Kyocera Founder

Dr. Kazuo Inamori

Entrepreneurial Innovator Blends Buddhist Beliefs with Business Practices

Entrepreneur, philanthropist and philosopher, Dr. Kazuo Inamori is a living legend of Japan’s business world. He founded Kyoto-based multinational electronics and ceramics company Kyocera and Japanese telecommunications giant KDDI. His restructuring of Japan Airlines allowed the troubled airline to go from bankruptcy protection to being relisted on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Through his Inamori Foundation, he established the Kyoto Prize to recognize individuals and groups worldwide that have made outstanding contributions to the betterment of the global community and mankind. His private management school, Seiwajyuku, teaches his management philosophy to business owners and entrepreneurs worldwide. To top it off, he’s a Buddhist priest who has inspired his employees with a unique management style, which incorporates Buddhist philosophies. Tokyo Journal’s Miyuki Kawai talked to Dr. Kazuo Inamori about his fascinating views and extraordinary accomplishments.

Saving the World from Self-Destruction

Linguist, cognitive scientist, philosopher, logician and political commentator– all of these have been used to describe Noam Chomsky, one of the greatest minds in the world today. Born in 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Avram Noam Chomsky studied linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania where he earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. He was later appointed as a professor of foreign languages and linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He became a pioneer in the field of psycholinguistics, helping to establish a relationship between linguistics and psychology. Today, he is one of the world’s most highly influential academic figures, being cited in the Arts & Humanities Citation Index more often than any other living scholar between 1980 and 1992, influencing such fields as mathematics, computer science, artificial intelligence, logic, cognitive science, music theory and analysis, political science, programming language theory and psychology. Outside of academia, Chomsky is internationally recognized as a political activist for his writing and speaking on U.S. foreign policy, capitalism and the mainstream news media. In 2005, he was named the most important public intellectual in the FP Top 100 Global Thinkers poll conducted by Foreign Policy magazine. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie spoke with Professor Noam Chomsky about his views on Japan and some of the greatest threats to the survival of the human race.

X Japan Rocks New York's Madison Square Garden

Japan’s Greatest Rock Band Takes a Bite out of the Big Apple

Interview by Anthony Al-Jamie

On October 11, 2014, X Japan did what most Japanese bands and performers have only dreamt of doing for decades. They played the most revered concert venue in the United States–Madison Square Garden–on the stage that has been graced by the likes of Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, The Who, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Elton John and Michael Jackson. X Japan is one of the most successful Japanese rock bands in history with more than 30 million albums, songs and videos sold. They sold out the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome 18 times, and in fall of 2014, just prior to their historic Madison Square Garden concert, the band returned to their old stomping grounds for a two-night stint at Yokohama Arena. X Japan pioneered an entire musical genre known as visual kei, fusing glam rock, punk rock and heavy metal with wild hair, androgynous makeup and flamboyant costumes. Formed in 1982, X Japan was one of the first Japanese bands to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label. In their three-decade career, they have released five studio albums, six live albums, eleven compilation albums and numerous videos. They’ve had their share of drama with the tragic deaths of their beloved guitarist HIDE and bassist TAIJI. At HIDE’s funeral in 1997, more than 50,000 fans came out to mourn his passing. At the same time, lead singer Toshi was struggling with the beginning of a horrific 12-year experience of being abused and taken advantage of by his wife and her co-conspirator as described in his alltelling autobiographical book Brainwashed. After X Japan’s breakup in 1997 and reunion in 2007, fans around the world have been eagerly awaiting a new album and another world tour. What’s in store for X Japan? The following is a series of interviews carried out by Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie with X Japan, including a pre-Madison Square Garden New York interview with the entire band and pre- and post-MSG interviews with the individual band members. These interviews with bandleader Yoshiki (drums and piano), Toshi (vocals), PATA (guitar), HEATH (bass), and SUGIZO (guitar and violin) took place while the band members were in Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo.

Tokyo Journal photographer Lola Rose captures the latest in street fashion in her photo column "Streetstyle Glamour."

From Model to Actress to Author, Garcelle Beauvais Does it all

Haitian-American model and actress Garcelle Beauvais has appeared on the big and small screen in productions like The Jamie Foxx Show, NYPD Blue, Wild Wild West with Will Smith and Flight with Denzel Washington. She began her career as a model for such clients as Avon, Mary Kay, Clairol, and Calvin Klein, and has modeled for Playboy. In 2014, at the age of 47, she was selected for People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful Women issue. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie spoke with Garcelle about her career, charity work and new book.

F i.n.t and an another angelus

Going global with retro girly fashion

Free International’s clothing brands F i.n.t, F i.n.t Cherry, dé cora F i.n.t, an another angelus, Patti Pucci, Pink Pop Panic and DUDE DO target different age groups and are inspired by fashion of different eras, while Free marche is their stylish giftware brand. Established in 1984 in Nagoya, Japan, the fashion company Free International designs, manufactures and sells women’s clothing and fashion accessories. Their clothing is available through department stores such as Lumine and Parco as well as F i.n.t and an another angelus shops throughout Japan and in Hong Kong. Customers overseas can shop online at www.fint-shop.com for stylish vintage clothing and timeless designs. Tokyo Journal met with Free International’s president Masahiko Kuzuya and shop staff to find out about their vintage themed clothing business and elegant giftware endeavors.

Tokyo Journal Street Photographer Malgorzata Dittmar hits the streets with her lens to see what's hot in Harajuku

The complete article can be found in Issue #276 of the Tokyo Journal. Click here to order from Amazon.

Fashion Design by Junko Koshino

Timeless Style

2015 marks the 400th anniversary of the Rimpa School of Japanese painting. This world-class cultural sphere of creation established during the Edo period has a uniquely Japanese approach to aesthetics derived from a sense of beauty that arose from food, clothing and housing style. Its spirit has come down to various contemporary designs. The works of Jakuchu Ito, a prolific painter who grew up in Nishiki Market in Kyoto around 300 years ago, are especially significant. We can see the connection with nature in his works— for example, a mantis amidst a backdrop of corn and melons. The work in this photograph is a black, almost flying silk cloak based on the image of cranes, elephants, and especially roosters. The Rimpa School is truly a timeless style. tj