A set of the encyclopedias I was trying to sell costed 250,000 JPY, and I did not make any sales in the beginning. It was only when I gave up on trying to sell such an expensive item and instead just started telling and showing the encyclopedia to the kids. That’s when their mothers decided to purchase them. The following day, the other mothers ordered as well. I was struck at how much the mothers cared for their children. No matter the expense, they willingly gave their money away for their children.

Instead of giving up because something was expensive, I should have looked elsewhere to understand what customers actually wanted. Once I could understand that, then I could propose a product for them to purchase. And there could be no better joy than to know that the purchase would be useful for them. Instead of thinking simply that a good product would lead to sales, I should propose something that meets the expectations of the customers. Even after that I continuously received orders for encyclopedias.

<<Encounter With the Fishery Industry>>

My fixed salary at the encyclopedia selling company was 27,000 JPY, but was commission-based, so the more I sold, the more I made. I was able to reach a new record of over 500 volumes sold in a month and a half, so I expected an increase in my pay. However, I only received a small bump in my salary. Nothing happened next month either. When asking for explanation, all I got was that some customers returned the products, or that the revenue I made was used to cover the expenses of other salesmen. There simply was no proper explanation for this. I also had to prepare for the National Bar Examination. There was no incentive to work hard here. That’s when I decided to change jobs.

So I visited an Employment Placement agency. Looking for a job with good benefits and conditions. I was shown ads for several job positions, and it was on that list, that I found Shinyo Shoji, a subsidiary of Taiyo Fishery Ltd. (present Maruha Nichiro Corporation). So, the fishery industry… The idea stirred up memories of the poor childhood, the tasty tuna my mother had brought home from a funeral, and the joy I brought to everyone when catching fish like carp from rivers and swamps. In my memories, a piece of fish on the dinner table was a sign of a happy family. The thought of delivering happiness to people sealed the deal. Without further ado, I requested the agency to grant me a meeting with Shinyo Shoji.

Now that I think about it, if I wasn’t introduced to Shinyo Shoji at that time by the agency and had chosen another company, I would have not become the Tuna King. In the beginning I started working there part-time, and I never could have dreamed that I would still be in the fishery industry almost 50 years later.

<<Surprised and Confused by the Customs of the Fishery Industry>>

When I first plunged into the fishery industry, I was immediately hit with how different it was. At the time, small cuts of fish were often discarded, to give just one example. Although I thought this was wasteful, the industry as a whole had the attitude that “if it can’t sell, why bother.” Later, I found a new market for these pieces. I sold them at reasonable prices to lunch box shops and sushi shops. I felt that offering tasty fish at reasonable price would make the customers happy. That was the mindset, as I tried being more creative in everything I did. Thus began the days of challenging the strange customs prevalent in the fishery industry.