Tadashi Yanai

“The Asian brand, which I admire for having become a global success, is Samsung. In comparison, we're just starting, but I believe that we at Uniqlo will be the next Asian brand to do well globally.”

“In general, the apparel industry isn't about continual process improvement or making the perfect piece of denim; it's about chasing trends.”

“Japan has only 100m people. Asia has 4bn. At least one-third, maybe nearly half, will become middle class, and this is a big opportunity for Japanese businessmen.”

“Wal-Mart is an amazing success story. What I particularly admire very much about the late Sam Walton was his policy of valuing his employees. Giving value to employees is very rare in the retail industry. I also admire the strategies Walton used to build up his discount store concept.”

“I tell people that we must have the courage to share what we feel, but no one follows me.”

“Americans believe cotton is best, but we've invented new fabrics that will change your lifestyle.”

“Konosuke Matsushita was a visionary entrepreneur. He started working very young as a teenager, and he eventually created Panasonic to become a truly global company.”

“The biggest part of my job now is to quickly develop successors, and around the world I am working to develop new business leaders in the company.”

“I hate politics. What they say and what they do is completely different.”

“Japan's biggest problems are conservatism and cowardice.”

“The world's major metropolitan cities are more or less the same.”

“As a businessperson, I don't have the power to change the government. That is in the hands of the political leaders. However, as a taxpayer, we have the right to be critical of the government and demand change.”

“People say that globalisation has negative aspects, but I don't believe globalisation is bad. It's criticised from a western perspective, but if you put yourself in the shoes of people in the developing world, it provides an unprecedented opportunity.”

“People shouldn't have to spend a lot of money to get high-quality clothing.”

“More than trends, consumers need functionality. Everything needs an element of fashion, but that's more like a spice.”

“I think I may not be able to retire.”

“It is clothes. It is parts. Therefore, you combine the parts differently to create your own unique expression.”

“You have to be a crazy guy and a little eccentric to be very successful.”

“Japanese businesspeople and companies are lacking in individuality.”

“The air of the English is down-to-earth. They care about details; there's a tradition, but there's also a counter-culture: the younger generation versus the older generation and so on. But then that's well blended into a happy balance and crystallised into common sense.”