Business Guidance Counselor at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry ② Morning at the Chamber of Commerce, the Town Begins to Move [#CreativeAward2025 #WorkNovelCategory]

Previous Story << >> Next Story

The spring sunlight was slowly beginning to illuminate the town of Sakuragawa.

In that silence, people began to gather one after another at a small two-story building standing in a corner on the outskirts of town.

This is the "Sakuragawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry."
It is a "refuge" for local business owners, and also a place like a "veranda" where people can gather.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry—.
Formally, it is a public support organization for local small-scale business operators and small and medium-sized enterprises, established based on the "Chamber of Commerce and Industry Act."
They work daily to support businesses through consultation services, tax support, subsidy applications, loan mediation, and advice on business succession.
They are neither a government agency nor a private company.
However, they are an organization closer to business owners than anyone else.
In a sense, they were the "town's management supporters."
People often ask, "How is it different from the Chamber of Commerce?" but the latter targets urban areas and is under the jurisdiction of the Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
On the other hand, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry is community-based, focusing on towns and villages, and is under the jurisdiction of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
It is precisely because of this scale, which retains the "warmth" of the town, that trust and support are born.

"Good morning!"Amidst the lively greetings, Yuto Morita walked through the glass door of the Chamber of Commerce building while lightly adjusting his tie.He was still in his first year of working as a new staff member.—Business Guidance Counselor.That was Yuto's title.He visits local shops and companies, identifies their challenges, and provides information on subsidies, systems, customer attraction, and tips for management improvement.However, reality is not so sweet. You cannot move people's hearts with logic alone.Even so, responding head-on to the voices of those who want to continue their business is what this job is about."Good morning, Morita-kun!"Senior staff member Mayu Akiyama called out without stopping her hands as she busily organized documents in front of the copier.As a "bookkeeping clerk," she is mainly in charge of blue tax returns, bookkeeping agency services, and consultations on tax documents.She is the most familiar presence to business owners and is also the backbone of the Chamber of Commerce.Blue return financial statements, income tax return forms 1 and 2, e-tax notifications from the National Tax Agency...The sweat and ingenuity of the local business owners were soaked into every single document Akiyama organized.Akiyama carefully checked them one by one. Every time her fingertips slid over the stack of documents, the stories of the business owners, which could not be seen through numbers alone, would quietly emerge.

The numbers written in the sales ledger, the notes modestly entered in the remarks column, and the sticky notes attached to the corners of the submitted documents seemed to hide the small dreams of the business owners that they show to no one, such as "I want to renew my equipment this year" or "I want to increase sales a little more."

"There are many consultations for subsidy applications this morning."

"I see, that sounds tough."

Morita approached to help, but—

"Wait a minute! These are in order, so don't mess them up!"

"Whoa, I'm sorry!"

Stopped by Akiyama, he quietly pulled his hand back.

The air in the office, with the application deadline for the Small Business Sustainability Subsidy just one week away, had a unique mix of tension and excitement.

The ringing of the phone, the sound of typing on the keyboard, the sound of turning pages... everything turned into the realization that "I am moving this town right now." It was a place where he could feel that he was standing on the front lines supporting someone's challenge.

There are still many things he is not used to, but Yuto still loved this job at the Chamber of Commerce.

A little past 10:00 AM, the automatic door at the entrance of the Chamber of Commerce building opened with a quiet sound.

"Hello, hello, I'm counting on you again today."

The first to appear was Mokichi Yamamura, the owner of the long-established Japanese confectionery shop "Yamamuraya."

Dressed in a seasoned apron, he was holding a large bundle carefully wrapped in a furoshiki cloth in both hands.

His firm gait and the wrinkles etched at the corners of his eyes told the story of the years he had spent as a craftsman.

"Good morning, Yamamura-san!"When Yuto called out energetically, Yamamura smiled with his eyes narrowed and held out the bundle.

“Oh, good morning. I brought a little something, so please have some during your break.”

“Wow, thank you so much!”

The moment the wrapping was undone, a sweet, fragrant aroma wafted into the air. Inside, it was packed with plump dorayaki.

A handmade masterpiece that spares no time or effort—each one is filled with Yamamura's dedication and pride.

“As always, Yamamura-ya's dorayaki looks delicious...!”

“Yeah, it's our signature product, after all.”

