K A ZU O N A K A M U R A

Ta l k W i t h

F U M I A K I KO I ZU M I

People with Strong Wills Seize the Future:
Constantly Pursuing the Missions That Suit Every Passing Moment

Fumiaki Koizumi

President, Mercari, Inc.;
President/CEO, Kashima Antlers F.C. Co., Ltd.

Kazuo Nakamura

Chairman and CEO, CMIC HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.

People with Strong Wills Seize the Future: Constantly Pursuing the Missions That Suit Every Passing Moment

Work styles are currently at a turning point, with the spread of remote working alongside other changes. We
can see a significant challenge in aligning the direction of an organization’s mission with its people’s own
satisfaction in life and self-expression. What are the vital qualities that organizations and individuals need topursue? Fumiaki Koizumi has served as a leader in Japan’s Internet business, with the social media service
Mixi in the 2000s and the flea market app Mercari in the 2010s. CEO Nakamura listened to his story.

KAZUO NAKAMURA

Talk WithFUMIAKI KOIZUMIover Twitter. It was like I was hitting onthem online (laughter). I gradually gotpeople to join me.
As the business made good progress,
it proved bit by bit that we were notjust speaking about a pipe dream, andNakamura You’re famous for playing aNakamura You grew up in a natural

opportunity when supply and demandleading role in Mercari’s rapid

environment, but how did you get

don’t match. This really piqued myexpansion. I’m embarrassed to say

involved with the Internet?

interest. The Internet began to spreadthat I didn’t know how much flea

Koizumi My first experience with aaround the time I started high school. Imarket services like Mercari had

computer was in my first year of juniorbegan buying products in Shinjuku

spread before I came to know you. I’ve

high school. My school had manyand selling them like an agent within

been greatly looking forward to

Macs in the computer room, though

Internet communities for fashion

Nakamura I started the company in ahearing your story, owing to how you

they were uncommon at that time. Ilovers.

single room in an apartment too, so I

hard to integrate them in the team.

me about the mindset you have whencreated a completely new,started by drawing graphics, and thenI think this might have prompted myhad trouble gathering people. Young

Koizumi The Mercari team used tomanaging your business?

game-changing service. Now, you’re

I came to make games and otherdesire to create a company related tomen in their prime didn’t pay attention

have many people who had an edge

Koizumi The phrase “winner takes all”

originally from Yamanashi, right?

things too. I wasn’t really much of athe Internet one day.

to me. Women and people past

but were also flawed in some way. Iis common in the IT industry, so I

Koizumi Yes. I was born here ingeek though. I was the captain of theretirement age helped me out at thehad a lot of trouble thinking how toalways stay aware of the potential

Hokuto*1 in 1980, and I grew up

soccer team.

start. Looking back on it, we hadbring them together as a team. Butdangers. You might see rivalries

running around the plains. A

Nakamura It’s interesting how you

diversity from the beginning.

recently, I sometimes wish people

between strong parties at the start,

neuroscientist once told me that mydidn’t dive straight into geekdom.

Later, we sometimes had someactually had more of an edge. If you

but people, property and information

creativity originates from myKoizumi I liked fashion, so I naturally

strange but very smart people joining

have people with ambitions ofend up coming to the organization

experience playing in these plains

went on to link the Internet withus. Those kinds of people saved us.

reaching the top, then it’s easier towith the most power, so thatwhen I was a child. I do agree that myfashion. Nike Air Max 95 sneakers wereNakamura I imagine that there must

Koizumi When we started Mixi in themake a breakthrough if you encounterorganization becomes the standout

current way of living has been greatly

all the rage at the time. They werehave been many hurdles in spreading

2000s, there weren’t many workers

any issues.

leader.

affected by the way I gained theselling for over 10 times their regulara new service.

coming to the IT industry. But one

Nakamura We are living in complex

In the 18 months after Mercari wasattitude and habits to learn fromprice at one point, and they were a

Koizumi Both Mixi and Mercari had

person who did join us later became aand tough times with the Japaneseestablished, we raised a total of 4.3

nature as a child. Nothing beats naturesocial phenomenon. As I watched themany negative reactions at the start,

key person at the company. Thiseconomy continuing to be stagnant,billion yen in funding. We worked

when it comes to experiencing things

prices change for these products, I

but I believed that people would

individual learned programming on hisand with war and COVID-19

with high start-up costs to makefor real.

