Team Sunrise – Hitachi Employees' Network that Fosters Innovation
【Part 11】The "Bridge of Ambidexterity" Sustaining Hitachi's Culture of Challenge — Roundtable with Executive Chairman Higashihara and Team Sunrise members （Part 1）

Japanese

Click here for "【Part 1】 15 Years of Hitachi’s Internal Employee Network"
Click here for "【Part 2】 The Logic of Transforming an Organization"
Click here for "【Part 3】 Making a Fresh Start from Stagnation"
Click here for "【Part 4】 Challenging the Pandemic by DX of Innovation"
Click here for "【Part 5】 Secret behind the Longevity of Team Sunrise"
Click here for "【Part 6】 Drivers of Innovation"
Click here for "【Part 7】 The Man Who Brought the US Bestseller “The Human Element” to Japan"
Click here for "【Part 8】 Global Mindset and English"
Click here for "【Part 9】 Organization Where Innovation Occurs from the Bottom Up"
Click here for "【Part 10】The "Bridge of Ambidexterity" Sustaining Hitachi's Culture of Challenge — 20 Years of Activities Reported to Executive Chairman Higashihara
Click here for "【Part 11】Roundtable with Executive Chairman Higashihara and Team Sunrise members （Part 1）

* This article was written as of July 29, 2025.

What Prevents Challenge?

Sato
Thank you for making the time to meet with us today. As with the previous Report Session on 20 Years of Activities, we are here today with the same members: myself, Sato, and Miyazawa from the secretariat, along with four ambassadors. This time, in the form of a roundtable discussion, we'd like to take a deeper look into the initiative of the internal network. Thank you.

Higashihara
Ok, let's get into it.

Sato
When we last had the opportunity to talk about Team Sunrise's activities, I thought once again about how we could expand these activities across Hitachi Group, and how we could further develop them for a global expansion. We have now given some thought to how we can develop this concept. We immediately met with Lorena Dellagiovanna, our Chief Human Resources Officer （CHRO）, to explain Team Sunrise and exchanged views on how to further develop opportunities for fostering innovation on a global scale.

In discussions among our team members, we also hypothesized that if Hitachi employees find it difficult to take on new challenges, it is not due to a lack of motivation, but rather because there may be factors that prevent them. The more capable and diligent someone is, the more likely they are to focus excessively on their immediate tasks, making it difficult for them to take on new challenges or engage in building networks across organizational boundaries. In other words, we considered the possibility that not taking on new challenges may have become the rational choice. If so, we need to eliminate the conditions that act as obstacles. For this purpose, we plan to thoughtfully consider and work in conjunction with the new mechanisms Director Higashihara described, which fairly evaluate challenges under One Hitachi. Looking ahead, I strongly hope to develop these activities into a global version of Team Sunrise.

Higashihara
I totally agree.

Sato
After the meeting, we investigated practices at other companies through discussions and exchanges. We found that, in general, companies tend to prioritize businesses that are already ahead in terms of profit and loss, making it difficult to nurture seeds for new ventures. While various programs and community activities are being implemented with different approaches, one commonality we observed is that all companies are struggling in this area. There are initiatives to address the challenge that highly motivated employees are often too busy with their daily work to participate in new activities — for example, allowing them to spend 15% of their working hours on different tasks. However, we also found that in many companies, such measures have become just formalities, showing that simply creating rules is not necessarily the solution. We were reminded once again of the importance of each employee's motivation and aspirations. In this context, Ms. Ono has experience with voluntary networks that emerged independently of formal systems. Could you present this as an example for our reference?

Ono
Hitachi Academy provides a self-driven learning experience platform （LXP） within the Hitachi Group and, together with learning influencers who voluntarily participate, conducts activities to promote autonomous language learning. Since many employees at Hitachi are foreign nationals working in Japan, we created opportunities to speak English with them, aiming to provide a setting for practical, interactive language learning. Although the primary objective was language learning, those who joined quickly found great value in helping each other, learning together, and interacting across organizational and national boundaries with a spirit of altruism. As a result, both Japanese and International employees began actively building networks. Interaction among participants exceeded our original expectations, and this led to the emergence of new communities, evolving the initiative into a platform for voluntary, self-driven activities.

