Han Yu, Representative Director and President of East Japan Company, Maruhan Co., Ltd.

The ability to envision the future of the industry drives the evolution of the company

Representative Director and President of East Japan Company, Maruhan Co., Ltd.　Han Yu　(Hanyu)

■ Profile
Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1963, he joined Maruhan in 1990. He felt a sense of crisis about the pachinko industry, which had no concept of service at the time in the 1990s, and resolved to "change the industry." He contributed to the company's development by being the first in the industry to hire new graduates, opening model parlors, formulating the Maruhan philosophy, and focusing on human resource development and organizational reform. In 2021, he became president of Maruhan East Japan Company. He is also actively involved in building a brand that elevates pachinko to entertainment and new business ventures.

Maruhan operates pachinko parlors across the country, with the corporate brand message of "Bringing joy to life." In the pachinko industry, the number of parlors has been declining in recent years, and it is said that it is becoming more difficult for companies to stand out. So how has Maruhan been able to continue to increase its presence? We spoke with Hiroshi Han, president of Maruhan East Japan Company, who is always one step ahead of the times.

From baseball-filled days to business management

During my university days, I was a member of the baseball club and my life was dominated by baseball every day. Since high school, I had dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, and I even played in the Koshien tournament, where I came in second. After devoting myself to baseball during my high school years, I went on to Hosei University, hoping to play baseball in one of the six universities, where I continued to devote myself entirely to baseball.
Having played baseball throughout high school and college, I decided to quit baseball once I got a job and to eventually join Maruhan, the company founded by my father. At the time, Maruhan was not only involved in the pachinko business, but also in bowling alleys and game centers. I had heard from my father that in the future he wanted to open golf courses and resort hotels. Therefore, after I joined the company, I wanted to study the hotel and golf businesses, which were likely to be new ventures.

■Realizing your ideals from one store

However, as soon as I joined Maruhan, I realized, "Oh, this isn't the company I had imagined." At the time, Maruhan was already in the top five in the pachinko industry. However, there was a sense of discomfort in the atmosphere of the industry as a whole, as if the customer wasn't being focused on. There was no value system in place, such as "customers are spending money" or "customers are spending time," and when I joined the company, I thought about how to create that value system.

So, I abandoned my plan to change all 35 stores at the time and instead spoke directly to my father. I decided to try creating one experimental store based on my ideals. Have you heard the story of the "100th Monkey"? It describes a phenomenon in which, when a certain number of individuals in a group exhibit a certain way of thinking or behaving, those thoughts and actions spread to others who have no contact with them. When I heard this story, I thought, "If more people were to create stores and staff with the same ideals as me, wouldn't that change the whole thing?" And to change the nature of organizations and the world, we need young people. So, I decided to communicate my ideas, "This is the kind of company I want to create," and "The pachinko industry has this potential. We need to change this," to young people, and together with those who shared my ideas, I would work to envision the future of the industry. The following year, I began hiring new graduates. I believe that the young people's ability to envision the future and their passion have helped to gradually change the company.

■The power of Maruhanism

At Maruhan, we value "Maruhan-ism," which includes our management philosophy, vision, value proposition, corporate attitude, organizational philosophy, company motto, and code of conduct. These are the way the company is formed through the collective opinions of all employees. We are so supported by this way of thinking that we worry about what would have happened if Maruhan-ism had not existed. It shows us everything, from how we should approach society to how the company thinks about its employees. Maruhan-ism is the core of our company and our strength.
It's difficult to stand out in the pachinko industry. While there are differences in store size and the number of machines installed, there are no major differences in the machines or prizes. If we were to pinpoint Maruhan's unique character, it would have to be its people. Hundreds, even thousands, of customers visit our stores every day. From greeting customers, calling them by name, and talking to them, we carefully observe their reactions and use them as an opportunity to consider our next course of action. Rather than acting solely based on manuals and our values, we consider what our customers need in this moment and treat them with compassion and gratitude. I believe that each and every employee, with Maruhanism as their foundation, is the reason Maruhan is so prominent.

■ Energizing the world through pachinko

While everyone has their own opinion about pachinko, we believe that the time spent playing pachinko is "an important time to express yourself and have fun." We think it is important to make this idea the norm in society. Play and entertainment allow you to express yourself and have fun, and such favorite time enriches and excites the soul. We want to make the world brighter and more energetic through pachinko.

■ Hotel business as the second pillar

We believe that the hotel business will be a growth industry in the future. Many tourists visit Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, but we believe that there are still many noteworthy attractions in the regions. There are few hotels in the regions. Japan is safe, clean, and has friendly people, and is full of attractions, but we feel it is a shame that there are fewer accommodations in the regions that can attract travelers compared to urban areas. We at the East Japan Company are serious about changing the hotel industry by utilizing the human resources we have cultivated through Maruhanism.

■Message to university students

You all have your own unique personality and charm. I hope you will find and hone your unique qualities and strengths, and create your own purpose in society. If you know your strengths, your self-esteem will naturally increase. Believe in your own abilities and take on the challenges of society.

Student Newspaper Online September 17, 2024 Interview by Toyo University 9rd year student Chisaki Hashimoto

Chisaki Hashimoto, third year student at Toyo University / Yurie Watanabe, first year student at Josai International University / Mayuka Kato, third year student at Otsuma Nakano High School / Rinno Koshiyama, second year student at Toyo University / Mai Wakao, second year student at International Christian University / Takafumi Yoshida, fourth year student at the University of Tokyo