My spiritual background

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I am not a follower of Christ. Nor am I devoted follower of any one. Most of my spiritual beliefs are from my mother. My mother often said to me, “do not do anything that makes others point you out from the back…even if you wear rags, hold a heart of brocade… be honorable and do what you believe is best. She lives with these words in her heart.”

I did not grow up in a family of poverty, but because I lived with three other brothers, I did not grow up lavishly. My mother sacrificed her pleasure for her children’s happiness. Do what you can for others first － I believe I learned this from my mother.

I spent my junior and senior high school years at Rokkou Gakuin in Kobe City, a Catholic missionary school. It was my father who decided on my attendance to this school. He was fully satisfied with the educational principles of the school rather than as a college preparatory school.

The school had a religious time called “Catechism.” The father held lectures on the teachings of Christianity. I believe my spirit of service and devotion to others was also influenced by these lectures. I am not a member of Christianity, but I believe there is much to have learned from its teachings.