the Initiative
Through fieldwork, the students identified that the 'Akamichi' (red road)—a residential road paved with red asphalt that restricts vehicle traffic and allows pedestrians and bicycles to pass safely—is a major characteristic of the Myodani area in Suma Ward. Furthermore, students who felt proud of the various festivals held in their hometowns noticed that the Myodani area, being a new town, lacked festivals. They believed that holding a festival, and making the venue the area's characteristic 'Akamichi,' would be key to fostering civic pride. Therefore, the 'Myodani Akamichi Hometown Festival' was held on Sunday, December 21, 2025. On the day of the event, activities enjoyable for locals, including children, were held, such as food stalls, fair games, a stamp rally, and a costume contest.
*An office space where individuals with limited working hours due to circumstances like childcare or nursing care can work close to home without commuting to the city center.
■ Background and Purpose of the Collaboration
Through the operation of the job-share center AOZORA・SUMAile, Persol Business Process Design has created employment for approximately 1,000 people, primarily in the Suma Ward and Myodani area. Simultaneously, we have been working to create regional value by hosting various community exchange events, such as seminars and festivals. As a company with an office in the Myodani area, while exploring how to connect 'working' with 'regional revitalization,' we devised an initiative to create opportunities for students to proactively think about and execute regional revitalization. Through this process, students become familiar with 'working' and, by understanding it, develop into individuals capable of thriving in society in the future. Associate Professor Emi Okada of the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Commerce at the University of Marketing and Distribution, and Suma Ward, Kobe City, endorsed this purpose, leading to the realization of this industry-academia-government collaborative project.
■ Roles of Industry, Academia, and Government
University of Marketing and Distribution: Fieldwork, planning, and execution leading to the fostering of civic pride.
Suma Ward, Kobe City: Advice on public infrastructure and support for event hosting.
Persol Business Process Design: Advice on how to proceed with event planning and on careers.
■ Details of the Initiative
In this collaboration, 14 students from the Okada Seminar at the University of Marketing and Distribution were provided with the opportunity to interact with local government, the community, and companies before entering society. Under the theme of 'Fostering Pride in the Region (Civic Pride),' they learned about the issues facing the region. By working on solving these issues through 'collaboration,' they were given the chance to think about how to proceed with work and their own careers.
By walking around the Myodani area, the students identified issues by extracting the gap between statistical data—such as population, number of households, and age demographics in Suma Ward, Kobe City—and their actual observations of the town. The students then proactively executed the project from planning to operation, devising solutions to these issues.
■ Results of the Initiative
Through fieldwork, the students identified that the 'Akamichi' (red road)—a residential road paved with red asphalt that restricts vehicle traffic and allows pedestrians and bicycles to pass safely—is a major characteristic of the Myodani area in Suma Ward. Furthermore, students who felt proud of the various festivals held in their hometowns noticed that the Myodani area, being a new town, lacked festivals. They believed that holding a festival, and making the venue the area's characteristic 'Akamichi,' would be key to fostering civic pride. Therefore, the 'Myodani Akamichi Hometown Festival' was held on Sunday, December 21, 2025. On the day of the event, activities enjoyable for locals, including children, were held, such as food stalls, fair games, a stamp rally, and a costume contest.