After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Waseda University, he joined NEC and completed a master's degree at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
He worked at McKinsey & Company, as head of HR and General Affairs at Uniden, and as head of HR and General Affairs at Apple Computer before going independent.
He has served as an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University; Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Technology Management, Ritsumeikan University; and Project Professor at the Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University.

He has served as an outside director or auditor at companies including Fukuoka Financial Group / Bank of Fukuoka and Nikko, and advises several other companies. He has also long supported startups and provided training for public school teachers and national and local government officials.
He supports both organizations and individuals so that organizations are energized and individuals can live better, more vibrant lives.

His many books include "Working in a Company Like an Entrepreneur," "The Professional Executive as a Profession," "Working in an Organization Like a Leader" (Cross Media Publishing), and "Leadership 3.0" (Shodensha).