Taking on Diverse Challenges, Empowering Global Companies from Nagasaki.

Established in Singapore in 2017, Ocean Network Express (ONE), a spin-out from the container liner divisions of Japan’s three major shipping companies (NYK, MOL, and K Line), has flourished with the support of its strategic outsourcing partner, ONE DEJIMA. 

 ONE DEJIMA contributes to ONE’s business growth by undertaking its core operations HR, finance, market research, and specialized maritime operations. On top of that, the company’s also very dedicated to hiring U-turn/I-turn talent and collaborating with the regional economy. Now, as they are expanding their outsourcing services with ONE and pioneering new ventures with their growing expertise, ONE DEJIMA is recruiting new members. We sat down with the two Representative Directors to discuss the appeal of working at ONE DEJIMA and their future vision.

Based in Nagasaki, Outsourcing Core Functions for a Japan-Born Global Container Shipping Company

Representative Director and President / Naoto Toyama (Left)
Representative Senior Managing Director / Yoshio Kosasa (Right)

Could you tell us about the background leading to ONE DEJIMA’s establishment?

Toyama: ONE, the Japan-originated container shipping company, was established in 2017 by integrating the container divisions of Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), and Kawasaki Kisen (K Line). This company’s headquarters is in Singapore. They launched full-scale services in the spring of 2018.

Despite the impact of the pandemic, ONE has achieved steady growth, reaching a world-class level of profitability within five years of its founding. They have now shifted their focus to “sustainable growth,” setting various strategies to become one of the world’s leading container shipping companies. These strategies include expanding shipping capacity by 1.6 times by 2030, alongside initiatives focused on the environment and digitalization. The foundation supporting the planning and execution of these strategies is talent. ONE’s policy is to secure talent globally, not just in Singapore. Under this policy, we began recruiting in Japan, which created the need to establish a new base to support headquarters operations. This led to the founding of ONE DEJIMA in Nagasaki in December 2023.

Could you elaborate on ONE DEJIMA’s profile and the reason for choosing Nagasaki as its base?

Toyama: ONE DEJIMA is a regional-area-born Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) company. KPO refers to the outsourcing of intellectual production activities, specifically the delegation of tasks requiring a high level of knowledge and specialized skills, to expert firms. A key feature of ONE DEJIMA is the ability to handle global-scale work for ONE’s core functions right here in Nagasaki.

We chose Nagasaki because of its deep historical affinity with maritime commerce and trade. Historically, it was a vital trading hub during the Edo period, exemplified by Dejima, and is also the birthplace of Japan’s modern shipbuilding industry. We believe that Nagasaki, a city that has thrived on incorporating diverse international cultures, is the optimal base for pioneering “the Reiwa era of the shipping industry”.

Engaging in wide-range of Core Functions and Supporting Data-Driven Management

Could you tell us about ONE DEJIMA’s business activities?

Toyama: Currently, ONE is our sole client. We handle a wide range of core headquarters operations, including HR, labor relations, agency management, market research, data analysis, and maritime-specific tasks. For HR and labor relations, the key duties include managing personnel dispatched to Singapore, Japanese talent recruitment, and supporting domestic and international internships. Agency management involves supporting the establishment and maintenance of ONE’s agency network and the coordination between headquarters and each agency. In market research, we leverage data to identify potential customers and support more efficient sales activities.

What are the appealing points of ONE DEJIMA’s business and working there?

Toyama: The shipping industry handles a vast amount of data, and ONE is no exception. For instance, the vessel operations department manages data related to the movements and costs of 240 ships, the accounting department handles financial data generated across 120 countries, and the marketing department is involved in market research and analysis to determine optimal routes and sales strategies. While carrying out these tasks, we contribute to promoting more data-driven decision-making based on the insights we gather. Being immersed in the dynamism of the global shipping industry and handling its massive data is a major appeal of working at ONE DEJIMA.

Kosasa: I worked for a long time at a financial institution in Nagasaki, and I truly feel that ONE DEJIMA is the missing piece the city needed. I was honestly impressed by the sheer speed of the company’s preparation for launch and the successful recruitment of about 20 members in less than six months.

Nagasaki faces a serious population outflow compared to other prefectures. This problem is largely driven by the net emigration of the younger generation. So, it’s vital to create appealing local job opportunities that allow them to upgrade their skills in their hometown. The fact that ONE DEJIMA achieved greater-than-expected recruitment soon after its founding, in my opinion, proves that we are the kind of company young people are seeking.

Year One Milestones: Establishing Foundations and Trust for a Favorable Beginning

It has been one year since founding and six months since operations started. What are the key results you’ve achieved so far?

Toyama: Our primary achievement is job creation. We initially targeted hiring 20 people over three years, yet we reached that goal in less than six months. Because of that, I can say that we managed to quickly establish a framework capable of meeting headquarters’ demands. Now, we aim to grow to a team of 30 by the end of March 2025, and 80 a year later.

Besides, the performance feedback we received from headquarters in late October was more positive than we anticipated. This favorable assessment was due not only to the proper execution of our outsourced tasks but also to our proactive efforts in proposing operational improvements through digitalization and AI, and introducing measures to eliminate over-reliance on individual staff members (de-personalization). Our consistent and diligent approach to every challenge has also been crucial in building trust with the headquarters.

