When Kazuo Inamori was appointed to lead the restructuring of Japan Airlines (JAL) two years ago, analysts worried about his lack of experience in aviation. Never mind that he was about to turn 78, had founded two of Japan’s best-known companies – Kyocera, in electronics components, and KDDI, in telecoms – and was, for good measure, an ordained Buddhist priest. Studying Buddhist teachings, he told the Wall Street Journal four months into his new role, “improves the quality of my heart and mind and enriches myself as a human being. This enhanced spirit is useful when it comes to revitalising JAL”.
兩年前，當日本政府任命稻盛和夫(Kazuo Inamori)負責日本航空公司(JAL)的重組事宜時，分析師們擔心他缺乏在航空業工作的經驗。事實上，當時他將滿78歲，曾創立過兩家日本知名企業——電子設備生產商京瓷(Kyocera)和電信公司KDDI；除此之外，他還是一位出家修行的和尚。在他接手新職務的4個月前，稻盛和夫向《華爾街日報》(WSJ)表示，研究佛學「提升了我的心智，豐富了自身的修養。這種思想的昇華有助於我重振日航」。