He loved movies and jazz. Songs he composed happened to be a mixture of Eastern and Western cultures. He had a strong personality. He could make it anywhere he wanted to. Our job is a difficult one because we compete under the same conditions.
Music is international.
People won't give you a break just because you come from Japan. You can't say Japan has its customs when it comes to music. It's wrong to say so in music, anyway. People have to rid themselves of this kind of thinking as soon as possible. We are in an era where people who listen to a Japanese orchestra will listen to a Vienna orchestra the next day.