Latest news with #Aoki
Japan Forward
3 days ago
- Business
- Japan Forward
Redefining Omotenashi: How MOTENAS JAPAN is Shaping Japan's Luxury Tourism
More than a simple gesture of politeness, omotenashi embodies Japan's enduring tradition of selfless hospitality, one that often leaves a lasting impression on visitors from around the world. Amid a sharp rise in inbound tourism, this spirit of omotenashi is being reimagined to resonate with a new generation of Japanophiles. And among those driving this transformation is Hitoshi Aoki, founder and CEO of MOTENAS JAPAN, a startup launched in 2019. In an interview with JAPAN Forward, Aoki reflected on his entrepreneurial journey, the evolving landscape of Japanese tourism, and how his company is adapting to these changes. Excerpts from the interview follow. Inbound tourism only began to recover around 2023 following the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent years, Japan has shifted its tourism strategy from attracting 60 million annual visitors by 2030 to focusing instead on enhancing travel experiences and generating ¥15 trillion JPY ($99 billion USD) in tourism revenue. Terrace with a panoramic view of the Northern Alps at Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture. (Courtesy of Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort) The spotlight is also moving beyond the well-trodden "golden route" of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Mt. Fuji toward regional treasures. For example, Hakuba, Niseko, and hiking routes like the Shimanami Kaido are being positioned as hubs for luxury and sustainable tourism. Still, Japan faces a delicate balancing act of scaling its tourism economy without diluting the authenticity and charm that make these destinations unique. I began my career at Reuters' Tokyo headquarters shortly after graduating from college, during Japan's bubble economy. Eager to work in an international environment, I joined the company as a systems engineer. Soon after, I was stationed in Singapore as an expatriate, working in the heart of Asia's financial district. That experience proved pivotal. It provided me with a firsthand understanding of what affluent international travelers seek when visiting foreign countries. Kaminarimon Street in Asakusa is bustling with tourists — June 27 afternoon, Taito Ward, Tokyo. (©Sankei by Rei Yamamoto) After returning to Japan, I joined Hitachi, where I was responsible for developing next-generation business initiatives. However, I soon found myself constrained by a rigid corporate culture that left little room for individual creativity. If I wanted to build something meaningful, I knew I had to venture out on my own before it was too late. From the outset, my goal was to build a business centered on inbound tourism. I first tried a B2C model, renting out rooms to travelers. Although it saw some success, the work felt unfulfilling. I also launched a sushi-making experience for tourists in Tsukiji, which proved popular but wasn't financially viable. That's when I realized I had to shift my focus to B2B and think on a larger scale. At MOTENAS JAPAN, we offer premium services tailored to major corporations and organizations that seek experiences beyond typical group tours. Our goal is to provide authentic encounters with traditional Japanese culture and hospitality that are not available through conventional tourism. Scene from Imoseyama Onna Teikin. Minami-za Theatre, Kyoto City (© Shochiku) In Kyoto's Gion district, for instance, we offer private tea ceremonies where guests don full kimonos, creating a serene and authentic introduction to Japanese hospitality. At Kabuki-za in Ginza, our guests experience live kabuki performances accompanied by English commentary, enhancing their appreciation. Across Japan, we curate over 100 unique experiences, ranging from rare sake and whiskey tastings to private gatherings at breweries, along with personalized karate and judo lessons. Traditionally, Japanese cultural events such as kabuki, sumo, and shibai have been confined to large theaters or designated venues. While these settings hold great value, they can sometimes feel distant. We specialize in crafting exclusive and immersive experiences. Take kabuki, for example. Even many Japanese find its storylines and symbolism difficult to grasp. To bridge this gap, we invite professional kabuki actors to lead private sessions where they engage directly with our guests, explain their art, and demonstrate the intricate makeup and costume process up close. Abi (right) defeats yokozuna Hoshoryu on the first day of the Spring Basho in Osaka on March 9, 2025. (©KYODO) During the 2019 Rugby World Cup, we hosted a unique event where sumo wrestlers playfully competed against international rugby players and our clients. Later that evening, those same wrestlers joined the guests on the dance floor for a lively disco party. Another example was a request from a major foreign corporation for a Bushido-themed tour. We secured exclusive