Sato
Exceeding expectations is a common occurrence whenever our activities are expanding. Looking into various corporate cases considered successful, one common factor is that they place great importance on innovation forums run by employees, or spaces where employees can show their ideas to one another. Another common point was that management genuinely supported such activities and that employees' efforts and challenges were properly recognized and evaluated.

Backstory of "Make a Difference!"

Higashihara
As a platform for taking on new challenges, I established "Make a Difference!" in 2015 and the Future Investment Division in 2017. Team Sunrise also won an award. When I took the role of President & COO in 2014, I pointed out in the 2018 mid-term management plan that our profit margins were excessively low and argued that they had to be raised to a minimum of 8% to maintain global competitiveness. This was the reason behind establishing the initiative. Later, when we listened to employees' feedback through town hall meetings and other forums, we realized that many felt pressured because budgets were being imposed from above. It is important that the company does not become a suffocating place. With that in mind, we decided to create a platform where employees could freely propose how they wanted to change the company, which led to the launch of the "Make a Difference!" idea contest.

I also heard that people with great ideas and creativity are usually high performers, meaning once they return to their regular workplaces, they become so busy that they cannot take on new initiatives. That is why, two years later, I established the Future Investment Division. The goal was to establish a setting independent of the workplace, giving employees opportunities to pursue new challenges. Both "Make a Difference!" and the Future Investment Division operated directly under the President. While there were both achievements and challenges, I came to recognize that what really matters is providing such an environment.

There may indeed be a line of thought that, when priorities are taken into account, not taking on challenges is the more rational choice. I think this also has to do with the problem of human desires. Everyone has the desire to be praised and appreciated. Especially since many want to be seen positively by their managers, they naturally become more risk-averse, prioritizing and consistently completing the tasks assigned to them. It is only natural that when someone is called a future executive candidate, they become even less willing to take risks. With that in mind, if we can create an environment where everyone can work more freely and openly, carry out initiatives that are in the style of One Hitachi without feeling unnecessary pressure, and have a system that properly recognizes those who achieve results beyond their regular work, I believe we can build an even more innovative Hitachi.

Hitachi Open Innovation Hub

Higashihara
If this hub can grow into a space within Hitachi where everyone, Japanese and non-Japanese alike, HR may find it simpler to recognize and value the contributions made through it. I believe that being able to clearly see that someone is in the process of moving from informal activities into the formal loop focused on turning ideas into business makes it simpler to evaluate and reward them appropriately.

Sato
I think the Future Investment Division acted as the engine as seen in the loop here on the right side of the slide, supporting the transformation of idea seeds into actual businesses. Looking at Hitachi as a whole today, is that role now taken on by the Strategic Social Innovation Business （SIB）?

Higashihara
Under the new structure in 2025, the Energy, Mobility, and Connective Industries businesses, together with Digital Systems & Services connected to all of them, will deepen their core businesses through the "knowledge exploitation" approach in the ambidextrous management. Since pursuing "knowledge exploration" aimed at commercializing initiatives five years ahead is difficult within this structure, that responsibility has been assigned to Strategic SIB as a separate organizational unit. When I became President in 2014, I spoke about moving toward autonomous and decentralized management, and ten years later, we have achieved this globally.

Sato
If employees can act independently and collaborate across sectors and regions to explore new ideas, that is what One Hitachi is all about.

Higashihara
I hope that each employee tackles their challenges with the perspective of, "If I were the CEO, how would I handle this?" By doing so, they can not only aim for their targets but also develop a sense of what else is important, giving them the confidence to make suggestions to their managers.

