I worked at a pub when I was at university. I left that establishment when I was 27 because I did not want to end up working there forever. As my father was a craftsman, I felt inherently interested in making things. From when very young, I would go and look at construction sites. I learned the dynamic principles of beams and many other things, developing a keen interest in buildings.

I found a role model who had an office in Tokyo and yearned to be an architect, a first-class one. So, I joined an architectural firm in Shinbashi that had five employees. But as soon as I joined I realized that the firm was really just a real estate brokerage. This initially worried me, but the firm had done me a favor by employing me in the first place.

A housing site manager came on board three months after I joined and I set about tackling the business, contributing to performance. The number of employees increased. Soon I was made head of sales. But when the company reached around 20 people the president said that he was happy at keeping the firm small. I saw no future for myself there. I concluded that I wanted to start my own company and pursue my dreams. And I wanted to list the company. I was 31 in 1989, when I left to start Sun Frontier Fudousan.

Childhood Background

My Turning Point