Birth Date:
12/04/1964
Background / Biography:
After joining Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., Ltd., he gained experience in railway operations and human resources before transitioning into the hotel business.
Education:
Graduated from Meizen High School, Fukuoka Prefecture, in 1983.
Experience:
He joined Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., Ltd. in 1983, where he accumulated experience in railway operations and human resources before entering the hotel business in 2000.
In 2006, he was appointed General Manager of Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel, followed by his appointment as General Manager of Nishitetsu Grand Hotel in 2009, where he played a central role in hotel operations and management.
From 2017, he was stationed in South Korea, and subsequently served as President and Representative Director of NNR Hotels International Korea Co., Ltd., where he led the growth of the company’s overseas hotel business.
After returning to Japan, he was appointed Executive Officer of Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., Ltd. and President & Representative Director of Nishitetsu Hotels Co., Ltd. in 2021. In this role, he oversees hotel management, operations, and development.
Areas of Expertise:
Hotel management, hotel operations, and hotel development.
What have been the main lessons you have learned in your career and how do you implement them in your management?
I believe it is essential to understand the purpose and meaning of each task before taking action. I also make it a habit to break down work from larger objectives into smaller, more manageable components.
Profesional accomplishments:
In March 2005, during the Fukuoka Prefecture Western Offshore Earthquake, he led the initial emergency response at Nishitetsu Grand Hotel while serving as Director of General Affairs. Together with the hotel staff, he led the full evacuation of the building, ensured the safety of both guests and employees, and provided care and support to wedding parties and overnight guests.
This unprecedented experience strongly reinforced the importance of daily preparedness and maintaining a management mindset that places guests’ safety and well-being above all else.
Mentors:
Early in his career, around his fifth or sixth year with the company, he happened to share a moment at a local izakaya with a former recruitment interviewer who surprised him by remembering his birthday. That small but meaningful gesture left a lasting impression.
Since becoming Deputy General Manager of Nishitetsu Grand Hotel in 2005, his handwritten planner has been filled with the birthdays of employees, and he makes it a point to send a congratulatory message to each of them on their birthdays.
Goals as president:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nishitetsu Hotel Group fundamentally reassessed its operating model and implemented difficult but necessary structural reforms. As a result, the organization emerged leaner, stronger, and more resilient.
Looking ahead to the realization of Nishitetsu Group Vision 2035, the focus is not merely on increasing the number of properties, but on re-challenging growth by further enhancing the quality of each hotel.
By remaining mindful of local communities and the environment, he aims to steadily pursue improvement and innovation—passing on to the next generation a hotel group that is stronger, more flexible, and more innovative.
Quotes
“The progress of one hundred people taking a single step is more powerful than one person taking a hundred steps.” True success is built through shared commitment and collective action.
