"How Hiroshi Mikitani, the Problem Child, Grew Up" Kenichi Yamakawa Price: ¥1500 The future and hope of Japan are here. Below-average grades. Expelled from a prestigious private junior high school. Only passionate about tennis. A childhood that troubled and vexed teachers. But that boy became a leading Japanese businessman. What kind of education did the boy receive from his parents? How was his unyielding, resilient spirit nurtured? And what is he thinking now, and how is he acting? Based on interviews with the man himself, his parents, and those involved, this is the first time his true face is revealed. ■ Excerpts from the content Hiroshi Mikitani was more than a rascal. He was a problem child. He smoked cigarettes in junior high, was obsessed with horse racing, pachinko, and mahjong, and stole money from his father's wallet. His grades were poor, with his junior high school report card mostly showing grades of 2 and 3 on a 5-point scale. He was absent for over 40 days and late over 30 times. This continued until his second year of high school. This boy always harbored the danger of going astray at any moment. The reason he didn't was because there was someone who always watched over him. His father. His father never scolded him for not being able to study, or for not studying at all. His mother was the same. But when they saw something was amiss, they would tap him on the shoulder and give him quiet advice. Just before he went astray, the boy was able to return to the bright world illuminated by the sun. The boy's parents, like many Japanese families, had survived a major war and defeat, and overcome a time of poverty. With salaries that were never very high, they sent their three children to university. His mother also worked at a cram school to support the family. In the process, they came to keenly feel the importance of "seeing the essence." Therefore, the parents hoped their son would do the same."