access to Kuon-ji Temple and invited expert instructors to lead hands-on experiences in samurai swordsmanship, ninja skills, geisha traditions, taiko drumming, and even ascetic training. It's personal, educational, and genuinely memorable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our inbound tourism business was severely impacted by travel restrictions and a sharp decline in tourists. Anticipating a prolonged downturn, we decided to pivot and launch an outbound venture. We currently operate two Douyin accounts, TikTok's counterpart in China. One promotes popular destinations, restaurants, and businesses in Japan that cater to foreigners, while the other integrates an e-commerce system. A sushi chef displays a fillet from a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna sold for 207 million yen (about 1.3 million USD), jointly purchased by sushi chain Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuki, at an Onodera restaurant following Tokyo's first tuna auction of 2025, January 5. (©REUTERS/Issei Kato) With China's e-commerce market more than ten times the size of Japan's, we provide end-to-end solutions to help clients tap into this vast opportunity, from market research to advertisement and cross-border e-commerce execution. Looking ahead, we plan to expand our presence to other countries, with Asia as our primary focus. There is no shortage of things to admire about Japan. It has a distinctive sense of beauty, rich traditional culture, stunning natural landscapes, deeply rooted social values, safety, cleanliness, and renowned omotenashi. But some of Japan's finest qualities have been rediscovered thanks to overseas engagement. Take Hakuba and Niseko, for example. Both have grown into popular destinations largely due to foreign investment, contributing to the revival of regional tourism. Developing these untapped regional gems is also a personal vision of mine. Author: Kenji Yoshida
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Steve Aoki, Sasha announce arrival of their first child on wedding anniversary, reveals name of baby boy
Steve Aoki, the 47-year-old DJ and producer, welcomed his first child, a baby boy named Rocky77, with wife Sasha on Friday, July 25. The couple shared the news on Instagram with a close-up photo of their newborn's tiny feet, the hospital tag still visible. 'Rocky77 has arrived! We're so in love with him already,' they wrote in the caption. DJ Steve Aoki and his wife Sasha welcomed their first child on their anniversary.(Instagram/@sashaaoki) Aoki and Sasha noted that their son's birth happened to land on a special date. 'Even more special is that we get to celebrate our son's birth on the same day as our wedding anniversary,' they said. 'Surprise arrival he came out on his own time already writing his first chapter of life. Let the adventures begin,' they added. Also read: Vanessa Kirby's fake baby bump in Fantastic Four was heavier than real pregnancy: 'Gave myself a backache for no reason' Steve Aoki's pregnancy reveal The couple, who got married in 2024, first announced the pregnancy in January during Aoki's concert at Barasti Beach in Dubai. He called it their 'biggest collaboration yet' as Sasha joined him on stage. 'This is a special moment. This is my wife, and we're having a baby," Aoki told the crowd. The gender reveal was pure Aoki style. A white cake decorated with 'Aoki' in blue and pink letters was brought out. Sasha smashed the cake on his face as blue confetti and smoke filled the air, confirming they were expecting a boy. 'It's a boy,' flashed on the screen as the couple kissed. Aoki, covered in frosting, shouted to the crowd, 'We're having a boy!' On Instagram, he shared the moment, writing, 'The most important cake of my life….. IT'S A BOY @sashaaoki.' Sasha posted her own clip with the caption, 'Our biggest collaboration yet. Baby Aoki loading @steveaoki #genderreveal #babyboy.' Aoki commented, 'The best mom right here.' Sasha's pregnancy updates Sasha's pregnancy updates often came with playful captions. In April, she shared photos of her baby bump at Coachella, writing, 'My plus one is kicking. Literally.' In May, she posted a video of her belly moving as Aoki DJed behind her, joking, 'Who needs lullabies when you've got daddy's epic drops.' She added, 'EDM = early development music,' to which Aoki replied, 'Training him young .' Also read: Celebrities who welcomed babies in 2025: Lily Collins, Henry Cavill and more | Photos By June, she was still poking fun at her journey, sharing a clip from one of Aoki's shows with the caption, 'Be a housewife, they said. Didn't realize I'd take it literally.' FAQs Who is Steve Aoki's wife? He is married to Sasha Aoki. Is Steve Aoki a real DJ? Yes, Steve Aoki is a professionally trained DJ and producer, known globally for his energetic EDM performances. Is DJ Steve Aoki married? Yes, Steve Aoki married Sasha in 2024. What ethnicity is Steve Aoki? Steve Aoki is Japanese American, born in Miami to Japanese immigrant parents.
