TAKAYAMA: Why has your book been such a success? INAMORI: Managing a company means dealing with money. In that sense, accounting is very, very important. It has to be as transparent and truthful as possible. This has been the basis and philosophy of my company management all these years. But it became apparent after the bubble economy burst that many Japanese corporate heads managed their companies in ways that were without principle and sometimes were even unlawful. I think my book, stating simple rules [of conduct], came out [at just the right time].

What about financial scandals and disclosure problems? There is a difference of social attitude between Japan and Western countries regarding disclosure. Japanese companies want to hide the real corporate situation, fearing they may lose competitiveness if it is disclosed, or that [management’s decisions] may be questioned. That is wrong. They should be able to take criticism from shareholders when they have to. Unfortunately, in Japan shareholder opinions are not taken seriously enough by management. I think it is our task to disclose the corporate situation to our shareholders. It is possible that older corporate managers don’t understand new financial developments, such as “derivatives” and so forth. And they tend to say that they were not aware of what’s been done by their juniors. Well, if you ask me, such [people] should no longer be [running] a company.

You are a Zen monk. When did you become interested in Buddhism? My first encounter was when I was 12 years old and in elementary school. I was suffering from tuberculosis and had to stay home. One day, a neighbor brought me books on Buddhism. Though I studied chemistry later in life, the Buddhist teachings stayed with me. I was always searching for the purpose of life, and came to the conclusion that it is in trying to improve one’s self and in being kind and merciful to others. I believe in reincarnation; my task is to improve myself as a person and purify my soul before death.

It was about 10 years ago that I began to think of becoming a Buddhist monk. I thought it was important to be away from the din and bustle of daily life and attain quietness of heart when I reached retirement age. I was afraid to mention my wish to my roshi, a Zen master. But one day, when he and I were having green tea at his temple, I gathered courage and asked his opinion. He was very encouraging and suggested not only that I shave my head but that I undergo proper training, including begging. So two years ago, for a short period, I joined other itinerant monks for training.

What was your daily routine? I was up at 3 in the morning. There was a meditation period, then a humble breakfast of rice porridge and a pickled plum. Then meditation again. Lunch was also very humble with boiled rice and barley, a couple of slices of pickles and a watery soup. In the afternoon, we had to answer questions from the roshi. Our supper was also very simple and humble. I went to bed at 10 p.m. I also had to train as a begging bonze.

What was the most memorable moment during the training? Walking and begging was tough, especially for [someone of] my age with aching feet and back. On our way back to the temple, I was way behind other monks. I was plodding along after a hard day’s begging. Then an old woman, who was sweeping the leaves, approached me and gave me 500 yen [about $4]. She obviously lived a humble life but wanted to give me an offering. At that moment, the air around me was filled with light and mercy. The air was filled with joy as if I heard the music played by a pure and selfless heart. The whole experience brought tears to my eyes.

Does Zen help company management? I consider the Buddhist teachings to be important and helpful for company management. The precepts of Buddhism are something that management can learn and gain a lot from. Zen is often misunderstood by many [people]. It is something you yourself have to experience, and is not something [that can] be taught. Of course, not many people can attain spiritual enlightenment through meditation, but we can, at least, try to improve ourselves so as to be better people. I think this attitude could indeed affect company management.