Good Risks: Discovering the Secrets to ORIX's 50 Years of Success

Introduction

Every book is a conversation of sorts, and reading requires some level of personal commitment, not just of time but of attention, much like the commitment we make when we listen to a friend begin to tell a long story.  And just as in conversation, I believe that every reader has a right to know who they’re talking to before they make that commitment. Although this book is not about me, I’ve tried to make it as personal as possible to allow general readers to experience this journey as I did. So it helps to know a little bit about the “I” who is narrating the experience.

Although I was born and raised in the United States, I have lived part of my life overseas, mostly in Asia and largely in Japan. I am a writer by trade: I make my living by hunting for interesting stories and finding ways to tell those stories in various media. I’m certainly not a businessman, yet I find the world of international business fascinating. A few decades ago, I started out as a journalist and somehow drifted into business journalism. I’ve always had a nose for a compelling story, and when I find a story that needs telling, I’m willing to do some digging to learn more. I have looked into many kinds of stories, mostly for magazine and newspaper articles (remember magazines and newspapers? Sigh . . .), but also for several books I have either written or coauthored.

As a background to this book, it’s also important to know that I’ve had a long-standing interest in Japanese business. After ...