Toshiaki Higashihara
Hitachi, Ltd.
Director, Executive Chairman and Representative Executive Officer
Born in 1955. Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1977. Has long been engaged in quality assurance for control systems across various sectors, including electric power and railways. After serving as president of domestic and overseas subsidiaries and gaining management experience,
appointed as President & COO, and Director in 2014; President & CEO, and Director in 2016; Executive Chairman & CEO and Director in 2021; and has held the current position since April 2022.
He has also been active outside the company, serving as Vice Chair of the Keidanren （Japan Business Federation） and as Chairman of the Japan Science Foundation, dedicating his efforts to solving social issues and promoting science and technology education. His publications include “Breaking Down Silos” （Toyo Keizai Inc.）.

Masahiko Sato
Hitachi, Ltd., Research & Development Group
Technology Strategy Office, Strategy Management Center
Open Innovation Promotion Office
Chief Strategist Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 2001 after holding the position of IT head at an international NGO. While engaged in system engineering for the information and communication business, new company establishment, M&A, and other new business planning, he also completed an MBA. He is currently pursuing a doctoral program in organizational management. After roles including Chief Researcher at the Headquarters IT Strategy Division and the Research & Development Group's Global Center for Social Innovation （CSI）, he took on his current position in 2023. He is in charge of developing R&D strategies and promoting open innovation. He has led Team Sunrise, an internal network activity continuing since 2006.

Aki Miyazawa
Hitachi Academy Co., Ltd., Business Partnering Division, Smart Life Sector BP Group
Assistant Manager
After beginning in a sales role at Hitachi, Ltd., she transferred to the Hitachi Institute of Management Development, the forerunner of Hitachi Academy. She is now part of the Business Partnering Division, responsible for aligning business and talent strategies, identifying development needs in partnership with BUs and group companies, and designing solutions to enhance organizational strength. She provides development support for employees ranging from young professionals to management and facilitates knowledge utilization. As a member of the Team Sunrise secretariat, she has been involved in planning collaborations with Hitachi Academy events.

Ikue Osawa
Hitachi Ltd., Digital Systems & Services Division
Social Innovation Business Division
Well-being Society Business Creation Division
Well-being Society Business Creation Department 2
Unit Manager
Engaged in planning of the well-being business. Through voluntary activities, she has worked on career support for employees, with one of her internal reform proposals winning the Silver Award in the company's business contest. During her childcare leave, she obtained the national qualification of career consultant and has been engaged in initiatives to support career development.

Eiko Ono
Hitachi Academy Co., Ltd., Learning & Development Division, L&D Solutions Department
Assistant Manager
Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 2009. After working in IT sales and proposing HR systems to client HR departments, she became interested in self-driven career development and talent management. In 2022, she transferred to her current role within the Hitachi Group through an internal open recruitment process.
She is currently at Hitachi Academy, engaged in talent development support, including designing and developing language and global training programs, and promoting language learning using a learning experience platform （LXP） that supports self-driven learning.

Kazunari Nakazaki
Hitachi Solutions, Ltd., Corporate Strategy Management Group
Sustainability Management Division
Brand Communication Department
Section Manager
Joined Hitachi Solutions, Ltd. in 2003. Since joining, he has been consistently engaged in marketing and communications. In 2022, he managed the secretariat for the company-wide SX project and led project management for corporate branding initiatives. In 2024, he lead the establish "Hello Min," a collaborative community for building a sustainable future, and is actively contributing to sustainable society initiatives as its community manager. Registered Small and Medium Enterprise Consultant, accredited by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry （METI）.

Ritsuha Tanaka
Hitachi Ltd., Digital Systems & Services Division
Strategy Planning Division, Business Development
Joined Hitachi Ltd. in 2023. Engaged in business development through collaboration with startups, as well as in the design and implementation of internal systems and initiatives aimed at achieving ambidextrous management （both deepening existing businesses and exploring new businesses）. While majoring in applied chemistry during her student years, she gained a strong awareness of the gap between technology and society through presenting at conferences and writing papers. Alongside her research, she studied in the U.S. and Europe, where she experienced launching startups and interning at accelerators. Currently, she is applying these experiences to develop ecosystems aimed at generating new businesses.