Business Wire
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Oasis Continues to Call for the Dismissal of Kusuri No Aoki's President and Vice President (Stock Code: 3549 JT)
HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oasis Management Company Ltd. ('Oasis') is the manager to funds that beneficially own approximately 9.1 % of drugstore operator KUSURI NO AOKI HOLDINGS CO., LTD. (3549 JT) ('Kusuri No Aoki' or 'Aoki' or the 'Company'). Oasis has adopted the Japan FSA's 'Principles of Responsible Institutional Investors' (a/k/a the Japan Stewardship Code) and, in line with those principles, Oasis monitors and engages with its investee companies. Oasis, a long-term shareholder of Aoki, urges its fellow shareholders to hold President Hironori Aoki and Vice President Takanori Aoki (the 'Aoki Brothers'), who are leading Aoki, accountable at the upcoming Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held in August 2025 for their history of neglecting minority shareholder interests. Since Aoki's 2023 AGM, Oasis has asked its fellow shareholders to demonstrate its dissatisfaction in Aoki's governance structure, led by the Aoki Brothers, and particularly, the stock options issued to the Aoki Brothers, by voting AGAINST the re-election of the Aoki Brothers and voting FOR Oasis's shareholder proposals. In Oasis's public campaign, we have highlighted serious governance failures at Aoki, including: Stock options ('Stock Options'), which would cause an 11.1% dilution when exercised, were issued to the Aoki Brothers for only approximately JPY 52.5 million, representing a discount of more than 99% from the 'Fair Unit Price' disclosed by the Company itself. The Stock Options were issued shortly after the Company made unusual downward revisions to forecasts, which subsequently depressed the stock price significantly. Despite Oasis questioning the legitimacy of the process and the pricing of the Stock Options and asking the Aoki Brothers not to exercise the Stock Options until a judicial judgement was reached, the Aoki Brothers exercised the Stock Options three business days after they became exercisable, diluting all existing shareholders by 11.1%, and profiting JPY 8.82 billion. Oasis has requested in the 2024 AGM campaign that, if, as Aoki claims, there are truly no issues with the decision-making process or the valuation methodology behind the Stock Options, Aoki should provide shareholders with a fair opportunity to assess the facts for themselves by disclosing appropriate materials, instead of making abstract claims that 'there are no problems'. Oasis's request has been ignored, thereby depriving shareholders of their opportunity to make these assessments by themselves to date. Oasis, as the largest minority shareholder of the Company, has been leading a shareholder derivative lawsuit since July 2024 on behalf of Kusuri No Aoki and its shareholders to recoup the damages the Stock Options have done to the Company. During this legal procedure: the Aoki Brothers have continued to refuse to disclose the full details of the valuation by the third-party valuation agent (Plutus Consulting, 'Plutus'), which is the basis of the pricing of the Stock Options; the Company has continued to intervene in support on the side of the defendants, i.e., the Aoki Brothers; and based on the limited disclosures made by the Company and the Aoki Brothers, it has been discovered that it is likely that valuation of the Stock Options uses extremely unreasonable assumptions, including assuming incorrectly that there is no correlation between business performance and share price. It has become apparent that it is extremely likely that these errors have caused the 'fair value' of the Stock Options calculated by the Company to be much lower than the intrinsic value of the Stock Options. In particular, the use of the assumption that there is 'absolutely no correlation' between the Company's business performance and share price (or corporate value) is extremely shocking. Such assumption goes against the most fundamental principles of corporate finance. For example, even Plutus, the valuation agent of the Stock Options, points out in its own published accounting book that company-specific factors and macro factors affect the profit of each company, which determines the share price of a company. There are also internal board meeting minutes where Aoki directors discuss how future profit growth will lead to increased corporate value. Thus, said 'assumption' that there is 'absolutely no correlation' between share price, an indicator of corporate value, and business performance, directly contradicts the principles of corporate value valuation that even Aoki and Plutus acknowledge. We believe that the additionally discovered facts about the valuation of the Stock Options, especially the assumptions used, are further evidence that the Aoki Brothers have significantly abused their powers as directors of the Company at the expense of minority shareholders. Further, we believe that the Aoki Brothers' lack of cooperation in Oasis's genuine attempt to protect the interests of minority shareholders -- especially their exercising of the Stock Options three business days after they became exercisable, which yielded them JPY 8.82 billion in profits, despite Oasis's clear request not to exercise them, as well as their continued refusal to disclose the details of the valuation methodology of the Stock Options -- is proof of the continued abuse of their powers as