The Covid-19 Pandemic is giving us signs it is finally coming to an end. Despite all the suffering, the global society has demonstrated that we are capable of overcoming such hardships thanks to the intense dialogue (対話), creation and application of reliable knowledge, hard work, and solidarity of people all over the world. Although the pandemic did cause a “break” in the intense process of globalization we witnessed until 2019, the world is already quickly reconnecting itself. And, more than ever, people with cross-cultural communications skills, strong academic background, hard work attitude, and, of course, a good heart, are needed.

One area in which we are going to see a quick recovery is tourism-related businesses, especially the hospitality and airline industries. Tourism is never going to cease to exist, as humans have an intrinsic need to explore the world, be it visiting new places or meeting new people. The tourism industry was one of the most affected by the pandemic, which also means it is one area poised to experience a great economic rebound and a surge in demand for professionals with intercultural and foreign language skills. Students are also increasingly interested in the field. In my third-year seminar, Intermediate Seminar, we research about differences in culture related to business, and zemi students are very enthusiastic when it comes to acquiring skills to work with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.

Another sector we expect to see a great recovery is international trade. The exchange of products and services has been somehow hindered by the pandemic because human interaction had to be avoided. As a result, international supply chains have been disrupted and innumerable international business opportunities have been lost. As the international business scene started to normalize, companies in Japan are seeking to engage even more with international markets, and, again, professionals with strong language skills and international experience are in high demand. Even during the pandemic, the interest in this area remained very high among students. When we study about international trade in the course Special Topics in Global Issues 1 (Global Business), students become aware of the importance of international trade to the economy and develop a strong interest in the field as an appealing career choice.

The impact of the pandemic on education has been immense, especially on technology use and study abroad programs, but we strived and are coming back stronger. The unprecedented situation created by the pandemic forced students and faculty to quickly adapt to new technologies such as e-learning, which greatly improved our teaching and learning skills, and helped us open up our minds towards the use of IT in education. In addition, as of 2022, all of our students in the Global Communications Department in their second year have the chance go overseas and complete an essential part of the curriculum: the Study Abroad Program. This program not only highly improves our students’ language abilities, but also develops their cross-cultural literacy, self-reliance, pro-active attitude, open-mindedness, and flexibility. These are highly valuable skills that are further developed in the Global Communications Department after they return to Japan.

As the Covid-19 pandemic fades, globalization is coming back strong, particularly in Japan. The Japanese economy has shifted towards global markets in the last decades as there is little expectation in terms of domestic growth. However, globalization in Japan became a reality not only for corporations aiming at selling and producing products overseas, but also for the mass media and the Internet, the education industry, the regional economies, and the local communities. The experience of interacting with foreign products, people, and contents have become an integral part of life in Japan, and the tendency is that it accelerates over the next decades. In this context, the Global Communications Department has an important role to play as we aim at fostering cosmopolitan citizens who can function as facilitators, negotiators, and administrators to realize the good in society. Covid-19 represented a tremendous challenge to all of us, but we learned our lesson, and here we are: ready and excited about what is to come!