Early Life and Education
Hiroshi Mikitani was born in Kobe, Japan, on March 11, 1965. His father, Ryōichi Mikitani, was a professor at Kobe University and Chairman of the Japan Society of Monetary Economics. His mother, Setsuko, was a graduate of Kobe University and worked for a trading company. Mikitani's upbringing included international exposure, as his family lived in the United States for a period.
Rise to Success
After graduating from Hitotsubashi University in 1988, Mikitani began his career in investment banking at the Industrial Bank of Japan. He then pursued an MBA at Harvard Business School. In 1997, Mikitani founded MDM, Inc., which later became Rakuten, Inc. Rakuten began as an online marketplace, Rakuten Ichiba, with just 13 shops and 6 employees. Mikitani envisioned a hybrid model, blending elements of eBay and Amazon. Rakuten went public in 2000 and expanded internationally, acquiring companies like Buy.com (now Rakuten.com), Kobo, and Viber.
Key Business Strategies
Mikitani implemented a strategy of global expansion through acquisitions and investments in technology. In 2010, he initiated an “Englishnization” campaign, making English the primary language of Rakuten to facilitate global operations. His company expanded into various sectors, including e-commerce, fintech, digital content, and communications. Under his leadership, Rakuten has also invested in sports, owning the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles baseball team and Vissel Kobe football club. Rakuten launched a mobile service in 2020 and has partnered with various companies.
Philanthropy
Mikitani is involved in philanthropy and has made notable contributions to various causes, including a significant donation to Ukraine during the Russian invasion. Mikitani founded the Japan Association of New Economy (JANE) and serves as Representative Director.
