About PSPINC and Japan

One thing Japan does exceptionally well is take an idea from elsewhere and adapt it to a different environment. Japan rarely copies something exactly as it is; instead, it modifies and improves it to fit local needs and culture.

 

Take the toaster oven, for example. Bread is not a traditional Japanese staple, and the toaster itself was invented elsewhere. Yet Japan transformed the humble toaster into a highly refined appliance.

 

Japanese manufacturers such as Panasonic, Sharp, Tiger, Toshiba, Balmuda, Aladdin, and Zojirushi have spent years competing to make toast taste better. To many people, making toast is simple—apply heat until the bread turns brown. In Japan, however, engineers have approached the problem with remarkable dedication.

 

Some companies developed steam technology to keep the inside of the bread moist while crisping the outside. Others focused on precise temperature control, infrared heating, or special heating elements designed to recreate the texture of freshly baked bread. Premium toaster ovens can cost several hundred dollars, all in pursuit of the perfect slice of toast.

 

To someone unfamiliar with Japanese consumer electronics, it may seem excessive. But it reflects a deeper philosophy. Japanese companies often take an everyday product and ask, "How can we make this better?" Then they spend years refining details that many people never even notice.

 

The same pattern can be seen throughout Japan's history. Rather than simply copying an idea from elsewhere, Japan adapts it, improves it, and tailors it to local tastes and expectations. Sometimes the result becomes so refined that people forget the original idea came from somewhere else.

 

That ability to adopt, improve, and perfect may be one of Japan's greatest strengths.

Omotenashi From the Receiving Side

 

Recently, I was disappointed to learn that Costco has stopped providing self-service onion and radish dispensers at some food courts. While I do not know all the reasons behind the decision, it reminds me of an important lesson about omotenashi—hospitality.

 

Most discussions about omotenashi focus on the people providing the service. We talk about kindness, attention to detail, and going the extra mile for customers. But there is another side to omotenashi that is often forgotten: the responsibility of the person receiving it.

 

When a business offers something extra, it is usually based on trust. The assumption is that people will take only what they need and leave enough for others. Unfortunately, when some people take far more than their fair share or misuse what is provided, the result is often predictable. The service disappears for everyone.

 

This is not unique to Costco. It applies to free samples, public facilities, shared resources, and many other situations.

 

True omotenashi is a relationship, not a one-way gift. The provider offers generosity, and the recipient responds with consideration and gratitude. Without that balance, hospitality becomes difficult to sustain.

 

Perhaps the real lesson is that receiving omotenashi well requires as much character as providing it. A simple "thank you," moderation, and respect for others help preserve these small acts of kindness for everyone.

The Man Behind the 85,000-Store Giant

Most people know 7-Eleven. Whether you are in Tokyo, Seattle, Bangkok, or countless other cities around the world, chances are there is a store nearby. Today, the 7-Eleven network includes more than 85,000 locations worldwide. But few people know the name of the man behind its success: Toshifumi Suzuki.

 

Suzuki did not invent the convenience store. Instead, he took an existing American concept and transformed it into one of the most efficient retail systems in the world. When the first 7-Eleven opened in Japan in 1974, many believed it would fail. Rather than copying the American model, Suzuki adapted it to Japanese customers and neighborhoods.

 

He focused on fresh food, frequent deliveries, and careful analysis of customer buying patterns. Stores were stocked based on local demand rather than corporate assumptions. These ideas helped make 7-Eleven Japan one of the most successful retailers in history.

 

There is an important business lesson here. Success does not always come from inventing something new. Often it comes from understanding customers better than anyone else and executing consistently.

 

Toshifumi Suzuki passed away on May 18, 2026, at the age of 93. His legacy lives on through the millions of customers served every day by the 85,000-store giant he helped build.

A Business Lesson from the Airbus A380

 

The Airbus A380 is one of the greatest engineering achievements in aviation history. It is the largest passenger airliner ever built and was designed to carry more people than any commercial aircraft before it.

 

Yet despite its impressive size and popularity with passengers, the A380 was not the commercial success Airbus had hoped for.

 

One reason was something many people never noticed. Although the A380 was larger than the Boeing 777, it often had less lower-deck space available for revenue-generating cargo. The aircraft was optimized to carry a huge number of passengers and their luggage, leaving less room for freight. Meanwhile, the smaller Boeing 777 could often generate additional income from cargo while carrying fewer passengers.

 

There is an important business lesson here.

 

Many companies focus on becoming bigger, adding more products, hiring more people, or serving more customers. But growth alone does not guarantee success. What matters is how efficiently resources are used and whether every part of the business contributes to profitability.

 

The A380 was bigger. The 777 was often more efficient.

 

In business, success is not always determined by size. Sometimes the company that uses its resources most effectively wins. Bigger can be impressive, but efficiency is often what keeps a business profitable for the long term.

Choosing the Best, Not Just the Familiar

 

Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force recently selected the Patria AMV XP 8×8 armored vehicle from Finland as the successor to its aging Type 96 armored personnel carrier. What made this decision noteworthy is that a domestic proposal from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was also under consideration. In the end, Japan chose the vehicle that best met its requirements rather than automatically selecting the domestic option.

 

I believe this is a healthy approach.

 

Of course, supporting domestic industry is important. Strong local companies contribute to national security, economic growth, and technological development. However, choosing a product simply because it is made at home is not always the best decision. The real question should be: Which solution best serves the mission?

 

The same principle applies in business.

