Shibuya, Yukari

Born in Tokyo, 1974. Active with NPO to inspire young adults find their own set of goal and own life style through providing opportunities to see, read and interact with diverse working environments and experiences of others.

Graduated in 1997 from the School of Engineering, Seikei University, and is a holder of Teaching Certificate issued by the Tokyo Metropolitan School Board. Completed the Master of Science Curriculum, SFC Campus, Keio University. Selected as the 10th finalist of The Best Women of the Year 2004, Leader Division by The Nikkei Women. She was voted and chosen as The Outstanding Young Person of Japan in 2004, “ Grand Prix”, by The Japan Junior Chamber of Commerce ( NINGENRIKI Grand Prix ) . She is an advisor since 2003 on “Promoting the Activity on Interaction with School and Corporate Executive”, a committee of The Japan Association of Corporate Executives.

Attended the Summer Camp in USA during her youth and experienced the significant differences between the teaching styles to young people in USA and Japan. Lived and attended Junior High School in Singapore. The Mathematics was the favorite subject and vaguely wanted to pursue the field of Science but uncertain of which specific field. Without clear objective, chose Engineering School in the University and studied the Programming and System Engineering in the Computer Science. During the senior year, when she taught at the Kinuta Technical High School as a part of the OJT programs for teachers, she has met with unique working students and student who was so interested with philosophy and reading “The Sophie’s World” during the classrooms. She was intrigued by their behaviors toward the life as well as their thought processes and point of views, which are very unique and so different from the “accepted standard norms”. Although she was awarded a teaching certificate, she was uncertain if she should go into teaching or pursue System Engineering in the IT industry. The final decision was held off.

Interested in creating new type of educational environments by use of internets and personal computer, she decided to continue on to the post graduate school for further study. Participated with numerous projects jointly sponsored by private businesses and different branches of the governments through which project management “know how” skills were acquired, through live business environments. “Study as you Work” attitudes had continually been maintained during this period and, at the same time, she has acquired the “Self Expressions” skills. Encountered the tragic, sudden death of her intimate friend, she seriously started to think about her life, own destiny. During the final term of the Master Degree, she encountered a book entitled “Only One - Everyone is Only One of Kind on Earth” and emotionally moved by it.

Employment with IBM, Japan, started on 1999 and, about the same period, still uncertain of own destiny, her friends ,mr.Yoshio KONO and ms.Haruo MIYAGI, approached and offered her an opportunity to take a part in voluntary activity to launch an NPO organization “CARINAVI” within ETIC. Visiting different people from all walks of life and learn how they have made their choice the way they work and live with students, she was caught with so many surprises. She had not imagined “the sort of works ever existed”, “such occupation ever came to her mind” and “to see so many happy people”. She has realized that Japan is such a wonderful place to live and so much opportunities are available, if you know how to seek them. It was through these pleasant finding that she had found what she had long been searching for and came to decide that this must be her responsibility, and her destiny, to introduce such wonderful people and opportunities to young people. She resigned from IBM after 5 months against dissuasions from many. She began devoting her full time preparing the “CARINAVI” to become a functional organization and took on the responsibility as representative director in 2000. While working with IT venture company, Indigo Co. Ltd., for a year, she has successfully gotten the “CARINAVI” off the ground to begin functioning as a working organization. .

Impressed with positive reactions and supports from student interviewers as well as interviewed adults, she realized the social values of their activities and, on January 2001, with the supports by the Japan Technologies Venture Partners (NTVP), an incubation office was set-up within the organization.

Since 2002, she studied under mr.Masazumi Robert KONDO, a representative director of company Resonance. Non Profit Organization registration and status was granted on January 2003.Interviewing activity itself has been organized and designed as the “Training Program to becoming One and Only One”. Interviewers, students, through these interviews and interactions, will find themselves opportunity for searching their own interests and goals, during their 6 months training sessions.

The organization has been established as self sustaining and going concerns through individual membership fees and contributions from supporting enterprises. Four books have been published based on the 18 months of CARINAVI activities since 2003 and key note speeches to variety of audiences have been made across the country.

Since the original activity began 6 years ago, 270 students have completed their training programs and over 430 separate interviews have been accumulated. The result of these interviews is posted over web pages under “An Internet Dictionary of Occupations” to young students who are struggling and searching what their goals may be.

In the summer of 2004, she was hospitalized from exhaustion and had to take R&R leave of absence. Thanks to her staff and supporters, the activities continued even during her absence without interruption. She was able to return to her position in the fall of 2005. Since 2006, she has studied under ms.Izumi KOBAYASHI ,a president of Merrill Lynch & Co.JAPAN, Inc.. She refreshed starts with new organization and the structure.

This will be 10th year come April, 2008 since the first activity had started.

She enjoys the Tea ceremony, knitting and piano when she finds time away from CARINAVI.