Tetsuya Sogo (十河哲也)

< Learning from Karate > The Importance of Fundamentals and Continuous Improvement On September 6, I had the honor of attending the 33rd memorial service for Wataru Okawa Shihan, founder of Kenseikan Karate, in Tokyo. He taught me during my university years. I began practicing karate as a child at my father’s encouragement. Looking back, I realize that karate had a profound influence on how I lived my life after graduating from Waseda University. It taught me not only physical and mental strength, but also the attitude of becoming fully absorbed in whatever challenge was in front of me and giving it my very best. Management, like karate, requires a strong foundation in the basic “Kata” and a growth mindset that continually seeks improvement. I believe that the spirit of “Bushido” holds significant importance for today's leaders in Japan. Business executives must constantly introspect, ensuring they have nothing to be ashamed of, reviewing whether their actions and words might...

September 5, 2026: Enjoyed  a wonderful evening in Roppongi, Tokyo, with old friends from my university days. Great food, good conversation, and a lot of laughs made it a truly memorable time. Tonight, I will be staying at Wakei Juku, the dormitory where I lived during my university days.

<  Fundamentals First, Success Follows > August 31, 2026: During a recent visit to my hometown of Wakayama, I returned to the karate dojo where my younger brother and I trained as children—after an absence of 50 years. To my great surprise and delight, I was able to reunite with Nobutaka Tsumoto Sensei, who took great care of both my brother and me in those days. Sensei is now an 8th Dan Hanshi and Chairman of the Japan Karate Federation Goju-Kai. After reminiscing about the old days, I had the opportunity to watch the children’s training. I was deeply impressed to see that, just as it was 50 years ago, Sensei remains committed to teaching karate as Budo, distinctly different from sport karate. He places great emphasis on mastering the fundamentals and kata, patiently and thoroughly instilling the basics in the children. It was a truly nostalgic and inspiring visit, and a wonderful reminder of the values I learned through karate as a child.  Mastering the fundamentals (“...

August 27, 2026:  I enjoyed an early-morning walk and breakfast before heading out for a board meeting. The cool breeze amid the lush greenery of late summer was wonderfully refreshing.