learned that there is a businesseventually come to use them.

own in high school, and he came toworldwide. At times like these, thesomething good, carry out

As the business grew, there was aour office one day at age 19 and asked

world needs talented people who canpromotions, and win customers. I

phase where the ambition we had at

us to hire him. He continued topave the way forward.

was scared that I would be unable toour founding to do it ourselves

distinguish himself from then on, andchanged to become our mission. Thishe became the Chief Development

phase was the most fun in the whole

Officer six years later. It’s pretty hardprocess.

to hire talent like him after theNakamura I found it hard to gather

company has grown large. I think it

people when establishing my business.

was only possible because we were in

Did you have a similar experience?

the venture phase.

Nakamura The most important thing in

could drink as much as I liked once

Koizumi At the start, I was talkingNakamura I can understand that. It

the IT industry is to become the de

we had come out on top.

about my aspirations as much as I

happened because the company wasfacto standard* . Coming from theTo tell you the truth, I was more

could. I was winning over people one

still developing. Unique and very smart

healthcare industry, this is a little hard

relieved than elated when I

people have amazing energy, but it’sfor me to conceptualize. Could you tellcould see we had become theKAZUONAKAMURA

The Phase Where Ambition
Changes to Mission Is theMost Fun

at a time. I also reached out to people*1 This interview was held at the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection in Hokuto, Yamanashi.

so our network continued to grow.

The World Needs
Specialists with an Edge

FUMIAKI
KOIZUMItake care of my team if we did not

Seeking to Be the De facto
Standard to Make Our
Ideals a Reality

take first place, so I was working as
hard as I could to succeed. I stopped
drinking liquor despite my love for it,and I was working until morning
every day. I kept telling myself that I2*2 A protocol that has come to be recognized as an industry standard following competition between companies in the market. This is a standard for all
intents and purposesPeople with Strong Wills Seize the Future: Constantly Pursuing the Missions That Suit Every Passing Moment

KAZUO NAKAMURA

Talk WithFUMIAKI KOIZUMI

de facto standard. Some 20Koizumi We seem to be polar

Japan during the heyday ofthe ground. Nowadays, you need tophase at which we need to launch anNakamura However, society in recent

competitors had joined the market

opposites at first glance, but in fact weflip-phones in a partially isolated

know what is actually happening.

app to enrich the lives of people inyears has changed, in the sense thatpeople get attacked if they say

at the start, but there were only one

both want to make society better. Weenvironment. However, I feel Mixi wastheir working and regular lives, and toor two left at the end.

just have different approaches. It isslowly driven out by Twitter andfurther realize a recycling society.

something that doesn’t match others’

Nakamura That is completely different

more convenient for society if there is

Facebook when smartphones came on

It is crucial to keep rethinking youropinions. We need to make society afrom the industry that I am in. Nobody

one integrated service, and Mercari

the scene.

relationship with society as theplace where people can voice many

company grows.

different opinions; otherwise our

Desire to Continue as a
Mission-driven Company

would imagine a single entity winningseeks to create a world where people

In light of this experience, I strongly

everything in the world of new drug

don’t throw things out, so in that

focused on the competition being

Nakamura As we see a turning point indevelopment or science. It takes atsense, it is better for it to be a de facto

global with Mercari, and on entering aworkstyles within the present day, it isleast 10 years to develop one newstandard.

world where only one platform reigns

more important than ever for

drug, so it takes perseverance.

Nakamura I think your approach issupreme. We even branched out into

companies to share details with every

Decentralized activity is essential totruly amazing in the way you capture

America.

employee about the absolute core

prevent research from stagnating. We

everyone’s needs and create an

Nakamura Once a company grows toareas that are non-negotiable.

strive to make competition. That’s why

ecosystem to make society better.

business will not go well, and it will beCreating the Future
through the Sheer Powerof Aspirations

no fun, either. That is diversity in its
genuine sense.
Koizumi I feel it is more important thanever to hold onto your own opinion
despite a flurry of other views. Whilea reasonable size, it can get enoughKoizumi I always talk about ourNakamura If you place focus on

younger people are more familiar withyou see many new bio ventures. My

income from domestic business.

mission until I am blue in the face—individuals living their own lives to thesocial media, I have noticed inmindset is based on an approach for

Companies like these tend to prioritize

about what the company stands forfullest, it is essential for people to feelparticular that many have beenbolstering their foundation in theand the future we want to create. Ifulfilled with their lives. It is also crucial

attacked for their views online anddomestic market, and so they lag

want the company to be mission-

to respect each other. If you respecttend to see communication asothers rather than trying to force yoursomething constrictive as they fear

maintaining diversity through this kindof metabolism.

