Heartfelt! Inspiring Quotes Left by Great Figures of Japan

What Japan gained after losing everything was hope… It planted the seeds of hope within us, who had been captivated by wealth.Ryu Murakami

I would like to share a famous quote by Ryū Murakami: “What Japan, having lost everything, gained was hope… It planted the seeds of hope within us, whose hearts had been captivated by wealth.” The Great East Japan Earthquake caused immense damage.

Many people must have spent their days in deep anxiety.

Yet it is precisely in such times that we must not forget “hope.” As the writer Ryū Murakami says, what we gain when everything is lost in a disaster is hope—the hope to live earnestly now and to dream of a brighter future.

In a Japan where everything is close at hand and life has become affluent, perhaps many of us have lost hope in exchange.

This also resonates with the story of Pandora’s box, in which hope remained at the end.

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Nakajima Junko

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Prepare pessimistically, act optimistically.Kazuo Inamori

Let me introduce a famous quote left by Kazuo Inamori: “Prepare pessimistically, act optimistically.” Kazuo Inamori was a Japanese entrepreneur and engineer.

He founded Kyocera and Daini Denden, which is now KDDI, and served as chairman of the Inamori Foundation, a public-interest incorporated foundation.

He was also honorary chairman of Japan Airlines.

In the planning stage, with a strong will that says, “No matter what, we must accomplish this,” one should reexamine the plan with a pessimistic eye; then, in the execution stage, with the confidence that “We can definitely do it,” one should carry it out optimistically—brightly and with dignity.

Doesn’t this conviction also apply to disaster preparedness?

In this world of humans, there’s no such thing as failure.Ryoma Sakamoto

In this human world, there’s no such thing as failure. — Sakamoto Ryoma, Despair Freestyle Footballer

Ryoma Sakamoto was a patriot who played a key role in alliances like the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance and, as an entrepreneur of the late Edo period, founded the Kaientai.

His famous words, “There’s no such thing as failure in this world,” are a message only someone like Ryoma—who repeatedly took on challenges in a turbulent era—could convey.

If you can believe that no outcome is a failure, your anxiety eases whenever you take on something new.

This is a message from a great pioneer of his time that we hope you’ll remember when you feel down after thinking you’ve failed.

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Hoshino Takashi

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People are the castle, people are the stone walls, people are the moat.Takeda Shingen

These words are a famous saying by Takeda Shingen, a prominent warlord of the Sengoku period.

He said, “My retainers are my castle, my stone walls, and my moats,” meaning that his subordinates were the core of his military strength.

This is followed by the phrase, “Compassion makes allies; resentment makes enemies,” teaching that if you treat people with kindness they will take your side, whereas if you incur their hatred they become your foes—in other words, value your allies.

This saying conveys that “by valuing people, better results can be achieved,” and it remains popular today as a principle that connects to modern talent management.

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Hane Keisuke

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I never think about when to bow out.Kazu Miura

I’d like to introduce some words from soccer player Kazu Miura.

Even people who don’t know much about soccer have probably heard of Kazu Miura, who is still active as a professional athlete today.

As one of the pioneers who took on challenges overseas in sports, he has played in various countries.

Through his example, values such as relentlessly pursuing what you want to do and enjoying your own life come across clearly.

It’s a famous quote that makes you feel it’s never too late to take on a challenge, no matter how old you are.

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kepiko

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A dream is something for yourself alone. A dream that everyone can share is an aspiration.Masayoshi Son

Mr.

Masayoshi Son, the founder of SoftBank Group, is often praised for his management prowess in expanding his businesses.

Here is a quote from this great Japanese entrepreneur that makes us reflect on the power of pursuing dreams.

He tells us that to make a dream come true, it’s important to gain empathy from those around you and turn it into a shared aspiration; by working to earn that support, you pave the way to success.

These words suggest not leaving your dream as something personal, but sharing it with others and turning it into a larger mission—an invitation to spark a bold ambition.

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kappamaki

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Heaven does not create people above others, nor does it create people below others.Yukichi Fukuzawa

Yukichi Fukuzawa, who founded Keio University and was active as an educator, is also known for being featured on the 10,000-yen banknote.

Here is a famous quote from this great educator—whose ideas still influence education today—expressing his views on equality.

It conveys that while people are equal at birth, differences arise thereafter due to environment and education.

It also suggests that the more keenly one feels discrimination or hierarchy, the more important it is to seek ways to overcome them—a sentiment that could serve as a starting point for scholarship.

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kappamaki

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