From language coaching via ALUGO to executive leadership boot camps and bespoke corporate learning, Alue helps clients level up skills, confidence, and corporate culture—making growth feel less like work and more like transformation.
Japan today faces pressing demographic challenges, especially with an aging population. Projections indicate that by 2040 the country could face a shortfall of 11 million workers. Given this reality, what challenges do you foresee for your company, and more broadly, how must Japanese corporations transform to address this shift?
In fact, the very reason we founded Alue in 2003 was that we foresaw this demographic trend. As the labor force declines, the only sustainable path is to raise productivity per worker. We set out from the beginning to contribute to this mission through education and human resource development. Today, recruitment is intensely competitive. Companies are investing heavily in hiring, but if you look at the economy as a whole, recruiting merely shifts people from one company to another; it does not increase the overall workforce. That is why our focus is on developing the capabilities of the people already within Japan. Enhancing productivity through skills, abilities, and effective utilization of talent is essential.
To raise productivity, two things matter: first, upgrading the skills of individuals; and second, ensuring that leaders and managers know how to harness those skills for team performance. In other words, success depends not only on individuals, but also on how well leaders translate individual strengths into collective output. However, managers today face a dilemma. They are tasked with raising performance, yet they cannot simply demand more hours or overburden employees, given the limited labor pool. If they push too hard, burnout results. So they must reconcile these contradictory pressures—delivering results without overworking staff. We call this “navigating a paradox,” and it has become one of the most significant leadership challenges. As a result, demand for training programs that help managers navigate this tension has grown rapidly.
A further factor is globalization. With domestic demand shrinking, Japanese companies are pursuing overseas M&A and expanding internationally. To succeed, they require talent capable of operating across borders. Developing globally competent leaders has therefore become another critical theme.
That leads naturally to digital platforms for learning. Could you elaborate on the benefits of an LMS (Learning Management System) for Japanese companies?
Certainly. There are several key advantages. First, the nature of career development in Japan has changed. Traditionally, employees expected to spend their entire careers with one company, which provided training and benefits along the way. Now, individuals must take ownership of their own career management. That shift requires a supportive environment where people can access learning tailored to their unique needs. An LMS enables exactly that—on-demand, personalized learning.
Second, LMS solutions complement traditional face-to-face training. A workshop lasting one or two days can be greatly enhanced if participants prepare in advance through e-learning, and then continue with follow-up modules afterward. This transforms training from isolated “points” into a continuous “line” of development. The combination of digital and in-person learning boosts engagement, improves retention, and increases overall effectiveness.
Third, LMS platforms accumulate valuable data—what courses employees take, when, and with what results. When combined with HR data such as performance evaluations, promotions, or engagement surveys, this information allows companies to identify organizational challenges and design precise interventions. In addition, by codifying tacit knowledge—expert know-how that senior employees hold but is often lost when they retire—companies can preserve and disseminate critical skills through e-learning. We have already helped major manufacturers in this area, turning expertise into structured content accessible across the workforce.
For our clients, the benefit is not only training efficiency but also deeper, longer-term partnerships with us. Because we integrate with their HR data and help formalize their organizational knowledge, we become more than a training vendor; we become a strategic partner.
Many training firms provide services in a narrow, one-dimensional way. Your company appears to cover the full spectrum—from consulting to design, delivery, and measurement. What distinguishes you from others, and how do you intend to build on this strength?
The central philosophy that guides us is a commitment to outcomes. It is not enough to simply deliver a one- or two-day program. We want to know: what changed as a result? Did the training achieve its purpose? To answer that, we must begin with a clear understanding of the client’s challenges, design effective approaches, execute them, and then measure results. That is why we expanded beyond training delivery to encompass consulting, design, and post-program evaluation.
