New Program "Creative Leadership Development Program by Art (CLA)" to Launch

The Japan Management Association (JMA, Chairman: Masami Nakamura) will launch a new program, "Creative Leadership Development Program by Art (CLA)" (8 sessions), targeting company presidents and business managers facing innovation challenges, and managers seeking new leadership styles. This program aims to hone the "intuition, sensitivity, and aesthetic sense" required of future business leaders through the practice of art skills. It will commence on July 17, 2026 (Fri) in Tokyo.

In the past, the strength that dominated the world and supported Japan was the "ability to find the right answer" through meticulous analysis and planning. However, in today's unpredictable world, answers cannot be found by extrapolating from past data. Next-generation leaders are now required not only to be logical but also to possess "creativity" originating from their own inner "desires" and "motivations."

This program (CLA = Creative and Innovative Leadership development program of Art) aims to foster "leaders who can create new, creative value with their own will and sensitivity" by confronting the unanswerable question of "self" through the "power of art" that engages with and expresses one's inner self.

The overall learning structure consists of:

1. "Creation": Expressing one's value through objects and digital media. 2. "Exploration": Redefining aesthetic sensibility through self-dialogue and observation. 3. "Work (Practice)": Engaging in the above two activities. 4. "Lecture (Theory)": Learning the fundamentals of thinking with one's hands and its application to business, as well as innovation theory based on business practice and management studies.

The 8-session program will be conducted entirely in person from July 17, 2026 (Fri) to December 2, 2026 (Wed).

Emi Asayama, who holds a Master of Engineering and a Master/Ph.D. in Creative Thinking for Social Innovation, will serve as the lead instructor. Special lectures will also be given by experts including Tadanori Nagasawa, Chairman of Musashino Art University; Munetoshi Shirakawa, President of Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts; Masahiro Kototsuka, Professor at the Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University; and Hiroshi Mounai, Assistant Professor at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Research Center for Natural Sciences, Ochanomizu University.

We hope that participants will discover a sense that will guide their decision-making in areas lacking data through this program.

"Creative Leadership Development Program by Art (CLA)" Overview

* Period: July 17, 2026 (Fri) - December 2, 2026 (Wed) *Total 8 sessions * Format: In-person * Location: Japan Management Association Tokyo Headquarters (3-1-22 Shiba Park, Minato-ku, Tokyo) and other locations * Target Audience: * Company presidents and business managers facing innovation challenges * Managers seeking new leadership styles * Candidates for leadership roles in next-generation management * Individuals responsible for creating new value, such as business development, product planning, and R&D * Capacity: 20 participants * Participation Fee: * Period: All 8 sessions / 8 days * JMA Corporate Member (incl. tax): \715,000 / person * Non-member (incl. tax): \792,000 / person * Application Method: Please access the URL below and apply via the web. * JMA Management School * https://school.jma.or.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=152941 * If you have difficulty applying via the web, please contact JMA Management School by phone (Tel: 03-3434-6271). * Official Website: https://cla.jma.or.jp/

Program

* Please refer to the official website for program details.

Lead Instructor: Emi Asayama Profile

* Master of Engineering * Master/Ph.D. of Creative Thinking for Social Innovation

Completed the Master's program in Knowledge Engineering (currently Intelligent Information Engineering) at the Graduate School of Engineering, Doshisha University. During graduate school, she researched creating better environments for office workers using artificial intelligence technology.

Subsequently, she participated in the Co-Active® Training Institute (CTI) Co-Active Coaching Program in Canada, where she studied coaching methods to unlock individual potential. Furthermore, she studied creative leadership, integrating art and design studies, in the Master's program at the Graduate School of Art and Design, Musashino Art University, graduating in 2021. In 2024, she completed the Doctoral program at the same graduate school, earning a Ph.D. in Art and Design.

Currently, she works as a corporate managing director, providing consulting based on human-centered strategy development. She has independently developed "Human centric strategy," which emphasizes value creation from the consumer's perspective, starting from the passion of executives and the company's raison d'être. She leads numerous projects through a design approach to essential management agendas such as vision re-creation and new business strategy development, supporting corporate transformation and growth.

Contact for Inquiries

Japan Management Association, Management and Human Resources Innovation Center, Attn: Kawaguchi

3-1-22 Shiba Park, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8522

TEL: 03-3434-1955 (9:00-17:00, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) / E-mail: [email protected]