Hiroshi Mikitani

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Hiroshi Mikitani

Role / Field:

Founder of Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce giant; business magnate and writer.

Born:

1965-03-11

Century / Era:

1965s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Hiroshi Mikitani (三木谷浩史, Mikitani Hiroshi; born March 11, 1965) is a Japanese billionaire business magnate and writer. He is the founder and CEO of Rakuten, Inc. He is also the president of Crimson Group, chairman of the football club Vissel Kobe, chairman of Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and a board member of Lyft and The Thacher School. Mikitani was born in 1965 and raised in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. His father Ryōichi Mikitani served as Chairman of Japan Society Of Monetary Economics and was a professor at Kobe University. His mother Setsuko was a graduate of Kobe University and worked for a trading company; she had attended elementary school in New York.

Career & Major Achievements

Through his paternal grandmother, he claims descent from Honda Tadakatsu, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. His grandmother was born to a noble family which had fallen on hard times, and raised Mikitani's father as a single mother while running a tobacco store. His grandfather was a businessman active in New York, and was a co-founder of Minolta. Ryōichi was Japan's first Fulbright Scholar to the US and taught for two years at Yale University; during that time, from 1972 to 1974, the family lived in New Haven, Connecticut. His sister Ikuko is a physician (MD in Osaka University), and his brother Kenichi is a professor of biology at the University of Tokyo.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Mikitani attended Hitotsubashi University, graduating in 1988 with a degree in commerce. Mikitani worked at the Industrial Bank of Japan (now part of Mizuho Corporate Bank) from 1988 to 1996, with a break from 1991 to 1993 to attend Harvard Business School. He left to start his own consulting group, called Crimson Group. Mikitani has stated that the destruction caused by the devastating 1995 Kobe earthquake made him realize he wanted to help revitalize Japan's economy, leading to his resignation from banking and decision to start his own business. In 1996, Mikitani began venturing into the high technology business and started looking at various business models, and decided to launch an online shopping mall.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1965 (1965-03-11): Birth of Hiroshi Mikitani — Founder of Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce giant; business magnate and writer.
2. 1972: 1972 Milestone — Ryōichi was Japan's first Fulbright Scholar to the US and taught for two years at Yale University; during that time, from 1972 to 1974, the family lived in New Haven, Connecticut.
3. 1988: 1988 Milestone — Mikitani attended Hitotsubashi University, graduating in 1988 with a degree in commerce.
4. 1995: 1995 Milestone — Mikitani has stated that the destruction caused by the devastating 1995 Kobe earthquake made him realize he wanted to help revitalize Japan's economy, leading to his resignation from banking and decision to start his own business.
5. 1996: 1996 Milestone — In 1996, Mikitani began venturing into the high technology business and started looking at various business models, and decided to launch an online shopping mall.

Notable Quotes by Hiroshi Mikitani

“English is not an advantage anymore – it is a requirement.” (2010)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Hiroshi Mikitani

True or False: “Hiroshi Mikitani's initial focus for Rakuten was solely on building a platform exclusively for Japanese domestic sellers.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While starting in Japan, his vision from the outset was to create an online marketplace hybrid capable of global expansion.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aamir Khan — Contemporary (Born in 1965) (1965): Iconic Indian actor and filmmaker, known as "Mr. Perfectionist" in Hindi cinema.
• Aaron Kwok — Contemporary (Born in 1965) (1965): Iconic Hong Kong performer, celebrated singer, dancer, and actor.
• Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah — Contemporary (Died in 1965) (1965): Founder of modern Kuwait, he oversaw its transition to an independent state.
• 1982 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament — Shared historical date (03-11 · Born) (1982): The 44th annual NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
• Ahn Si-ha — Shared historical date (03-11 · Born) (1982): South Korean actress known for roles in dramas like Moonshine and All of Us Are Dead.
• Akina Nakamori — Historical peer (Born in 1965) (1965): Iconic Japanese singer and actress, celebrated for her powerful vocals and enduring artistry.
• Alan Freed — Historical peer (Died in 1965) (1965): Pioneering disc jockey who popularized rock and roll music across North America.
• A-Mei — Historical peer (Born in 1972) (1972): Iconic Taiwanese singer, producer, and cultural voice of Mandopop.
• Abraham Joshua Heschel — Historical peer (Died in 1972) (1972): Leading 20th-century American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher.
• Adria Petty — Historical peer (Born in 1974) (1974): American director, editor, and artist known for music video work with Beyoncé.
• 1965 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1965
• March 11 (03-11) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 11

Frequently Asked Questions about Hiroshi Mikitani