JAL, which has bases throughout Japan, has been continuously implementing initiatives to revitalize local communities (currently known as the “JAL Hometown Project”), In August 2020, the company launched the “JAL Hometown Ambassadors” program, in which flight attendants selected through an internal application process relocate to local communities to promote initiatives in their respective regions. In December of the same year, it also appointed the “JAL Hometown Support Team,” whose members engage in regional revitalization efforts while continuing to fly. The aim is to utilize the expertise cabin crew members have cultivated in their roles to develop products and address regional challenges in their hometowns or areas with which they have ties.
We spoke with Minori Mizukami, a JAL Hometown Ambassador who gave a lecture to students in Hokkaido.
――Please tell us about your efforts.
The JAL Aviation Mirai Lab Community Partnership Course at Jissen Women’s University—which we also posted about on June 12—has finally reached its final session!
A final presentation was held at Jissen Women’s University, where first-year college students, taking on the role of “JAL Hometown Ambassadors,” showcased the results of a three-month workshop in which they explored the charms of their local communities on their own. Here’s a look at the event!
Jissen Women’s University and Japan Airlines have been collaborating since 2021 with the aim of helping students develop flexible ways of thinking about social issues. In May of this year, an educational partnership agreement was signed between the Jissen Women’s Gakuen Educational Foundation, Japan Airlines, and the JAL Aviation Mirai Lab.
In this project, students took on the role of JAL Hometown Ambassadors and presented ideas for solving challenges facing the regions they had chosen; I served as a judge at the presentation event.
The students divided into three groups, and the regions they selected were Kochi, Obihiro (Hokkaido), and Oita. They discussed why they chose those regions, what challenges they face, what the ideal future for each region looks like, and presented solutions based on their fresh, student-like perspectives. Each group proposed mechanisms for creating sustainable tourism and increasing visitor traffic by leveraging existing regional resources.
――How are you involved in this initiative?
Although I was serving as a judge, all of the ideas proposed by the students were so innovative and compelling that I felt I had actually learned a great deal from them.
Based on my experience with regional revitalization efforts to date, I provided feedback; however, rather than offering an evaluation as a judge, my feedback took the form of words of encouragement from a fellow advocate working alongside them to tackle the region’s challenges.
――Please tell us about your future plans and outlook.
The enthusiasm of the students as they sincerely engaged with the community, along with their many ideas that highlighted the region’s existing charms, provided me—as a JAL Hometown Ambassador—with invaluable insights that helped me take a fresh look at the region. Moving forward, inspired by the students’ earnest attitude, I will continue to refine the region’s stories through my daily activities. I also sincerely look forward to the day when I can once again join forces with these students—now having grown even more—to work together on the ground in the community.
――Please share a message for travelers.
After their presentations, the students commented, “We were impressed by JAL’s approach of not just transporting people, but collaborating with other companies to tackle complex regional challenges.” Although this event concluded with the presentation of ideas, the regions the students explored are home to real people, and those places are surely filled with their warm sentiments and personal stories. We hope that the students will visit these regions in the future, interact with the local communities, and gain new insights while experiencing the unique charm of each place firsthand.
At JAL, we go beyond simply providing transportation; we help connect you with the warm sentiments and stories unique to each region. Why not take a trip to one of these charming destinations?
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