Satoshi Murabayashi, Executive Vice President and Director, Internet Initiative Japan Inc.

Taking on the challenge of realizing a "data-driven society" with the technology and ambition that supported Japan's first commercial internet

Satoshi Murabayashi, Director and Executive Vice President of Internet Initiative Japan Inc.

Profile
Born in 1958. Graduated from the School of Economics at Nagoya University in 81 and joined Sanwa Bank Ltd. (now Mitsubishi UFJ Bank Ltd.). He worked in domestic branches and the systems department, and has served as Executive Officer and Head of the Systems Department at The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., as well as Senior Managing Director, Head of Corporate Services and CIO. In 2017, he became President and Representative Director of Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting. He joined IIJ in 21 and is currently Executive Vice President and Director, in charge of the Administration Headquarters and Risk Management Headquarters. His hobbies are reading and golf.

Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (hereinafter IIJ) has been a leader in the Internet industry for over 30 years since its founding in 1992 as Japan's first domestic Internet connection provider. Even today, the company continues to pursue new technological innovations, meeting a wide range of corporate IT needs, from the construction and operation of Internet infrastructure to cloud services, security measures, and system construction. We spoke with Satoshi Murabayashi, Vice President of IIJ, who continues to run the front lines of the rapidly changing Internet industry, about his experience in the systems department at a bank and IIJ's strengths.

During my student days, I joined the golf club of the university's athletic association and devoted myself to club activities. As the university had a partnership with a golf course, I practiced there during the week and worked as a caddy on weekends. I also worked part-time as a private tutor and a private cram school instructor. As for my studies, as I was in the Faculty of Economics, I joined a seminar on finance theory and worked hard to study in classes where it was difficult to obtain credits.
　During my job search, there was a practice at the time called "Athletic Club Recruitment," and many of my seniors from my clubs and seminars were working at financial institutions, so I was invited to join. I also studied science and mathematics in high school, so I was good at math, but I struggled with physics, so I switched to humanities. I had hoped to enter the Faculty of Economics, where I could take the math entrance exam, and I wanted to work for a company where I could do liberal arts work, rather than a company that mainly hires science majors. So I chose a bank, and after talking to people who actually worked there, I felt that the company culture, which was free and not bureaucratic, suited me, so I joined the former Sanwa Bank (now Mitsubishi UFJ Bank).

■Experience in the systems department of a bank, where the foundations of project management were laid

　After joining the bank, I worked at a branch office, handling counter operations, etc. However, in 1974, the second wave of online banking began, and we were recruiting people from all over the country for the third wave. In the midst of this, one day, I was suddenly ordered to transfer to the Systems Department. At first, I had joined the bank hoping to do a more liberal arts-oriented job, so I was assigned more science-oriented work, and to be honest, I wasn't too keen on it. However, when I was younger, even if I worked in banking, I wasn't able to make large loans, and I wasn't given heavy responsibility, such as developing companies. On the other hand, working in the Systems Department, each employee felt a strong sense of responsibility for their assigned role, and it was extremely rewarding. While many people returned to their original departments after being transferred, I felt that the Systems Department suited me so well that I thought I could stay in this department for the rest of my life.
Furthermore, this transfer made me even more passionate about my work, and I was entrusted with a variety of projects. One experience that stands out in my mind is my experience as project leader for a secondary ledger system, which I was in charge of when I was around 30 years old. This was a revolutionary system at the time, which allowed the system to be instantly put into operation at another location in the event of a system failure due to a disaster or earthquake. With the cooperation of everyone on the team, the system was granted an international patent, and it has since become so widespread that it has been adopted by other financial institutions.
Later, when the former Sanwa Bank and the former Tokai Bank merged to form UFJ Bank, I experienced system integration and was appointed General Manager of the System Planning Department after the merger. I believe that this experience laid the foundation for project management and risk management.

■ Utilizing the experience he gained during his time at the bank, he became the vice president of IIJ

During my time at the bank, I had specialized knowledge and skills in the network field, and was certified as a "Network Specialist." With my IT background and practical experience in project management, I served as Executive Vice President and CIO, and then became President and Representative Director of Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting. Around that time, IIJ, a business partner, approached me about joining them in launching DeCurret Inc., a virtual currency exchange business. I declined the offer at the time. However, four years later, when I was retiring from that position, I was approached again, and I accepted my current position.
IIJ is a technology company, and our engineers develop services by combining software. While I cannot directly contribute to the technical aspects, I am confident in my ability to manage and control risk, whatever the subject. In fact, shortly after I joined IIJ, a problem occurred, and we received administrative guidance from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, our supervisory agency. At that time, I utilized the risk management and internal control know-how I had acquired during my time at the bank and, as chairman of the data governance meeting, worked to prevent a recurrence.

■IIJ's strengths that other companies don't have

IIJ's strength lies in its high level of technical expertise and the outstanding employees who support it. Our flat organizational structure allows us to proactively incorporate new technologies and develop new services one after another. We have an environment where our engineers can directly incorporate the technology they develop into services, fostering a culture of freedom that allows individuals to demonstrate their abilities.
IIJ is the second oldest company in the world in the history of the Internet, and specializes in the design and operation management of the complex networks and systems that underlie the Internet services you use every day. Since the days when the Internet was still largely unknown, we have pioneered this field and created numerous technologies. We utilize this wealth of experience and knowledge to hone our technical capabilities and develop and spread new technologies.
That's why we want students with a spirit of challenge who can identify problems, think of solutions, and create services and products that contribute to society to join us at IIJ.

■Message to students

I value three "shi"s. The first is "aspiration," which I also call "aspirational philosophy." The book that inspired me to this point was Ryotaro Shiba's "Yo ni Sumu Hibi" (Days Living in the World). The story of Takasugi Shinsaku, a patriot who attempted to overthrow the shogunate during the late Edo period, taught me the importance of acting with ambition. It's fine if it's a short-term goal aimed at the near future, not 50 years from now, but a few years from now, but I hope people will always have ambition. In addition, my current ambition is to "enrich Japan through IT." IIJ aims to realize a "data-driven society" where various data can be safely distributed and utilized across organizations and industries to solve more advanced and widespread social issues. The second is "mentor." Valuing superiors, such as teachers and seniors, is essential for growth. My "mentor" is Takasugi Shinsaku. I learned so much from his drive and conviction. The third is "poetry." Reading books was also a catalyst that significantly changed my life. Therefore, I hope that you will continue to encounter many books and hone your sensibilities.

Interview with Student Newspaper Online on July 8, 2025 by Aoi Watanabe, a first-year student at Hosei University