Tetsuya Sogo (十河哲也)

September 19, 2026: The annual general meeting of the alumni association of Wakei Juku, a student dormitory in Tokyo, was held in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. As always, I had a wonderful time catching up with old friends from my university days. It seems I got a little too carried away and ended up eating and drinking too much, as if I had gone back to my student days! The first gathering was over Chinese food, where we had already been drinking quite a bit, and we kept the fun going at an izakaya for the second round. It was not only a great time, but also a valuable opportunity to connect with my younger and energetic alumni. https://tedsogo1996.blogspot.com/2026/09/september-19-2026-annual-general.html?m=1

2026 Fuji Oil Board of Directors https://www.fujioil.co.jp/pdf/ir/library/integrated_report/fujioil_integrated_report2026_01_06.pdf

< The Board’s Role in Creating Long-Term Value > I am pleased to share that the 2026 Integrated Report of Fuji Oil features a roundtable discussion with its Outside Directors. In the discussion, we reflected on the progress of the “United for Growth 2027” medium-term management plan and the role of the Board in supporting sustainable growth and enhancing corporate value. I shared my view that the Board should evolve beyond traditional monitoring toward a stronger “steering function” — helping guide business strategy in the right direction by sharing and challenging the assumptions behind strategic decisions. We also discussed the importance of technology-driven differentiation, productivity improvement, supply chain capabilities, and shortening the Cash Conversion Cycle as key drivers of long-term value creation. I hope the discussion offers some insight into how we, as Outside Directors, view our role in supporting Fuji Oil’s sustainable growth and long-term value creation. http...

< 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.