【Book Review】The Bizarre Business Book of the Founder of McDonald's Japan, "The Jewish Way of Business That Moves the World Economy" (Den Fujita/KK Bestsellers)

In a nutshell

1. A long-desired premium book found on the bookshelf of my deceased grandfather.
2. Den Fujita, a legendary manager who learned the business methods of the Jews who move the world and made a fortune.
3. Target women and mouths, not give and take, but take and ask for more, cut your losses, get an education, and clean behind your ears and between your legs.

Finding a long-desired premium book while sorting through my late grandfather's belongings

My grandfather passed away in January 2019, but he was an avid reader, and the books he left behind as his belongings numbered in the thousands.

I was told that I could take home any books I liked, so I decided to take home whatever caught my eye, such as commentaries on the Warring States period, various philosophical books, art books of world masterpieces, photo books of America in the 1960s, and a collection of LIFE magazine covers.

Among them, there was a book that I picked up with an involuntary cry. It was "The Jewish Way of Business That Moves the World Economy" (Den Fujita/KK Bestsellers).

At the time, my perception of Den Fujita was only as "the person who told Masayoshi Son, when he was a high school student, to learn about computers, and who guided his life at SoftBank." However, I had heard about Den Fujita's life and that he was a person admired by famous managers, and I was aware that "The Jewish Way of Business" was supposed to be amazing.

However, until a new edition was published in April 2019, this book had become a premium book with a price of 25,000 yen on Amazon. Therefore, until I brought home my grandfather's belongings, it was a book that I wanted so badly that my throat was dry, but I couldn't get my hands on it. That's why I let out an involuntary cry.

It has an indescribable, bizarre cover. It seems to have been a big hit at the time, and the book my grandfather owned was first published in 1972 and was in its 231st edition in 1983, an unusual number of reprints. However, since it was only a so-called paperback book, it was probably thrown away for various reasons, and the number of existing books is probably decreasing.

On the back cover, it says, "I am reluctant to disclose how to make money, but I have disclosed it because it is better for Japan as a whole to make money. This book is packed with know-how on how to make money, so don't lend it to others and let them make money for free." You can get a glimpse of his personality. And I was fascinated.

As a word of caution in advance, this book is too quirky and is not suitable for those with a strong sense of ethics. Also, I will be writing this book review based on the old edition, which contains some discriminatory expressions from that time, not the new edition.

"The Jewish Merchant of Ginza" - Den Fujita

First, I will write about Den Fujita. He was born in Higashiyodogawa, Osaka, and while he was a student at the University of Tokyo, he founded "Fujita Shoten," which handled imported miscellaneous goods (especially diamonds and platinum), and made a name for himself in the business of importing goods mainly from the United States.

While also playing the role of a general trading company that handled various other businesses, he was entrusted with the development of McDonald's in Japan by Ray Kroc of McDonald's, and opened the first McDonald's store in the Ginza Mitsukoshi department store. Under the slogan "Make the Japanese blond," he immediately made McDonald's a success as Japan's first fast-food chain with his overwhelming expansion power.

After that, he was also in charge of the development of Toys "R" Us Japan, and was active as a businessman throughout his life. He is recognized as the only Jewish merchant in Japan, and has the nickname "The Jewish Merchant of Ginza."

Sayings from the Jewish Way of Business

Den Fujita's business philosophy is basically based on the Jewish merchant philosophy. The Jews affirm business and maintain the survival of their own people through the economy. Even today, it is undoubtedly the Jews who control the movements of finance around the world. Below are some of their philosophies.

Target women and mouths

"Target women" refers to the fact that women hold the purse strings in the family and have a lower hurdle for spending compared to men. It is a truth that has been passed down since ancient times, as it is also written in the Talmud, the Jewish scriptures. During his time at Fujita Shoten, Den Fujita made enormous profits from importing jewelry. In other words, he was faithfully carrying out a business aimed at women.

"Target the mouth" refers to the fact that businesses related to food and health will never disappear. Den Fujita follows the principles of business with McDonald's.

Not give and take, but take and ask for more

Recently, there are many business books that preach the importance of giving, but Den Fujita denies this. He says that you can't survive in business with such a lukewarm attitude. He says that you should have the spirit of take and ask for more, to exploit as much as you can (I'm open to other opinions).

Cut your losses

Cutting your losses is what is called stop-loss in the world of investing. He recommends that if something doesn't work out after three months, you should quit it cleanly. However, once you start making money in a business, you should do it thoroughly. There is a Jewish proverb that says, "Die in the office." This means, "Earn until you die, don't stop doing business until you die" (I'm open to other opinions).

Get an education

The author says that Jewish meals last for 2-3 hours, and during that time, they don't talk about work at all, but about world culture. In other words, they essentially know that they can't do business unless they know the world deeply and broadly. It is true that if you don't have enough education, you can't have a deep discussion because you can't understand each other. You can't do business unless you know things well first.

Clean behind your ears and between your legs

He says that the back of the ears and the crotch are where all energy gathers, so Jews always keep them clean and take care of their health. In this book, there is a story where Den Fujita was warned by a Jew, "I can't talk business with someone who has to rush to the bathroom" (I'm open to other opinions).

It is a bizarre business book the more you read it, but each episode that comes up is exhilarating, so I urge you to pick it up, even if it's the new edition. However, I hear that the new edition has cut out some of the discriminatory expressions and episodes. If possible, I would like you to purchase the old Showa-era edition. Well, if you're interested, you can just ask gonjitti for the details.

Aside (Recommended Book)

A recommended design book. It's packed with design tips that you can use forever. I use it often myself.