The spirit of a craftsman seeped into Yamamura's proud expression. However, he suddenly clouded over and continued quietly.

“But lately, for some reason, the young folks just aren't coming by...”

Yuto tightened his expression and looked the man straight in the eye.

“In that case, why don't you try using social media?”

“So-sha...?”

Yamamura put a hand to his chin and fell into thought.

“It'll be fine! I'll teach you how to do it!”

“Ho, that's reassuring!”

A sense of trust that transcended generations gently emerged between the two.

Just then, the sound of the door opening echoed once more.

“Hey there, good morning! I'm not here for a consultation today, just here for a little chat.”

The person who entered was Tanaka, the owner of the local greengrocer, Tanaka Seika. His sun-tanned face and hunched back told the story of his steady business.

“Tanaka-san, how has the shop been lately?”

“It's going okay. But, I tried doing an 'all-you-can-stuff cherry tomato' event the other day, and surprisingly, the number of customers increased!”

“Wow! That’s a really great idea!”

“Right? Customers really do get happy when there’s a little sense of ‘getting a good deal.’”

Tanaka narrowed his eyes and smiled. That smile was as warm as a sunny spot in a field.

At the Chamber of Commerce, new hints are born even from casual conversations like this.

It wasn’t the technique of selling products, but the warmth of caring for people that supported the town’s commerce.

After midday, an atmosphere of taking a breather begins to drift through the office.

“Well then, shall we have some of Yamamuraya’s dorayaki!”

As Akiyama opened the package, a sweet scent wafted out, and smiles appeared on the staff members' faces. Yuto picked up a dorayaki and brought it to his mouth without hesitation.

“...It’s so fluffy!! The red bean paste has just the right amount of sweetness, it’s amazing!”

“Yamamura’s shop really is something else...”

That quietly muttered voice became the catalyst for the staff to naturally gather around one table.

Lively, pleasant laughter flew back and forth, and the dorayaki and coffee healed their slightly tired hearts.

“It’s because of times like this that I love this job.”

Akiyama smiled gently at Yuto, who had muttered that to himself.

“That’s right. We receive a lot of consultations, but everyone is so warm, so it’s rewarding, isn’t it?”

The Chamber of Commerce is not just a place for support.

It is also a place like a sanctuary for the heart, where people connect, sometimes encourage each other, and sometimes laugh together.

As if to break that atmosphere, the door to the Secretary General’s office opened with a slight creaking sound.

Shinichi Takimoto—the Secretary General of the Sakuragawa Chamber of Commerce—appeared in silence.

Takimoto, the Secretary General of the Sakuragawa Chamber of Commerce, was a veteran staff member whose name was known even throughout the prefecture. Having been with the prefectural federation for many years, he had a track record of being involved behind the scenes in numerous system designs and regional policies. He had built relationships of trust not only with strong ties to the administration but also with politicians, financial institutions, and various industry organizations; in a word, he was a 'bridge between the field and the upper management.' He was respected by the young staff and relied upon by the old-timers, who would say, 'It’ll be fine because Takimoto-san is here.' On the other hand, he also possessed a craftiness that allowed him to read the dynamics of the organization, to the point where it was whispered behind his back that 'you must not go against him.'

At his appearance, the staff straightened their backs for a moment.

“...Hmm, it seems everyone is working energetically again today.”

Akiyama bows to his indifferent voice.

“Director Takimoto, thank you for your hard work.”

“Good work.”

Takimoto did not change his expression at all, turning his gaze straight toward Akiyama.

“How have the sales figures for the shopping district been lately?”

“Uh, the report for this month is right here...”

He casts his eyes down at the file Akiyama handed him. His gaze was calm, as if looking at something far away.

“I see...”

Takimoto's words are always concise.

Behind that tone, which skillfully avoids both affirmation and negation, lies a cool-headed way of thinking that instantly assesses the situation, measuring who will benefit and who will be hurt.

“Continue to provide support as the Business Association.”

Having said only that, he returned to the director's office in silence. A lingering sense of tension remained in the space after the door closed.

Yuto remained silent and slowly turned his eyes toward the window.

Not even a single leaf on the trees moved, and the wind had disappeared somewhere.

It was as if time itself had stopped breathing and quietly come to a halt.

#CreativeAwards2025 #WorkNovelCategory