Unsatisfied with Japan’s prestigious Keio university, Tomonobu Kumahira transferred overseas to Brown. In his home country, where students hesitate to study abroad given the language barrier, he is admired by aspiring exchange students. A senior at this time of this interview, Kumahira-san reflects back on his college years. After studying in Japan for your…
Peter Thiel to Japanese Students: “You don’t start a company for the sake of it” (Q&A 2/2)
Peter Thiel continues to share his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Peter Thiel Reflects on Lessons from PayPal for Japanese Students (Q&A 1/2) If you were a 22-year old Japanese in Tokyo, what business would you start? I think everyone needs to start at something that you’re good at, that you’re very interested in…
Peter Thiel Reflects on Lessons from PayPal for Japanese Students (Q&A 1/2)
Known as the founder of PayPal and a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, Peter Thiel came to speak with Japanese college students about his new book “Zero to One.” In the following Q&A session, he shared his observations on successful startups, the startup scene in Japan, and whether he thinks artificial intelligence will overtake humans. …
Playstation President Shuhei Yoshida on VR and 20th anniversary
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the PlayStation gaming console. It has expanded the range of game experiences through various technological innovations and is currently in development to provide an even more immersive experience with Project Morpheus Virtual Reality (VR). We spoke with Shuhei Yoshida of Sony Computer Entertainment and Katsuhiro Harada of Namco…
Cannes Ad Medalist Reveals his Creative Roots
This summer, while doing an internship at Dentsu, Japan’s largest ad agency, I had the opportunity to learn about many intriguing behind-the-scene stories. Though rowdy at parties, Takashi Sakuma tried to keep his cool as our instructor during the day. I wanted to know more about him, so we re-connected for a friendly chat between…
Salaryman-turned Rock Bar Proprietor Discusses his ‘Roundabout’
There is a bar in Tokyo’s Shinbashi’s entertainment district that I frequent, called Rock Bar Dome. It only plays Progressive Rock music made popular in the 70s. Being underage, I come for the music and chit-chat with the bar master, Masatoshi Seki. This time, however, I visited to discover Seki-san’s roots as a salary man.…
Inside the Mind of “Mario” Creator Shigeru Miyamoto
Whether you’re a gamer or not, classics like “Super Mario Bros.” and “The Legend of Zelda” are universally recognized. Shigeru Miyamoto, their legendary creator, made a foray into film as he premiered the “Pikmin” shorts at the Tokyo International Film Festival. I had the opportunity to meet and discuss with the man responsible for brightening…
Evangelion Mastermind Anno Confesses Love for Anime
When I was preparing for my college entrance exams last spring, I began watching anime as a pastime. Shocked upon completing Neon Genesis Evangelion, I was entranced by the art of anime. The Tokyo International Film Festival this year hosted a feature on the anime’s director, Hideaki Anno. As I tried to subdue my exhilaration,…
Student Activist Fights Political Apathy Among Japan Youth
Back in high school, I participated in a brainstorming forum for potential policies with politicians from the national legislature. As amazed as I was to be able to engage with knowledgable legislators, I was even more surprised to discover that this event was hosted by a then-high school student, Yamato Aoki. With Both of us…
Manga Reborn: Globalizing Japanese Manga, One Translation at a Time
I met Hiroshi Sakakibara in one of my computer science courses at college. He maintains his easy-going demeanor at the office of Beyond Perspective Solutions Inc. (BPS). I visited his workplace and spoke with him and his CEO, Masaki Watanabe, about Manga Reborn. Mr. Watanabe, I understand that you were born in San Francisco…