 

Many companies become comfortable working with familiar vendors, long-standing partners, or local suppliers. There is value in those relationships, but loyalty should never replace objective evaluation. If another solution offers better performance, lower risk, greater efficiency, or better value, it deserves serious consideration regardless of where it comes from.

 

Good business leaders make decisions based on results, not assumptions. They compare options, examine facts, and select the solution that best supports their goals.

 

In today's global economy, innovation can come from anywhere. A company in Finland may develop a better armored vehicle. A startup in another country may create a better software platform. Success often comes from being willing to look beyond tradition and evaluate opportunities on their merits.

 

The lesson is simple: respect local expertise, but never stop looking for the best solution. Whether in national defense or business, choosing quality over familiarity is often the path to better outcomes.

Trust and Honor in Japan

One of the most remarkable stories from Japan's history took place after the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923. As fires spread through Yokohama, a prison faced destruction. The prison director made an extraordinary decision: he released the inmates so they could escape the disaster, asking only that they return when the danger had passed.

 

Many did.

 

Why would prisoners voluntarily return to prison? The answer lies in two values that have long been respected in Japan: trust and honor.

 

The director trusted the inmates to keep their word, and many honored that trust. Their promise mattered more than the opportunity to disappear.

 

These same values still influence business in Japan today. Contracts are important, but trust often comes first. Japanese companies prefer partners who consistently do what they say they will do. Reputation, reliability, and long-term relationships are highly valued.

 

Trust takes time to build and only moments to lose. Whether in history, personal relationships, or business, trust and honor remain powerful forces in Japanese society.

The Fourth Written Language of Japan: Emoji and Its Origin

Most people know that Japan uses three writing systems: Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana. However, there is a modern form of communication that could arguably be called Japan’s fourth written language: Emoji.

 

The word emoji comes from the Japanese words e (絵, picture) and moji (文字, character). Unlike the English word “emotion,” the similarity in sound is simply a coincidence.

 

Emoji were created in Japan in 1999 by Shigetaka Kurita, who worked for NTT DoCoMo. At the time, mobile phones were becoming popular, but text messages were limited and often lacked emotional context. Kurita designed a set of 176 tiny 12×12 pixel icons to help people communicate ideas, feelings, weather conditions, transportation information, and more.

 

Those first emoji included symbols for the sun, clouds, hearts, trains, telephones, food, and simple facial expressions. They were not intended to become a global phenomenon. They were simply a practical way to make mobile communication more expressive.

 

Today, emoji have spread far beyond Japan. They are supported by Unicode and used on smartphones, computers, websites, and social media around the world. Billions of emoji are sent every day, and many people can understand a message made entirely of symbols regardless of their native language.

 

In a way, emoji have become a universal visual language. Their roots, however, remain firmly in Japan.

 

So the next time you send a 😀, ❤️, 🚗, or ☀️, remember that you are using a communication system that began as a Japanese invention. More than twenty-five years after the first 176 emoji appeared, their influence continues to grow around the world.

Most people know the Mitsubishi name from the many products made by companies within the Mitsubishi Group—cars, heavy machinery, electronics, banking, and more.

 

But did you know there is also a company called Mitsubishi Pencil that uses the famous three-diamond logo and the Mitsubishi name, yet is not part of the Mitsubishi Group?

 

The company behind the popular Uni and Uni-ball brands traces its roots to a different founder and developed independently. Although both companies use the Mitsubishi name and a similar logo, they are separate organizations with no corporate affiliation.

 

It's one of those interesting facts about Japanese business history that surprises many people.

 

The next time you pick up a Uni-ball pen, remember: it's Mitsubishi—but not that Mitsubishi.

I Didn't Know
Today, I learned something new from a poster I happened to see.

 

I had no idea that Brooks Running, one of the most recognized running shoe brands in the world, is headquartered right here in Seattle.

 

Even though I have lived in the Seattle area for more than 40 years, I never knew this. Brooks was founded in 1914 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Interestingly, the company did not start out making running shoes. In its early years, Brooks produced ballet slippers and bathing shoes before expanding into athletic footwear. Over time, the company focused entirely on performance running shoes and became a favorite brand among runners worldwide.

 

After seeing the poster, I did a little research and learned that Brooks' headquarters is located near Lake Union along the Burke-Gilman Trail. If you know Seattle, you know that this trail is one of the most popular places for running and cycling. It seems like the perfect location for a company dedicated to helping people run.

 

Seattle is known as the home of companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, and Costco. Now I can add Brooks to that list. It is always interesting to discover that a globally recognized brand has been part of the local community all along.

 

Even after decades of living here, Seattle still surprises me. Sometimes all it takes is noticing a poster to learn something new about the city you call home. That small discovery made my day a little more interesting.

Getting Ready for Next Week's Seminar

 

We are getting ready for the upcoming joint seminar hosted by the Japan-America Society of Washington and PSPINC next Thursday.

 

We are honored to welcome Lewis Rudd, founder and CEO of Ezell's Famous Chicken, as our featured speaker. Lewis will share his experiences building one of the Pacific Northwest's most recognized restaurant brands, along with insights on business growth, marketing, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

 

Events like this are a great opportunity to learn from successful business leaders, connect with fellow professionals, and exchange ideas that can help strengthen our businesses and communities.

 

We look forward to seeing everyone next Thursday at PSPINC. It should be an informative and enjoyable evening filled with valuable discussions, networking, and great food.

 

Thank you to the Japan-America Society of Washington for partnering with us on this event.