Yuya Yamauchi, President and CEO of Komehyo Co., Ltd.

2025.11.21

Passion and challenge drive the future and our colleagues.

President and CEO of Komehyo Co., Ltd.　Yuya Yamauchi(Yamauchi Yuya)

■ Profile
Born in Kakamigahara City, Gifu Prefecture in 1977. Graduated from Hosei University.
He joined Komehyo in April 2000. After joining the company, he was assigned to the camera department and in 2009 was involved in the launch of the sales planning department. In 2017, he concurrently served as the general manager of the corporate planning department and business development department, promoting M&A and overseas expansion. In June 2025, he became the representative director and president of Komehyo Co., Ltd. He is the first president of Komehyo to be appointed from outside the founding family.

Yuya Yamauchi is the CEO of Komehyo Co., Ltd., which deals in secondhand luxury brand goods. He was a dedicated track and field athlete during his student days, and now leads Komehyo, one of Japan's leading reuse companies. Never afraid of challenges, President Yamauchi has continued to run with the belief that "connecting people's thoughts" and talks about his passion for his work and the connections he makes with his colleagues.

What I learned from track and field: "The process to win" is more important than the result

I devoted myself to track and field from junior high school through university, competing in the 100m and 200m. In high school, I won the Tokai Championships. In university, I placed fourth in the All-Japan Student Championships. I still have fond memories of spending most of my student days on the grounds, in the school cafeteria, living in the dormitory, and spending time with my fellow members of the athletic club. My days revolved around club activities, and I devoted all my time and energy to track and field.
During my competitive career, I was hospitalized due to injuries, and overcoming those hardships naturally taught me the ability to see the positive side of negative things and to be persistent. I also learned to think about the process of winning rather than just winning.
Nothing produces results immediately, but growth comes from trial and error, from making small improvements, making adjustments, and then trying again. I think the same can be said about management today. The company's success is built on an accumulation of daily efforts and failures. That's why I'm always thinking about "what to do next."

■ Independence and fun make organizations stronger

I joined Komehyo because I wanted to work for the best company in Japan. I built up my career and before I knew it, I was in the position of president, but I still remain a challenger. I currently also serve as president of K-Brand Off, a group company, and work between Nagoya, Tokyo, and Kanazawa, where every day is filled with conversations with internal members, meetings with external parties, and important decision-making.
I value the idea of "roles over titles." Rather than hierarchical relationships, I want to be conscious of the roles each person plays. There are on-site professionals, and management has a management perspective. Both are indispensable. That's why Komehyo is characterized by a culture where each employee thinks and acts independently. An organization where the top simply issues orders cannot keep up with the speed of change. As an example, when I was first appointed president of Brand Off through its M&A, there were honestly voices of opposition to the M&A within the company. The company was in the red, and people around me said, "There are many uncertainties, so it would be better to give up." However, I accepted the position because I felt it was a fulfilling job and saw a strong potential in the Brand Off team.
I believe that it is during difficult times that people's true determination is tested. And by achieving results in those times, everyone's way of thinking changes. In fact, my sincere involvement in the management of K-Brand Off and strengthening the relationships of trust with my team has brought about major changes in the organization.
So, was the restructuring of K-Brand Off difficult? There were many difficult times, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but all the team members were positive. Everyone was excited about the prospect of change and growth, and was able to experience the results of repeated improvements. This is where the "fun" of work came from.
As mentioned above, "fun" is at the core of my management philosophy. People are able to work hard when they are having fun. Academic evidence has shown that "fun" has a significant impact on increasing motivation at work, and moments when you can sense your own growth and spend time sharing goals with colleagues are said to further increase motivation. Things like compensation and titles do not directly motivate people to have fun. I used the example of K-Brand Off, but I believe the reason not only Komehyo but the entire Komehyo HD Group continues to grow is because each and every employee enjoys their work and takes on challenges. We at Komehyo hope to continue to be a team that pursues the true joy of work.

■We want to work with passionate and pleasant people.

While the reuse industry tends to be thought of simply as "selling second-hand goods," we don't see it that way. What we're aiming for is a new culture called "relay reuse." Rather than selling products, we connect the passion and value of our products to the next generation. We want to spread this culture around the world. Just as major companies are known for their clothing (Uniqlo) and cars (Toyota), we aim to be known for reuse (Komehyo). While some people still have a negative image of the concept of reuse, we hope to transform it into an experience of inheriting value rather than simply buying second-hand goods by focusing on quality, maintenance, store atmosphere, and customer service in our future business strategy. We also hope to create unprecedented services through technology and alliances with other companies.
And "people and organization" are extremely important in promoting this business strategy. I believe the most important things in moving an organization forward are the ability to think, the autonomy to act on one's own initiative, communication, and the passion that is the source of all of this. At Komehyo, we believe that "work performance" is a combination of "what skills you have" and "how you feel about doing it." Skills are of course important, but "feelings" are an equally, if not more, important factor.
More important than skills are the passion of each individual. In the end, it is people with passion, rather than knowledge, who motivate others. I want to build the future of Komehyo with colleagues who have this kind of "spirit." Think about it for a moment. If you're going to work with someone, you want to work with people who are pleasant to work with, right? This pleasant state of mind is what Komehyo sets as its Values. We define these as "Sincerity, Taking on Challenges, Cooperation, and Enjoyment," and we work together to refine our organizational culture, while also using further breakdowns of these as part of our evaluation system.
In the world of reuse, we connect things, but I want my colleagues to also connect their thoughts. At the end of that relay, I'm sure your own unique future awaits.

■Message to university students

I would like all students to choose a job with the perspective of "will it have an impact on those around me?" Rather than what position you hold, it is far more important to think about who your work will affect and what kind of impact it will have.
It's true that when you're young, people often don't act the way you want them to. But thinking about how to get your point across and how to get them to act will help you grow as a member of society. It's not position that motivates people, but passion and logic. I hope you hone these skills while you're still young.
And always, don't forget to have fun. Fun is contagious. As a manager, I also face pressure every day, but I can continue because I enjoy my work. Even when I hit a wall, I think about how I can make it more interesting. If you do that, you will naturally be able to move forward. Don't be afraid of change, believe in your own abilities and take on challenges. There is sure to be a new view at the end of the challenge.

　Student Newspaper Online September 17, 2025 Interview by Reina Inomoto, a first-year student at Kyoto University of the Arts