*This article was originally written in Japanese and has been translated by a machine translation tool for your convenience. Please forgive any errors in translation. You can find the original Japanese article [here].

One of SmartNews's Core Values is "Nothing is Somebody Else's Problem" (abbreviated as NSEP).

This principle symbolizes a core tenet of our culture: the commitment to look beyond one's role or team and take action for the success of the entire company.

The company-wide Summer Festival, held at the Tokyo office in late August 2025, was born from this exact spirit. Instead of thinking, "Someone else will do it," a group of employees stood up and said, "Let's make it happen ourselves." Responding to that initial initiative, every participant engaged proactively, resulting in a summer day filled with smiles and a strong sense of unity.

It started with a casual conversation.

"I wonder if we'll have a summer festival this year?"

"I'd love to."

"Well, shall we do it?"

From that simple exchange, members from various departments came together to form the "Festival Committee." Meeting between their busy work schedules, the members repeatedly discussed how to make the event not just fun, but a meaningful opportunity for employees to connect.

They focused on:

• "Mechanisms to spark new encounters"

• "Games that naturally lead to conversation"

• Maintaining a balance where interaction wasn't forced, but didn't just stay within existing friend groups.

The committee's ultimate goal was for employees to naturally embrace the NSEP spirit through these interactions. They planned and prepared alongside their daily tasks, truly Outcome Obsessed* with every detail.

*Outcome Obsession : One of SmartNews's Core Values.

SmartNews is home to employees of diverse nationalities. When the Summer Festival was announced on Slack, a comment from a non-Japanese employee saying, "I'd love to try a yukata, but I don't own one," sparked a chain reaction.

This single comment led to a spontaneous, organic internal matching process: "Does anyone have one to lend?" and "Who would like to wear one?"

As a result, three non-Japanese employees experienced wearing a yukata (traditional Japanese garment) for the first time in their lives, thanks to the mutual support of their colleagues. Volunteers also came forward to help with the kitsuke (dressing). On the day of the event, many employees, including the CEO, participated in yukata or jinbei (casual kimono), instantly transforming the entire office into a vibrant festival ground.

A single voice moved others, and a circle of cooperation expanded. The spirit of "Nothing is Somebody Else's Problem" was truly alive here.

Various engaging activities were prepared to encourage meaningful interaction among employees:

• Target Shooting Booth: Both adults and children were excited. Even CEO Kaisei challenged it, spreading laughter and applause!

▲CEO Kaisei-san, dressed in a jinbei, concentrating on target shooting. He successfully hit the target shortly after this photo!)

• Katanuki (Shape-cutting Candy) Booth: A nostalgic yet new place for conversation, with comments like, "That's how we did it in my hometown!"

• SmartClub (Internal Club Activities) Introduction Booths: Featuring a public match by the Shogi and Chess clubs, cookie tasting by the Cooking club, and an exhibition by the Fishing club. This provided an opportunity to discover colleagues' hidden passions and talents.

• Festival Food Stalls: Shaved ice (kakigori), takoyaki (octopus balls), yakisoba (fried noodles), taiyaki (fish-shaped cake), and candied fruit (furūtsu-ame) were a great success.

• Self-Serve Draft Beer Server: The fun of pouring one's own beer added to the communication that took place.

• Chikyu-kun Ondo (Earth-kun Dance): An original Ondo (folk dance music) generated by AI brought vibrancy to the venue.

• Purple Ring Initiative: A "purple bracelet means it's OK to talk to this person!" marker. A way to naturally spark conversations, even between strangers.

It wasn't just the organizing committee that made this Summer Festival special. The proactive actions of every single participant made the event better.

When the ice ran low at the shaved ice booth, nearby employees immediately helped replenish it. When a beer spilled, someone instinctively grabbed a paper towel to clean it up.

Others offered, "Can I help?" after observing the setup, and when it was time to clean up, many employees quietly carried tables and chairs and collected trash.

These actions were driven not by being asked, but by the feeling, "I can do something to help." The accumulation of these small, individual actions created a sense of warmth and unity throughout the venue.

After the event, many participants said they "felt the SmartNews spirit again" just as frequently as they said they "had a great time."

People stepping forward to take the initiative, others responding to that initiative, and that positive chain reaction making the place better—this is the SmartNews culture, evident not only in our daily work but also in our internal events.

The connections and experiences forged at the festival will inspire the feeling, "Next time, I will take action for someone else."

"Nothing is Somebody Else's Problem" is not just a motto for the organizers; it's a spirit that sprouted and spread within every person who enjoyed the day. This was truly realized that day.

The Summer Festival was not only a place to have fun but also a successful venue for embodying SmartNews's Core Values.

Thanks to the proactive preparation and ingenuity of the committee, and the authentic engagement of every participant, cross-departmental and cross-national connections and unity were fostered.

The phrase "Nothing is Somebody Else's Problem" is not just a slogan; it is rooted in our daily actions. This summer memory will lead to "Tomorrow's NSEP" in the heart of every employee.

Written by = Inside SmartNews Editorial Team (Yamautsuri)

Photography by = Daotian Zhang *An Engineer who loves photography spontaneously took on the role of photographer for the day!