Japanese ‘majime’ … as the Tokyo Olympics open … how athletes inspire business leaders

July 23, 2021

The Lake Biwa Marathon is the oldest in Japan – this year’s edition saw 42 local runners break 2 hours 10 minutes for the distance, the most ever in one race, anywhere – the US Olympic trial saw one runner under that time, while in the UK there were none. Yet hardly any of these Japanese runners win gold medals, or are known outside their home nation.

Japanese culture focuses on teams rather than individuals, on contribution towards collective goals rather than personal fame and fortune.

This is illustrated by the Hakone Ekiden, a long-distance running relay, and Japan’s most popular televised sporting event. Traditionally run over three days between the ancient capital Kyoto and Tokyo, a distance of 508km, it now consists of a corporate race every New Year’s Day, and a student race on the two following days. The collegiate race is the bigger event, with 52.6 million tuning into watch this year, 40% of the population.

Every top Japanese athlete aspires to join a corporate team – becoming employees with extra time off for training. Japanese brands are seen as national icons, and representing one is seen as the highest accolade for the individual, rather than an athlete’s endorsement for the company. This year’s Ekiden winner was the Fujitsu team, followed by Toyota, Asahi, Hitachi, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nihon and Yakult.

Last summer, I read Adharanand Finn’s excellent book The Way of the Runner, about his year living in Japan, running with a corporate team. He also spent time with the “marathon monks” of Mount Hiei near Kyoto, who attempt to run 1000 marathons in 1000 days in search of spiritual enlightenment. Only 46 monks have succeeded in 130 years.

Finn realised that Japanese see sport as a route to personal fulfilment (indeed, many sports, like judo or kendo, end with the suffix -do, meaning “the way”). Marathon running, in particular, is seen as honourable, instilling the values of hard work and commitment. He gives the example of Toyota’s HR department which uses their running team as a showcase for teamwork and discipline, with runners acting as mentors to business leaders.

Shigetaka Komori, CEO of Fujifilm, highlights the Japanese word “majime” which means serious and hardworking, a person who can be trusted to overcome difficult challenges, and constantly drive progress. Most Japanese leaders are therefore seen as calm and stoic, rather than charismatic and passionate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN7-EsXKzUw

Fujifilm is a great example of an organisation that “never stops” innovating, from camera film to medical imaging, from anti-viral Covid drugs to Asia’s leading skincare brand.

Being a team player is also essential to Japanese leadership. Rather than being a figurehead and decision-maker, leaders exist to consult with teams, to find consensus. This drives hierarchical working, feeling the need to be involved in everything their teams do.

Combined with a great appreciation of tradition – the world’s oldest company is Kongo Gumi, a construction company founded in 578AD in Osaka – this is a culture that has incredible resilience, makes steady progress, but can also struggle to adapt in a world of rapid change. The world’s third largest economy, largely stagnated in recent years, is also ranked as the world’s fourth least entrepreneurial country in the world.

Seiko Hashimoto, President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, is a 7-time Olympian, a former speed skater and track cyclist, who became a politician. She stepped in earlier this year to run the Tokyo Olympics, after the previous leader, 83 year old Yoshiro Mori, stepped down because of derogatory comments about women. Indeed women only make up 15% of senior management roles in Japan (compared to 29% globally).

Hashimoto said she hopes that despite all the challenges of the last 18 months, the Olympics will “spark a change in Japanese culture, combining historic values with a future mindset”. And that “delivering Tokyo 2020 in 2021 is a symbol of looking forwards”.

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