My History
The first turning point that shaped who I am today goes back to my high school years. Back then, I worked part-time at a gas station, where I could earn incentives by selling fuel additives and engine cleaners on top of my hourly wage. Even as a part-timer, I ranked among the top in the nation for incentive sales. That success sparked my ambition to work in Japan’s largest city, so in 2004 I moved to Tokyo. Looking back, being surrounded by talented peers—many younger than me—was an incredible source of motivation. At the same time, I’ll never forget a colleague asking, “Why don’t you study, even though you’re working so hard?” That comment pushed me to study more actively, take responsibility for my own work, and keep striving to improve.
Later, I joined a company where I handled mobile phone sales proposals and promotions, and eventually rose to become head of operations for western Japan. When the west outperformed the east, I was told I’d be receiving a bonus in addition to my salary. My team and I had worked hard, so I had high expectations—but in the end, no bonus was given. Realizing our efforts weren’t being recognized, I thought to myself, “This isn’t sustainable.” I spent six months transitioning my duties and then resigned. Having led a large team, I became convinced that I could build a better company on my own. With those experiences serving as lessons in what not to do, I founded Saizen in 2014. Looking back now, I often think that if I had stayed at that company, Saizen would never have come into being.
The Present
For many years, our core business has been promoting mobile phone sales. We host events at major electronics retailers and shopping malls, and we also dispatch staff for sales activities. By steadily building this business, we’ve expanded our reach nationwide—from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south. A key to this growth has been our strong focus on training, which has allowed us to place capable managers across the country and avoid concentrating operations solely in major metropolitan areas. In disaster-prone Japan, this kind of geographic distribution also serves as an important hedge against risk.
At the same time, we’ve been actively diversifying. One area that has seen especially rapid growth is our trading business, which focuses on the import and export of leather goods. We deal with exotic leathers such as crocodile, python, ostrich, and stingray. Interestingly, this business began as an idea proposed by one of our employees. Another venture born from employee input is our drone school business, which currently operates in Ehime and Kagawa Prefectures, with preparations underway for a new location in Chiba.
At Saizen, it’s not unusual for new businesses to emerge from employees’ ideas, and I place the highest priority on valuing people. Many of our employees have been with us for years, which speaks to our low turnover. I believe this is also a reflection of my own approach—I’ve always been committed to never letting down the people who work alongside me. Within this culture, our executives, branch managers, and other leaders take pride in developing their teams, managing effectively, and staying closely connected. We’ve built a company where employees’ ideas are respected and brought to life, and where the work itself is genuinely fulfilling. I feel fortunate to have been able to create such an environment, and I’m often grateful for the support I’ve received from my colleagues. Many of our employees have the talent to go independent, yet they choose to stay with us. For me, it’s a clear sign of the deep trust we’ve established, and it’s something I truly value.
For the Future
In recent years, Japan’s declining population has drawn significant attention. I, however, view it in a more positive light. Within this industry, Japanese-made products and the Japanese way of working continue to earn strong recognition and respect. In other words, as the population decreases, the relative rarity of Japanese talent only increases. That scarcity becomes a strength—and one with global value. As a company, we intend to keep showcasing what is uniquely Japanese, both in what we produce and in how we work.
Looking ahead, our plan is to further expand and strengthen our current businesses, building on the unique strengths we already possess. Japan’s shrinking population will inevitably mean smaller markets across all industries—an unavoidable reality. Yet even in that environment, our core business of mobile phone sales promotion continues to grow. This makes the steady, consistent recruitment of talent the key to our future. Welcoming new employees, seeing them step into mentoring roles by their second year, and eventually watching them develop into mid-level leaders who inspire others—that cycle of growth is essential to our success and must never be interrupted. That is why I never hesitate to invest in recruiting, because above all, people matter most. Yes, AI and digital transformation are reshaping industries, but technology can be implemented whenever the time is right. Human relationships, by contrast, are once-in-a-lifetime encounters where timing is everything. For us, people will always come first. With that conviction firmly guiding us, we will continue moving forward.