Mr. Aketa joined our company in April, 1985. First, he was assigned to the Technical Solution Center (TSC). Then, he gained experience in the Research and Development Center (RDC), the Research Planning Group (RPG), and the ISO/TS 16942 Promotion Team. Now he plays an important role in the Quality Control Department.
We interviewed Mr. Aketa on how he spends his time-off.

Q1. How do you spend your time-off?

These days, I mostly go shopping with my wife to keep her company. But when I was in my twenties and thirties, I used to enjoy diving and paragliding. Now I rarely indulge in such sports, though, I sometimes go sailing with my colleagues. I have frequently participated in yacht races held by the Shimizu Yacht Association. This year, I would rather relax while cruising in a yacht than racing.

Q2. I heard you are crazy about "UFO Catcher"!

[Note: "UFO Catcher" is a game machine to catch and win prizes like stuffed animals.]
Yes, for some time. I started because of my wife who loved "UFO Catcher" since before our marriage. While I played UFO Catcher at arcades with her, I found myself that I was completely absorbed in this game. At those times, I used to go to the arcade every weekend. The moment I won a big prize was so exciting. I got so many prizes that there were too many to keep at home, so I store them now in a rented freight container.

Q3. Could give us tips to play the game?

I prefer the technique to hook the target with the arm of the machine. When the target is a stuffed animal, I choose one whose arm is firmly sewn on, making it easier to hook under the armpit of the stuffed animal. Other than that, I use buttons or seam of the stuffed animal to prevent the machine's arm slipping. Even if I fail to lift it at first, I observe the process to determine where the center of gravity is and to find a good spot to hook the machine's arm for the next round. I also watch carefully how the machine's arm moves. In some machines, the arm may not stop immediately when I take my hand off the operating button, or may not move straight.

Q4. Do you have any interesting experience about this game?

Once I emptied all the prizes from the game machine and asked the arcade clerk to refill it with prizes. He added some prizes, but at the same time he loosened the gripping mechanism of the arm to make it more difficult to lift the prizes up. But, I knew the strength of the grip has nothing to do with hooking, so I emptied the game machine again. The clerk labeled the machine as out of order and threw me out of the arcade.

Q5. Do you play that often these days?

Lately, the prizes are often set very close to the edge of the hole, as it seems its ready to drop. But, actually, those prizes are trapped by something that blocks from dropping easily. For machines like that, which are popular today, players have to squeeze the prize into the hole by pressing the machine's arm on the prize. Now I can't enjoy my favorite way of hooking up, so I don't play "UFO Catcher" so often. But whenever I pass by an arcade, somehow I always glace at the "UFO Catcher".
Anyway, now I'm thinking of starting golf with my wife.

Mr. Aketa is certainly a man of action!