Q. JAXA launches various types of Earth observation satellites. How do you think space should be used to solve environmental problems?
Advanced Land Observing Satellite DAICHI
One way is technological applications, such as producing energy by deploying solar panels in space. But I personally believe that it is also important to influence people’s inner world - their thinking, emotions and senses - through space development. For example, they can be told the story that the universe is immense and came about due to the aggregation of coincidental events, or that we are humbly alive in the great flow of the universe. They can learn how difficult it was for HAYABUSA to return. Learning these things, I think that people’s consciousness will gradually start changing.
I also think that it is important to look at ourselves objectively, from outside our world, from outer space. When we look at things from our normal narrow point of view, we sometimes cannot see changes or mistakes that are more evident from the outside. There is a novel called Ishmael, by the American writer Daniel Quinn, which gets to the heart of environmental problems. In this book, through dialogues between a gorilla and a man, we get to see the changes in the Earth’s environment from a gorilla’s point of view. There is a scene where the gorilla says that only humankind has gone outside the Earth’s food chain, and that as a result of protective technology, such as building dikes against tsunami, it is becoming harder and harder for humankind to die. Then, it asks the man if this is really a good thing. It seems to me that we need such a point of view from space.
Q. What are your expectations for JAXA?
When I visited the Tanegashima Space Center for observation, I was amazed to see such a great facility. I was also impressed by the images of Earth taken by the Advanced Land Observing Satellite DAICHI. JAXA has a great volume of this kind of content, and I’d love to see them present it creatively, not only for scientific purposes but also as drama. I’d prefer a sentimental story that reminds us of the fact that we live in the universe, rather than a story praising the efforts made to overcome a number of hardships to achieve a goal. Music would be nice to add, too. I very much look forward to JAXA making poetic use of its images.
Q. Could you tell us about your vision for your future environmental activities?
I’d like to get the Japan Football Association’s environmental project off the ground, and to provide environmental education through sport and outdoor activity, in order to help people develop a zest for life. I also want to help with environmental activities run by students. For instance, there is something called the Globe Project. The main organizers are students and adults in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and they aim to help solve social problems through sport. They are doing a wonderful job, like raising money for landmine removal in Cambodia by holding a futsal tournament. I’d like to support such youth-driven environmental movements.
However, football is where I started. My environmental work earns recognition because of my career in football. Knowing that, I don’t think that I will ever put football aside and devote myself to environmental activity completely. If possible, it would be wonderful if I could devote half my work to the environment. Q. And what are your plans in football? When it comes to football, I am not sure. After the World Cup, I was offered the head coaching position by three clubs in the Japanese national football league and the national team of country in the Middle East, but I turned them all down. There is a scene in the film Casablanca that goes, "Where were you last night?" "That’s so long ago, I don’t remember." "Will I see you tonight?" "I never make plans that far ahead." It’s like that. I never know what will become of me. However, there is one thing I can say for sure: as always, I will not settle down in a stable place. I want to continue to move on to the next stage, and find new challenges.
Q. Where have you set your goal for now?
My goal is to launch an organization to provide environmental and humanitarian education by this spring - I don’t know right now whether it will be a private organization or a corporation. I’d like to achieve some success in the first year and figure which direction works best. With education, it takes time to see outcomes, so I need to move with caution. I’d like to think carefully and build an effective system.
Q. Finally, could you give a message to children?
It is important to have a dream or a goal - no matter how small. For instance, when I am asked for advice on becoming a better football player, I give three tips: first, to like football; second, to have a dream and a goal; and finally, not just to follow instructions from your coach but to think for yourself. Among these three tips, the most important is to challenge yourself with a dream or goal. In my opinion, children’s zest for life is weakening because they rely on the knowledge that someone will eventually give them a hand even when they give up or quit too easily. I would like them to pursue their dreams and goals without giving up.
There is always something to gain when you take on a challenge, even if you ultimately fail. Myself, I wasn’t able to achieve my goal of finishing in the top four at the World Cup in South Africa, but my dream came true - the Japanese national team fulfilled my wishes to build my ideal team, and to have players experience a good, exciting game.
When you are going for something, there is always someone who whispers, "There is no way that you can do this" or "It’s a waste of time." Such a person is called a dream killer. I hope that you will never allow him to defeat you. Unless you take the first step towards your goal, nothing will ever happen. So please follow your own dream.
