Chairman & CEO of Rakuten: Born in Kobe, spent a few years in the US when he was younger. He graduated from Hitotsubashi University in Japan and started his career at Industrial Bank of Japan. He also obtained an MBA from Harvard University.

Hiroshi Mikitani founded Rakuten Inc. in 1997 and has spent a decade evolving its business model centered on e-commerce, to create a market completely new to Japan. Rakuten, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates ("Rakuten Group") are now a full-line Internet services companies. In 2004 Rakuten became the main sponsor of “Vissel Kobe” football Team and bought “Rakuten Golden Eagle” baseball team. People say I am a risk taker, but I don’t agree. I am doing my best to live my life. I am avoiding the biggest risk in life: regret.”

“Work takes up most of your time. You need to enjoy it. I enjoy work and I will continue to enjoy it.”