Equally important, we aim not just to “do everything” superficially, but to excel in each domain. In fact, in areas such as new-hire training for large corporations, and in global leadership development, we are already recognized as leaders in Japan. My vision is of Alue as a kind of “comprehensive hospital for talent development.” Just as a hospital houses multiple specialties yet operates in an integrated way, we provide deep expertise in each field while ensuring seamless coordination across them.
You recently acquired Energy Switch Ltd and Quintegral Ltd. What strategic strengths do these acquisitions bring, and do you plan to pursue further acquisitions?
Energy Switch is a leader in Diversity & Inclusion, while Quintegral specializes in global leadership development. Both share with us a passion for education and a commitment to tailoring solutions for each client. Our philosophies align, but our strengths are complementary.
By coming together, we expand the range of “specialized departments” within our metaphorical hospital. The unifying approach to education is consistent, but each company contributes world-class expertise in its domain. Going forward, we are open to partnering with or acquiring other firms that share our values and possess complementary strengths capable of reaching number-one status in their fields.
Your services span from new hires to senior executives. Where do you see the greatest demand today, and what new opportunities are emerging, particularly in global markets?
One fast-growing area is global management training. Many multinational corporations want consistent leadership development delivered worldwide, tailored to their corporate philosophy, yet adapted across multiple languages and regions. For example, a German auto parts manufacturer asked us to manage their leadership training across Asia. Japanese firms, too, increasingly want their overseas subsidiaries—whether in the U.S., Taiwan, or elsewhere—to internalize “the company way” of management. Delivering such programs consistently worldwide requires both customization and scalability. Here, our partnership with AMA (the American Management Association), throughQuintegral, is a major asset. AMA has a global faculty network, enabling us to provide high-quality, customized training across geographies and languages. This is a powerful differentiator for us and a significant business opportunity.
How are you planning to expand adoption of your e-learning platform, etudes, especially among international clients?
Our differentiation lies in not only providing e-learning, but also integrating it with corporate HR and engagement data. This allows us to identify challenges, design solutions, deliver training, and measure outcomes as a comprehensive package. We are also pursuing an OEM model: licensing etudes to overseas education providers. For instance, a training firm that specializes in in-person workshops can use etudes to add digital capability, offering blended learning under their own brand. This expands our reach internationally while supporting local partners in strengthening their services. In Japan, this OEM model is already underway; internationally, it is our next step.
You mentioned Thailand and Indonesia as promising markets. Could you elaborate?
Yes. Thailand already hosts a large number of Japanese companies, so demand for corporate training is strong. Indonesia, meanwhile, is a fast-growing economy with a young, expanding population—making it a natural market for education and talent development.
Our approach is to provide our LMS and our extensive library of customized training content, built over 20 years, to local partners under license. The ideal partners are companies already active in human resources—staffing, recruitment, or related services—that wish to expand into education without starting from scratch. By combining their market access with our intellectual property, both sides benefit.
Entering new markets inevitably raises cultural and localization challenges. How do you plan to address these?
From our experience in China and Singapore, we know that education is deeply culture-dependent. Success requires adaptation, not simply exporting Japanese methods wholesale. That is why we place great importance on partnerships with local players. We see ourselves in a supporting role, providing content and know-how, while local partners take ownership of delivery. This balance—our expertise combined with their cultural insight—is the key to success.
Finally, if we were to meet again in five years, what would you like to be able to say about Alue’s progress?
By 2030, our ambition is to be the number one talent development company in Asia. Five years from now, I would like to say we are well on track. In concrete terms, we aim to grow from our current revenue of just over 3 billion yen to more than 10 billion yen. I envision partnerships not only in Japan, China, Singapore, and the Philippines, but also in Thailand, Indonesia, and beyond. Whether directly or through partners, I want to see our programs and intellectual property actively used across many Asian countries.
If, in five years, I can tell you that Alue has become a true pan-Asian force in talent development—empowering people, companies, and economies across the region—that would be the realization of both our corporate mission and my personal dream.
For more information, visit their website at: https://www.alue.co.jp/
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