directors of the Company. As such, we believe that the dismissal of the Aoki Brothers is necessary to protect the interests of minority shareholders and to enhance Aoki's corporate value. To this end, Oasis urges shareholders to vote AGAINST the re-election of Aoki Brothers, and to vote FOR Oasis's shareholder proposal to dismiss them. For more information, please visit We welcome all stakeholders to contact Oasis at info@ to help improve Kusuri No Aoki's corporate governance. *** Oasis Management Company Ltd. manages private investment funds focused on opportunities in a wide array of asset classes across countries and sectors. Oasis was founded in 2002 by Seth H. Fischer, who leads the firm as its Chief Investment Officer. More information about Oasis is available at Oasis has adopted the Japan FSA's 'Principles for Responsible Institutional Investors' (a.k.a. the Japan Stewardship Code) and, in line with those principles, Oasis monitors and engages with our investee companies. The information and opinions contained in this press release (referred to as the "Document") are provided by Oasis Management Company ('Oasis') for informational or reference purposes only. The Document is not intended to solicit or seek shareholders to, jointly with Oasis, acquire or transfer, or exercise any voting rights or other shareholder's rights with respect to any shares or other securities of a specific company which are subject to the disclosure requirements under the large shareholding disclosure rules under the Financial Instrument and Exchange Act. Shareholders that have an agreement to jointly exercise their voting rights are regarded as Joint Holders under the Japanese large shareholding disclosure rules and they must file notification of their aggregate shareholding with the relevant Japanese authority for public disclosure under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Except in the event that Oasis expressly enters into the agreement as a joint holder requiring such disclosure, Oasis does not intend to take any action triggering reporting obligations as a Joint Holder. The Document exclusively represents the opinions, interpretations, and estimates of Oasis.
Japan Forward
19-07-2025
- General
- Japan Forward
A Triangular Building with a 20-Degree Angle
Not far from Nerima Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, in a quiet residential corner of Tokyo's Nerima Ward, I came across an unusual building. It's a five-story structure with a basement, painted in bright yellow and orange. The bold colors stand out, but what really caught my eye was the shape. The building is a narrow triangle — so thin from certain angles that it barely looks like a building at all. I took a closer look at the sharpest point. The wall there was only about 60 centimeters wide. Using Google Maps' aerial view, I measured the interior angle — it came out to just 20 degrees. The Nerima Triangle Building has five floors above ground and one basement level. Old signs show it used to house small bars. Curious about what the inside of that narrow tip might look like, I took the opportunity to go in. The basement had been converted into a multipurpose rental space, so I was able to take a look around. Entrance to the basement rental area | Stairs leading to the basement Just inside the door was a spiral staircase. It was steep and narrow, like something out of a cave or hidden passage. I carefully made my way downstairs, ducking my head as I went. To my surprise, the space below was warm and inviting. It looked like it could comfortably host a small party of about five people. In the back, there was space for a fridge, a kitchen sink, a washing machine, and even a shower room. "Please enjoy the space like your own secret base," said Mio Aoki, who manages the rental. The basement rental space. The space includes Wi-Fi and a projector. I headed toward the narrowest part of the building. There, neatly tucked beneath the spiral stairs, was a toilet. According to floor plans I found on a housing website, it seems every floor has a toilet in the same spot. The toilet in the corner of the basement space. The building is certainly one of a kind. I wondered what else it was used for beyond the rental space. According to Aoki, the upper floors are occupied by residents. Before the basement was converted, it served as a storage area. Old signage on the side of the building suggests it once housed a snack bar or izakaya. As for living in the basement, Aoki laughed and said, "That would take a bit of courage." From the front, it looks like a relatively normal building. ( Read the article in Japanese . ) Author: Ikue Mio, The Sankei Shimbun
18-07-2025
- Politics
Japan Raps South Korea over Exercises near Takeshima
News from Japan Politics Jul 18, 2025 14:58 (JST) Tokyo, July 18 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government on Friday condemned South Korea for conducting defense exercises near Takeshima, islets in the Sea of Japan claimed by Tokyo. "Takeshima is an inherent part of Japanese territory both historically and under international law," Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said at a press conference. The South Korean exercises on Thursday are "totally unacceptable and extremely regrettable," Aoki said. He added that the Japanese government will press the South Korean side to act appropriately. The islets are controlled by South Korea and known as Dokdo there. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
