Â鶹AV

On February 14, 2025, 16 international students and young researchers, including five SmaSo students from Â鶹AV, participated in a factory tour of .

The tour began with an introductory video about SATAKE, a company that will celebrate its 130th anniversary next year. After the video, the participants visited SATAKE showroom, where they learned about the company's founder, Riichi Satake, who developed Japan's first power-driven rice mill. This innovation also played a key role in the creation of Ginjo sake. The tour also highlighted how SATAKE has grown into a global company with offices in 14 countries around the world.

The tour continued with a demonstration of the next generation rice mill, "MILSTA". The participants also visited the Rice Processing and Sorting Center, where they saw a demonstration of an optical sorter that significantly reduces the size of equipment needed to separate rice from foreign materials. The students were impressed by the high precision of the technology. It was also explained how SATAKE customizes its products based on the characteristics and processing conditions of rice in each country, supporting its global expansion efforts.

After the tour, a career counseling session was held with SATAKE's PR manager, international business manager and engineers. Students asked questions about Japanese language requirements and hiring women. In response, SATAKE explained, "Japanese language skills are preferable for business operations, but we also value individuals who demonstrate a strong understanding of and interest in Japanese culture." They also noted their ongoing efforts to increase the number of female managers by promoting awareness among female employees and providing support for employees raising children, regardless of gender.

The students showed great interest in learning about the initiatives of this global company based in Higashi-Hiroshima and found the experience a valuable opportunity to consider their future career paths.