Kushikatsu Tanaka Holdings Co., Ltd. President and CEO Toshio Sakamoto

Taking on the challenge of going beyond the confines of an izakaya to make kushikatsu a part of Japanese culture

Kushikatsu Tanaka Holdings Co., Ltd. President and CEO　Toshio Sakamoto(Toshio Sakamoto)

■ Profile

Born in Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture in April 1976. Graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Keio University.
Joined Nippon Sanso Co., Ltd. (now Nippon Sanso Holdings Co., Ltd.) in April 2000. Passed the Certified Public Accountant exam in November 2004. Joined Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC in December of the same year.
Invited by former president (current chairman) Keiji Nuki, he joined Kushikatsu Tanaka Co., Ltd. in February 2015. As CFO, he led the company's IPO. In June 2022, he became Representative Director, President and CEO of Kushikatsu Tanaka Holdings Co., Ltd.

Kushikatsu Tanaka has expanded to over 300 stores nationwide, popularizing kushikatsu throughout Japan. Kushikatsu Tanaka Holdings, which operates the restaurant, is headed by CEO Toshio Sakamoto, who worked for a chemical manufacturer, became a certified public accountant, and was the company's CFO before assuming his current position. We spoke to Sakamoto about the company's efforts to expand its business and the unique features of Kushikatsu Tanaka.

During my university years, I focused on part-time work, seeking fulfillment and contact with society. The coffee shop where I worked part-time also had a karaoke and party room, and I spent busy days running it all by myself as the part-time manager. There were several other student part-timers who were also in charge of managerial duties, and we rotated shifts every day. Therefore, exchanging information was important. During the summer holidays, in addition to working at the coffee shop, I also handled reservations for the cottages owned by the company president, and I remember having fun being able to do a variety of different tasks. Part-time work gave me many opportunities to learn about society.
Also, the company I was working at had a computer, which was rare to have in a home at the time, so I often studied accounting with the president's help. Looking back, that experience may have been the starting point for my goal of becoming a certified public accountant.

■After many challenges and doubts, I finally decided to join Kushikatsu Tanaka

After graduating, I worked for a chemical manufacturer for three years, but during that time I began to feel that being a company employee wasn't for me, so I started thinking about going independent. This is because I come from a rural area in Nagasaki Prefecture, surrounded by many self-employed families in farming and fishing, and from a young age I saw everyone working freely and happily. Having grown up in such an environment, I felt that following a set path and receiving a steady paycheck every month was a little unsatisfying.
At the time, I had a friend who had qualified as a tax accountant, and I became interested in a profession like my friend, where the harder you work, the more recognition you receive and the more likely you are to pass on to your family. So I decided to become a certified public accountant and aim to become independent. After retiring from my company, I studied from morning to night, using my savings, and two and a half years later, I successfully passed the national exam.
After becoming a certified public accountant, I first got a job at an auditing firm. I had decided to go independent in 10 years, so just before I left the auditing firm, I reported my intention to go independent to President Nuki (current chairman) of Kushikatsu Tanaka, one of our clients. He said to me, "Going independent is hard, and you're sure to fail. If that's the case, why don't you join us as CFO?" At the time, Kushikatsu Tanaka was still a small company and was just beginning to consider going public. I was unsure whether to go independent or become a CFO, but after considering my connections and the future of my family and work, I decided to join the company.
After joining Kushikatsu Tanaka, I was involved in various tasks related to organizational development. As the management system, accounting, and internal regulations were not yet in place, I also put in place the necessary systems to take the company public.
It was Nuki who suggested that I be promoted from CFO to Representative Director, President and CEO. He said, "Now that we have expanded the company to 300 stores, we need specialized knowledge in management and finance to grow to our target of 1000 stores, so I would like to leave it to you."

■Aiming for 1000 stores. Making kushikatsu a part of Japanese culture.

Kushikatsu Tanaka has been focusing on franchising since its early stages. When we only had two or three stores, copycat restaurants opened, but when I tried their kushikatsu, it wasn't very tasty. With a major food, you can't get an image of it based on the taste of one store, but with a rare food like kushikatsu, if the first store doesn't taste good, that image will stick. This was a very bad situation for us, as we wanted to make kushikatsu a part of Japanese culture on a par with sushi and ramen. We didn't have the funds at the time, so we started franchising as a solution. As we expanded our store network, we realized the importance of having management rooted in the local community, and we still leave our regional operations to franchises today.
The locations of the stores are also well thought out. They are often located on main streets, on the first floor, and in conspicuous locations, so the more stores they have, the more advertising they can provide.
Our goal is to have 1000 stores, but I think the challenge going forward will be how to increase the number without compromising quality.
In addition, we are making various efforts to spread kushikatsu to more people.
One of these is the development of collaborative products. Most recently, we collaborated with APA Hotel's "APA President Curry" and Acecook's "Super Cup." The products were well-received and sold well, and we believe they helped to raise awareness among many people.
Another thing we've been focusing on for a long time is getting children to experience kushikatsu culture. Izakayas can be a difficult place to bring children, but we want kushikatsu to be popular across generations. To that end, we've devised ways to create a safe and enjoyable environment, such as offering a kids' menu, which is rare for an izakaya, various services for children, including a children's serious rock-paper-scissors game (if you win you get a free drink), and a no-smoking policy since 2018.

■ Brands other than Kushikatsu Tanaka are also expanding

In addition to Kushikatsu Tanaka, our company also operates Toritama, a chicken and egg specialty store; Yakiniku Kuruton Sinda, a specialty store for sauced grilled meat and wrapped vegetables; and TANAKA, a pork cutlet sandwich specialty store that has expanded overseas.
The food and beverage industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to create a company that can withstand such unforeseen circumstances, Toritama and Yakiniku Kuruton were launched as the second brand after Kushikatsu Tanaka.
We have also had our eye on overseas markets for some time, and have been thinking about how we should expand our chain. Izakayas that primarily focus on alcohol are difficult to accept overseas due to cultural differences, and it is difficult to expand to multiple locations. Therefore, we decided to open "TANAKA" as a new type of business that does not use alcohol.
Two more stores are scheduled to open in the US this year.

■Message to students

Don't forget to be grateful to your parents. Studying also costs a lot of money. Since they have taken care of you up until now, I don't want you to be the kind of person who blames your parents or the environment around you. Don't forget to be grateful, and develop a sense of responsibility as you take on various challenges. I'm rooting for you!

Student Newspaper Online Interview June 22, 2023 Keio University, 2nd Year Student, Kato Kokoro