GREETING
Why I Became a Consultant
My career began in Tokyo, in the world of entertainment and film — selling the overseas rights of Japanese anime and scouting new directors for international projects. In the late 1990s, I moved to Hokkaido and spent years in the thoroughbred horse industry, developing overseas business and building syndicate-based sales and management operations.
Across industries as different as entertainment and horse racing, I kept noticing the same thing: the fundamental challenges of running a business never really change. Profitability, employee retention, cash flow, succession, disaster preparedness, finding the next growth opportunity — these questions follow every owner, in every sector.
There are no universal "correct answers" to these questions. What exists is the best possible choice — shaped by each company's history, strengths, people, and the community it serves.
What I can offer is to sit beside the owner, think together, and move together. Not as an expert handing down answers from above, but as a partner who shares the same perspective and works toward solutions side by side. That is my style — and it is why I became a consultant.
"The best solutions are not delivered from above — they are discovered together, at eye level."
OFFICE
Okawa Kazuhisa Office (Certified Business Revitalization Support Institution)
QUALIFICATION
Certified SME Management Consultant (Registration No. 417002) 2nd Grade Intellectual Property Management Technician
LOCATION
Shinhidaka, Hidaka, Hokkaido, Japan
SERVICE AREA
Nationwide (remote available)
ROLES & AFFILIATIONS
SMRJ Hokkaido (Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises)
Disaster Recovery Support Advisor
Hokkaido Business Succession Support Center
Hidaka Area Coordinator
Hidaka Shinkin Bank
Advisor / Screening Committee Member
Hokkaido SME Diagnostic Association
Board Director
EXPERTISE
Areas of Expertise
01
Business Continuity Planning (BCP)
Formulated 14+ "Jigyokei" (Business Continuity Strengthening Plans) and numerous BCPs. Specializes in earthquake and tsunami scenarios for Hokkaido's Pacific coast.
02
Business Succession
Hidaka Area Coordinator for Hokkaido's Business Succession Support Center. Handled 30+ succession cases across the Hidaka region.
03
Subsidy Utilization
Multiple successful applications for Jigyo Saikochiku (Business Restructuring) and Monozukuri (Manufacturing) subsidies. End-to-end support from planning to submission.
04
Management Strategy
Business plan creation, management improvement plans, and strategic consulting. Grounded in hands-on experience across entertainment, equestrian, and SME sectors.
EARTHQUAKE RISK
The Chishima (Kuril) Trench &
Japan Trench — A Looming Threat
Japan sits at the convergence of four tectonic plates. The Chishima Trench (Kuril Trench) and the Japan Trench, running along Hokkaido and the Tohoku Pacific coast, are among the most seismically dangerous fault zones on Earth. Government projections warn of a high-probability megaquake within the coming decades — one that would directly impact the communities of Hokkaido's Hidaka region where this office is based.
Seismic Intensity 7
Maximum expected shaking (Chishima Trench scenario)
28 m
Estimated tsunami height at Erimo Town, Hokkaido
~100,000
Estimated fatalities (Chishima + Japan Trench combined)
Government Damage Projections
| Scenario | Estimated Fatalities | Max. Tsunami Height | Affected Prefectures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chishima (Kuril) Trench Megaquake | ~100,000 | Up to 28 m (Erimo Town) | Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi |
| Japan Trench Megaquake | ~199,000 | Up to 30 m+ (Iwate coast) | Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima |
Source: Cabinet Office of Japan, "Damage Estimates for Mega-Earthquakes along the Japan Trench and Chishima Trench" (December 2021 / March 2022).|Cabinet Office Disaster Management ↗
BCP-AI
Responding to the Risk:
Introducing BCP-AI
Despite the scale of the threat, only 20.6% of SMEs in Hokkaido have a Business Continuity Plan (BCP). The primary barriers are consistent: lack of expertise, lack of personnel, and prohibitive consulting costs.
BCP-AI was developed to eliminate these barriers. By combining AI-guided interviews with the professional oversight of a Certified SME Management Consultant, it enables any small business owner to complete a comprehensive BCP in approximately 60 minutes — at a fraction of the traditional cost.
The system incorporates Chishima Trench and Japan Trench earthquake scenarios, integrates hazard data from J-SHIS (Japan Seismic Hazard Information Station), and supports the official Jigyokei certification application process.
BCP-AI AT A GLANCE
⚠ Currently available for businesses located in Japan only.
Hazard data and regulatory frameworks are specific to Japanese law and geography.
DATA SOURCES
· Cabinet Office of Japan — "Damage Estimates for Mega-Earthquakes along the Japan Trench and Chishima Trench" (Dec. 2021 / Mar. 2022). bousai.go.jp ↗
· Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Hokkaido Bureau — "Current Status of Business Continuity Strengthening among Hokkaido SMEs" (August 2024).