It Is Crucial to Retain a Feelfor Things on the Groundbehind in going international. And if

driven, and I feel it was able to grow in

healthcare communication channel

Nakamura If someone makes a goodthey do seek to go overseas once theysuch a short time because of thisvalues on them, the world will be a

expressing opinions that differ fromcalled harmo based on electronic

drug it will spread across the world

reach that stage of growth, they tend

mission-driven approach.

better place, and you will see newothers. It is extremely important tomedicine notebooks, and we need thisinstantly, so there is always a sense of

to only think of buying a company in

I am actually in the middle oftechnologies appear as well.

hold onto your own opinions.

However, we are currently making ato become the de facto standard. This

fear within the drug industry because

America. But I don’t think that’s thereplanning our mission in line with ourKoizumi The debate on diversity tends

Nakamura Do you have any advice foris a completely different approach

you cannot avoid internationalright way to do it. How do you

10th anniversary, so we are returning

to focus on superficial aspects likeyounger people, or for people looking

from my mindset, so I am not strong incompetition.

perceive the idea of goingto discussions on the vital qualities wegender, but it would be better to focus

to start a company?

this area. I have called on younger

Koizumi I went through a hitch like thatinternational?

need to pursue.

on diversity in areas closer to the heart

Koizumi First of all, they need to have

employees to exert efforts in thisonce too myself, actually. We built

Koizumi We also have requests fromNakamura We are seeking to goof things.

a strong will. Both you and I haveregard.

Mixi as a de facto standard within

investors to acquire overseasbeyond just curing diseases, and to

Nakamura The essence of diversity iscreated a future for ourselves throughcompetitors. However, you can’t tell if

think about what we can do to makefound within us. The key is to have thethe sheer power of our aspirations,

you are doing business correctly if you

society a better place where everyone

power to take on challenges andright? There is more fear in our current

don’t have a feel for the kind of

can live according to their own will. We

accept other people for who they are.

chaotic and unpredictable times, but I

customer base there is and the kind of

have incorporated this mindset into

Koizumi To me, diversity and inclusion

think people should believe incommercial practices that are there.

our Creed* . We have a morningmeans that everyone has a place

themselves and aim to be optimistic.

It would be fine if you jump in first andmeeting at CMIC to which all

where they feel comfortable, thatThe most important thing is tostart business, and then decide

employees are welcome to join. At thiseveryone can express themselves, andmaintain a strong will and discoverwhether M&As are appropriate, but I

meeting, I always ask people to revisit

that the direction of their self-something.

wouldn’t approve of making a decision

our ideals and to be courageous in

actualization is aligned with theNakamura Thank you for taking theonly based on due diligence*taking on new challenges.

company’s mission. This applies totime to talk with me today.

materials. I want to jump in myself,

Koizumi I feel that we have entered asociety in general, not just companies.

34

learn through that process, and build aPROFILE

Nakamura You can’t convince anyone

Born in Yamanashi Prefecture in 1980. After graduating from the School of Commerce at Waseda University, he managed the IPOs ofInternet-focused companies such as Mixi and DeNA at Daiwa Securities SMBC. He joined Mixi in 2006 and supervised the entire
Corporate Division as Director, Executive Officer, and CFO. After leaving the company in 2012, he supported several startups, and thenjoined Mercari, Inc. in December 2013. He became Director in March 2014, and then President & COO in April 2017. He is currently
Director and President of the company while also maintaining a role as President/CEO of Kashima Antlers F.C. Co., Ltd.

if you don’t have a feel for things on*3 Preliminary surveys on the status of a company’s management and finances

Fumiaki Koizumi

strategy step by step.

*4 CMIC’s CREED is CMIC Group’s corporate philosophy, and was established in 2016