Linking the Middle East and Japan Through a Circular Economy (2)

*Insights shared in this dialogue are personal and do not represent those of any organization.
*Affiliations and positions are current at the time of this writing (Nov, 2025).
*The interview was conducted at MIRAI LAB PALETTE (MLP).

 

*Continued from Interview Part 1

Far-reaching perspective based on 5,000 years of Middle Eastern history

It helps to understand history when considering the distant future. Naoki outlines why reflecting on the long history of the Middle East is key.

“Reflecting on Middle Eastern civilization, which stretches back 5,000 years, gives you a different sense of history.

“The agricultural revolution unfolded around 12,000 years ago, when individuals began settling down and taking possession of land. Eventually, kingdoms were established. Three of the world’s four major civilizations formed in the Middle East: the Mesopotamian civilization, sandwiched between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; the Egyptian civilization along the Nile; and the Indus civilization along the Indus River. The Middle East flourished largely due to the fertile land near these major rivers. This land yielded generous supplies of food and wood for fuel, fully sustaining human civilization. People, goods, and money flowed through this hub from Asia, Europe, and Africa, fostering interaction and development for civilizations and cultures.”

 

In other words, the Middle East had all the ingredients needed for civilization to develop early on. If you exclude the past explosive century, you might say the Middle East was actually a leader in the world. So why do negative images, such as terrorism and war, persist when we think about the Middle East today?

“That is because we only focus on recent history—the past century following World War I. Once we entered the ‘era of oil,’ conflicts in the Middle East were constant, establishing the intractable impression of major powers fighting over oil rights.

“We make judgments based on the 20th and 21st centuries in which we ourselves have lived. But for the previous 4,900 years, the Middle East led the world. The coffee, wine, and beer sustaining our food culture spread from the Middle East to Europe. The concept of Orientalism, which stems from Europe, signified learning about culture and civilization from ‘countries lying to the east,’ in other words, the Middle East.”

Division sacrifices the bigger picture

Naoki points out that, for the most part, as Middle Eastern countries were colonized by European nations during the past century, lines drawn unilaterally in the mid-20th century caused lasting divisions “to exert control over the region.”

“Science is about discovering the laws of nature. We should be free to experience things as they are, but humans somehow insist on breaking things into categories to better understand them.”

We only see a localized part of the picture, failing to understand other areas or enjoy a holistic view. That causes us to lose sight of the essence of things.

The same thing happens with companies. The larger the entity, the more compartmentalization occurs. People become unaware of what other departments are doing, which prevents knowledge from being shared. So we fail to see the big picture and leverage our collective wisdom and strength.

“However, this compartmentalization does not cause our own beliefs and ideologies to become divided. If we realize that, perhaps more people will acknowledge the importance of connections that transcend existing boundaries.”

Interest and enthusiasm: The key to connection

The Yokogawa Group statement of purpose reads: “Utilizing our ability to measure and connect, we fulfill our responsibilities for the future of our planet.” How does Naoki, especially adept at nurturing global networks, feel this ability to connect can be strengthened?

“I think it lies in having an interest in others, namely, the culture and history behind that person or nation. That is where individuals meet and form connections.”

Naoki sees three elements of energy that move people.

“Eating, sleeping, and excitement. Working or socializing passively or out of a sense of duty will not expand your horizons. However, if you show interest in others, you can pursue that interest joyously without depleting yourself. Interacting with people enthusiastically will naturally attract those who resonate with you. And once individuals connect, the network broadens.”

The GPP: A Trust-Based Network

Finally, we asked　Naoki to share his impressions of the Green Phoenix Project (GPP), a Future Co-creation Initiative activity.

“It feels like an undertaking that will better society. You have shared directionality without the need for explanation. Even differing activities take shape from the same root. The GPP is a ‘trust-based network,’ in a non-digital sense. Trustworthy individuals introduce other trustworthy individuals to form a high-quality community.”

He also felt that the GPP is a project that truly resonates with people on a personal level.

“You can feel it from the atmosphere in the room and the aura exuded by participants. I sense they are there to pursue wisdom rather than knowledge. I see similarities with the once-popular terakoya system in Japan—community-based education initiated by Buddhist temples, with a focus on inquisitive thinking and ethics as well as reading, writing, and arithmetic.

“Following the Meiji Restoration (1868), Japan entered a period of mass production, mass consumption, and mass disposal, causing a gradual loss of the kind of learning that resonates with the human spirit.

“Japan’s high-school curriculum covers 15 subjects at a time, while the UK’s is pared down to three or four. The idea is not to gain a broad and shallow swath of knowledge but rather to learn how to analyze and comprehend. That yields the ability to think for yourself when you are placed in an unfamiliar situation. Children are taught that it is fine to be different from others, as there are no right or wrong answers.”

 

As members of Yokogawa’s Future Co-creation Initiative, we found an understanding of the Middle East’s long history of civilization and the modern-day “divide and rule” helped us to deeply consider the issues facing corporate organizations today. We also learned to adopt a far-reaching perspective embracing the past as well as the future and to consider the importance of connections.

We recognized that a solution to modern-day issues can be found in Japan’s traditional values, which still maintain their worth: the mottainai spirit decrying waste, co-existence with nature, and educational systems like the terakoya.

Learning to elevate one’s perspective and broaden one’s horizons is essential to the thinking process. Spending time with Naoki Tamaki has been stimulating and conducive to further growth for the Future Co-creation Initiative, leading to new connections.

 

From left to right: Kaori Shimizu (Yokogawa), Naoki Tamaki (Chatham House), Nobuyuki Tamaki (Yokogawa), Ryo Hanai (Yokogawa)