Business Leaders React To Uniqlo Chief's "Japanese May Perish" Remarks

"The Japanese people may perish."

Fast Retailing Co. chairman and president Tadashi Yanai made the controversial statement during an interview on a Nippon Television Network program aired in late August. I Photo: Fast Retailing / UCLA Newsroom

This comment by Tadashi Yanai, the chairman and president of global apparel brand Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing Co., has sparked debate online, with even leading figures in Japanese business weighing in, Yugi Sugiyama reported for Mainichi Shimbun.

Yanai made the controversial statement during an interview on a Nippon Television Network program aired in late August.

He said, "The Japanese people may perish if they don't learn how to work with a select few people."

He added, "If we don't make efforts to raise labor productivity, Japan won't survive in the future. As the population continues to decline, there is a possibility that public and private services may become unavailable."

Yusaku Maezawa, founder of fashion e-commerce company Zozo Inc., countered Yanai’s remarks on X, saying, "I feel the opposite. I believe that Japanese uniqueness will be key to the country's strength in the future, and I find the idea of conforming to globalization, which diminishes that uniqueness, questionable. We should strengthen our sense of unity and leverage our Japanese identity to become an even more robust nation."

Rakuten Group Inc. CEO and Chairman Hiroshi Mikitani also weighed in, stating, "I don't know the true intention behind Mr. Yanai's remarks, but it’s true that Japan lacks vitality."

Speaking about Japanese work culture, he noted, "In countries outside Japan, employees at startups and IT companies work intensely."

"Only in Japan do we tell workers to 'go home early,' and that’s not going to cut it. We need to consider creating a new labor system for growing businesses, while also prioritizing health management."

He likewise called for a review of current labor regulations, which generally cap overtime at 45 hours a month as part of the government-led workstyle reform.