"SUITS OF THE YEAR 2025" Awards Ceremony

2025.11.29

From left: Hiroyasu Matsuoka, Kazuhiro Sakurai, Rikako Ikee, and Matsuya Onoe

The "SUITS OF THE YEAR 2025" award ceremony was held on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
This award is presented by the Nikkei Inc.'s media business lifestyle site "THE NIKKEI MAGAZINEThis event is organized by the Japan Foundation and marks its 8th year this year.
As with last year, the event was held in a hybrid format, with guests invited to the venue and some online streaming. Four notable individuals were recognized for their outstanding achievements in their respective fields, including business, innovation, sports, arts and culture, and entertainment.
The theme for 2025 is "sustainable."
From the Business Division, which focuses on management innovation and the development of products and services that bring a breath of fresh air to society, we have Hiroyasu Matsuoka, President and CEO of Toho Co., Ltd.
In the Innovation category, which has contributed to the advancement of the industry through new technologies and ideas, the winner is Kazuhiro Sakurai, President and Fourth Generation Brewer of Dassai Co., Ltd.
In the Sports category, competitive swimmer Rikako Ikee was presented for her contributions to the spread and development of sports.
Furthermore, kabuki actor Matsuya Onoe was selected from the Arts & Culture category, which focuses on those who have inspired the world through art and entertainment. A total of four award winners took to the stage. As the winners' voices of joy, symbolizing this year's awards, they dazzled the audience with their suits, reflecting their respective characters.

■Acceptance speech

[Business Division]
Hiroyasu Matsuoka, President and CEO, Toho Co., Ltd.
I am truly grateful to receive this wonderful award. This award seems to be very well-recognized, and I have already received many congratulatory messages, which makes me very happy. One thing that stood out to me this past year was the revamping of the Toho Group's philosophy. After much discussion with many employees, we decided to formulate and share the corporate slogan "Moments for life," which embodies the idea that "each moment becomes the strength of life." I believe this project was the biggest step forward for us toward the future. When it comes to suits, I developed a preference for navy suits, influenced by my British boss at my first job. Since then, my closet is filled with similar suits.

[Innovation Division]
Dassai Co., Ltd. President and CEO/Fourth Generation Brewer Kazuhiro Sakurai
I am truly honored to receive this award. I couldn't believe it when I first heard from them. I believe it's all the people who drink Dassai and support us that have brought us here. I am truly grateful to be standing here. We are currently producing "Dassai Blue" in New York. When you actually start making it, it's really a continuous struggle. We can make a reasonably tasty sake, but to make it even better, I think it's the combined power of all the elements - water, rice, environment, and air. It's a process of trial and error, and I believe there are still many hurdles to overcome. For the suit I am wearing this time, I chose a subdued navy with blue stripes, in keeping with Dassai Blue.

[Sports Division]
Competitive swimmer Rikako Ikee
Thank you so much for this wonderful award. So many wonderful people have received this award before, so I never thought I would be chosen, and I am truly grateful. This year I moved from Australia to Japan. Since returning to Japan, I have been given a variety of work opportunities. Of course, I will continue to swim competitively as my main job, but I also hope to be able to take on various challenges as a member of society. For the suit I am wearing this time, I chose a calm tone of gray with glitter, as I wanted to keep it bright. The design is not only stylish when worn as a set, but can also be enjoyed as a jacket or pants on its own. I like the wonderful design, which allows me to be a little adventurous in my private life as well.

[Arts & Culture Category]
Kabuki actor Matsuya Onoe
I am extremely pleased to receive such an honorable award. It motivates me to continue growing as a man who suits a suit. This year saw the first directing of a new kabuki production of "Touken Ranbu," and the second performance of the series took place in the summer. It left a lasting impression as I spent a great deal of time on it, including the preparation period. I am also honored to have had the opportunity to work with so many different people in the musical "Elisabeth" while also appearing in kabuki. The suit I am wearing this time is a three-piece suit that is extremely comfortable and fits my body perfectly. I also like the silhouette when I take off the jacket.

■Talk Session

[Sustainable initiatives and connections]

Matsuoka: At Toho Studios in Setagaya, we met with people from an energy company and are now using hydrogen and solar power generation, so we are basically running on a carbon-free system.

Sakurai: The most important thing in sake brewing is not to waste anything. For example, we think it's important to give back to society in a positive way so that the sake lees produced in the sake brewing process don't go to waste. We also think it's important to connect with agricultural producers and between artisans in order to convey the value of tradition to the public, so we're working on that.

Onoue: Kabuki has been passed down by our ancestors and predecessors, and now has a history of over 400 years. In order to convey the charm of Kabuki to people who have never seen it before, I think it's important not only to "preserve" it, but also to challenge ourselves in various ways. I think this is also one way of passing on tradition.

[Japan's strengths]

Sakurai: I think Japanese food and sake are always so meticulous that it sometimes seems a little excessive to outsiders. I think that this is the accumulated techniques that have earned them recognition around the world. I believe that the quality of Japanese food and sake will continue to be conveyed.

Matsuoka: It really broke my heart when entertainment was deemed "non-essential" during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Japanese film industry was one of the first in the world to reopen cinemas, and the entire industry joined forces to ensure films could be released safely. These efforts led to the huge success of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," and I don't think there is any other country where the film business has recovered to this extent after COVID-19.

Ikee: When I came back to Japan from Australia, I was struck by the beauty of the display in the meat section of supermarkets. In other countries, meat is just placed in large chunks, so I was impressed by the natural beauty of Japan's arrangement. I also think that the ability to take a long soak in the bathtub and the environment where you can take off your shoes at the entrance and say "I'm home" are strengths of Japan's rich culture.

[Relax with candles]

Onoue: When I had some free time during the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to try lighting some candles I had at home, and I was instantly captivated by them. After that, I started frequenting candle shops and got to know people at the Japan Candle Association, and now I serve as a director.

Ikee: I love candles too! Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when I came home from practice, I would turn off the lights in my room and light candles. Watching a movie in that space with a hot drink was my way of relaxing.