Sumire Hashimoto (Tokyo Stock Exchange/Stock Department)
The stock market was established to support the growth and development of Japanese companies by buying and selling something called stocks. The role of the stock exchange is to monitor, support, and manage this market so that it is fair, reliable, and easy to use! We interviewed Ms. Sumire Hashimoto, who works in the Stock Department of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, to find out what kind of work she actually does at a stock exchange!
Question 1: What kind of work do you do?
My job is to revise the rules for trading stocks in accordance with changes in the world and to monitor whether stocks are being traded correctly according to the rules so that everyone can trade on the stock exchange with peace of mind. Others support and manage the companies whose shares are traded on the stock exchange and screen them to ensure that they are suitable for trading. Together, we all work as one to protect the stock market so that you can trade with peace of mind!
Question 2: Are there any things that made you happy or made you think it was difficult?
The rewarding part of this job is being able to support the growth of companies by enabling them to trade stocks with peace of mind. It is also rewarding to be able to follow the ever-changing stock prices and related news, and to be able to see social trends on a daily basis, such as "This company's stock price keeps falling and they are not doing well," or "Today, companies related to the 00's are doing well! It is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job! It is a socially important job to monitor stock prices, which are also called "the thermometer of the economy," so that they are reflected correctly in the market. We feel a great sense of responsibility, but we also face our work every day with a sense of mission!
Question 3) What kind of place do you work?
The Tokyo Stock Exchange, where I work, is located in Nihonbashi Kabuto-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, which is also known as the center of the Japanese economy. Inside the building, there is the "TSE Arrows," which is the size of four tennis courts, and the symbolic "Market Center," a 17-meter-diameter glass wall. At the top of the Market Center, a ring-shaped "ticker" with a circumference of 50 meters displays stock prices one after another. Here, many transactions are monitored by the "arrowhead" trading system, which can process up to 390 million orders in a single day. There is also a "listing bell," which is rung by companies whose shares are newly listed for trading, and a "media center" with booths for various television stations and other organizations that disseminate information about the stock market!
Question 4: How did you come to work for the Tokyo Stock Exchange?
I joined the Tokyo Stock Exchange right after graduating from college. You can be a liberal arts or science major, or any other type of undergraduate! As long as you are interested in the economy and social trends, you can play an active role. I myself studied law at university and learned the importance of "making rules that make everyone happy. I am now involved in making rules for stock trading, making use of what I learned at university. You can learn a lot about stocks and the economy through training after you join the company, so first of all, I would like you to cultivate your ability to think ahead by taking an interest in what is going on in the world, such as daily news and things that concern you!