Kosasa: While securing business stability is naturally the top priority during the startup phase, we also managed to launch initiatives that benefit the local community. For example, shortly after commencing operations in May 2024, we successfully hosted the “ONE GLOBAL IT CONFERENCE”, bringing approximately 50 ONE Group stakeholders from overseas to Nagasaki for a week. This event provided a significant economic boost and was an invaluable opportunity to share Nagasaki’s appeal with a global audience.

Conversely, what challenges have you identified so far?

Toyama: Given our business structure of taking on headquarters operations, there’s a risk of developing a “subcontractor” mindset, which could prevent us from proposing bold operational improvements, subsequently limiting ONE DEJIMA’s true value. Headquarters’ requests are often localized or partial, so merely complying won’t lead to essential problem-solving. We must proactively identify and execute the work that should be handled in Nagasaki to create better systems and organizations, taking an overall, bird’s-eye view of the business. Otherwise, our strategic relevance will diminish.

To address this, we are revising our evaluation system to encourage proactive proposals from every member, and launching internal AI study group sessions. We believe that by creating an environment where proposals are properly evaluated, as well as providing opportunities to acquire broad knowledge, progressive proposal ideas will naturally emerge.

Global Business Expansion and Local Contribution in Nagasaki

What is your outlook for the future?

Toyama: Our immediate goal is to become an indispensable strategic partner for ONE, while also concentrating ourselves on talent acquisition toward 2030 and value creation through stronger external partnerships. We aim to evolve ONE DEJIMA beyond a provider of partial outsourced tasks into an organization that can be fully entrusted with entire business processes, thereby enabling headquarters to concentrate entirely on high-level strategy.

Eventually, we plan to leverage the experience gained from ONE’s operations to expand our services to other companies. I believe that our accomplishments of handling extensive maritime data, will be valuable in supporting Digital Transformation Initiatives for small and medium-sized enterprises in supply chain and logistics.

Kosasa: Along with business expansion, we are committed to addressing Nagasaki’s social issues. Beyond creating a flow of people through employment opportunities and event engagement, we want to actively promote Nagasaki’s culture and charm to boost the city name and recognition.

ONE DEJIMA has approached regional contribution with the same intensity as our efforts to stabilize the business from its founding. As a local resident, I am delighted that a startup of this nature has emerged in Nagasaki. We’ve been positively received by the local community, which suggests our mission is truly resonating. Based on this trust, we aim to undertake even larger initiatives to realize an unprecedented “New Nagasaki.”

Leading Projects in a Global, Diverse Environment

What kind of individuals are you looking to work with?

Toyama: As a newly founded startup, we are best suited for people who can excel even when the environment changes significantly. Our internal systems and culture will be built by us as the business grows. We are also looking into business development with local companies, so opportunities to utilize business expertise will increase. We’d be happy to welcome people who find this environment exciting and who can proactively take the lead in driving things forward.

Kosasa: We are recruiting for a variety of roles, including open positions, so we are seeking individuals who see the chance to be involved in a wide range of tasks as a growth opportunity. Also, there is potential for transfer to overseas locations within the group, so we hope this appeals to those with a strong global ambition.

Could you share some background on your current members and the team’s characteristics?

Toyama: We have a diverse group of members from various backgrounds including financial institutions, BPO firms, trading companies, construction-related industries, and university administration. Many are U-turn/I-turn hires. The age range is broad, and despite being a startup, I think we are an organization with many reliable members that are rich in experience. Since we do global work, another characteristic of our team is that our members, regardless of nationality, actively utilize their language skills.

Insights and Experience from Supporting a Global Enterprise

With diverse talent joining in this founding phase, what efforts are you making in team building?

Toyama: We focus on creating systems to ensure all members understand our shared vision and are working toward the same goals. One key effort to achieve this was having newly joined members experience on-site duty transfer at the Singapore headquarters. 

While the work itself can be done remotely from Nagasaki, meeting and interacting directly with the Singapore team helps to build personal relationships. We believe valuing these opportunities leads to improved performance later on. Upon their return, we also hold cross-departmental workshops to discuss the company’s future and develop action plans.

What is the unique career value offered by ONE DEJIMA?

Toyama: We are a startup, but we handle the core operations of a globally networked shipping giant. The experience of tackling the issues of a large, global corporation while using the agility and strength of a startup to solve them is likely unmatched elsewhere. While large companies may sometimes struggle to be nimble, we approach these challenges with speed. The opportunity to acquire globally applicable proposal-making skills and work methods through these experiences, in my opinion, is a key value of ONE DEJIMA.

Kosasa: Another unique point is our strong focus on internal talent development and comprehensive welfare. In addition to our array of optional content such as internal study groups and external online English conversation lessons, members also have opportunities to visit the Singapore headquarters to experience the operations firsthand. Moreover, our cross-departmental workshops are also characterized by the intensity unique to a company operating globally. Here, I believe that we have a highly supportive learning environment for those eager to grow since this company really prioritizes talent development.