Yasuko Tamaki is 94 years old, she has been working since WWII, and she has been known as the Japanese working genius since she started working. This dedicated woman has been working at the same company for 68 years, in fact, even the chairman of the company is 12 years her junior.
No plans to retire
She still works 5 days a week, starting at 9 AM and finishing at 5 PM every day at Sunco Industries CO, in Osaka’s Nishi Ward. She spends her day doing a large amount of computer work at the specialty fastener trading firm, some think that she might even be more efficient at computer work than some younger people. Tamaki is asked to write letters of appreciation or commendation to be presented to important clients and exceptional colleagues.
“She tells me she wants to die at her desk,” said Hirohiko Sato, 47, the head of the general affairs department who supervises Tamaki.
“Once a year ends, then there is another. So I hope to keep on going like that,” said Tamaki.
Tamaki frequently helps to train new employees in the company thanks to her extensive experiences as one who has lived the company’s history with words carefully selected from the vocabulary she has refined through her long career. She is also responsible for accounting and other clerical procedures at the general affairs department of the company, which now has more than 430 employees, which she watched grow from only having 20 when she started in 1956.
At the age of 40, she became a section chief. Even after passing the age of retirement over 30 years ago, Tamaki has no plans to retire and skill keeps retraining to keep her skills up to date. She started learning computers at the age of 67 years old, and at the age of 70 years old, she could stay up all night and rush to the ski resort with her colleagues. At the age of 86, she still persisted in the company taking various certifications to continue her education and keep challenging her brain.
“For me, the official retirement age means nothing,” said a determined Tamaki. “I have a future. I will live strong in the present for tomorrow.”
Making History
At the age of 90, she became a master at various social media platforms. Her popularity on social media platforms brought her to the attention of the Guinness World Records. This led to her being awarded the certificate of the oldest general affairs department employee in the World.
When asked how she achieved such a feat she answered, “All I did was doing what I’m expected to do for 90 years, so I don’t know what to say! I am truly touched.”
“I think it’s just an accumulation. I always thought that I was born to be of help to someone. So I want to do things that make chairman, managers and other staff happy. That remains my lifelong goal.”
“I am just amazed,” Tamaki said in an astonished but cheerful tone on the stage when receiving her award. “I have simply been continuing to do ordinary things.”
Words of wisdom
She has learned that managing and training requires a certain level of finesse and decided to “prepare a place for learning so they will grow on their own,” and introduced a three-pillar training principle of “following, breaking and separating” which has been working well for the firm.
This “teacher in life” has a short speech for new recruits: “Reaching the destination as if ascending through a spiral staircase, the landscape will change at every step. Expectations and hopes arise for the next step. Interest arises in unknown worlds. When you arrive at your destination, you will discover your unbelievably awakened self.”
“I have never married but came across a great partner–my company,” Tamaki said. “I am the only myself in this universe. I will work hard to see how far I can go.”
Brain stimulating activities
Tamaki wakes up every morning at 5:30 AM, does yoga for a half hour, and repeats Buddhism’s Wisdom Sutras three times. To go to work she either commutes by bus or metro or walks to where she has watched the “life” of the business entity for more than six decades.
Tamaki loves to read and has taken the Japan Kanji Aptitude Test Grade Semi-1 exam to keep her mind challenged and skills updated. She likes to search for words of wisdom to dispense to her colleagues when they ask for advice. She also enjoys competing with others in card games as well as in mah-jongg.
Tamaki challenges people to live strong with a positive mindset saying that “if you waste today, then there is no tomorrow.”
Aging population
Japan has one of the fastest-aging populations, and a number of older citizens are expected to keep working as more people are expected to live to be centenarians. According to the labor ministry’s report on elderly employment, businesses with 31+ employees permanently employ a total of 32.34 million people as of June 1 last year. Of these, 4.09 million were aged 60 or older, which is up 230,000 from the previous year. This figure continues to increase, with the latest number being 1.67 million more than that of 10 years previously.
As to how businesses plan to keep accommodating older workers; a system has been established at 33.4% for those 66 or older to keep working, increasing 2.6 percentage points from a year earlier. With the revision of the law to create stable employment for elderly people, employers will be obligated to make efforts toward providing employment opportunities for individuals up to age 70. This will lead to even more seniors continuing their professional careers.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/856763083217070
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14159337
https://worldhealth.net/news/exoskeletons-being-utilized-japan-assist-aging-workforce/
https://worldhealth.net/news/anti-aging-medicine-and-spiritual-awakening/