When Kazuo Inamori was appointed to lead the restructuring of Japan Airlines (JAL) two years ago, analysts worried about his lack of experience in aviation. Never mind that he was about to turn 78, had founded two of Japan’s best-known companies – Kyocera, in electronics components, and KDDI, in telecoms – and was, for good measure, an ordained Buddhist priest. Studying Buddhist teachings, he told the Wall Street Journal four months into his new role, “improves the quality of my heart and mind and enriches myself as a human being. This enhanced spirit is useful when it comes to revitalising JAL”.
两年前，当日本政府任命稻盛和夫(Kazuo Inamori)负责日本航空公司(JAL)的重组事宜时，分析师们担心他缺乏在航空业工作的经验。事实上，当时他将满78岁，曾创立过两家日本知名企业——电子设备生产商京瓷(Kyocera)和电信公司KDDI；除此之外，他还是一位出家修行的和尚。在他接手新职务的4个月前，稻盛和夫向《华尔街日报》(WSJ)表示，研究佛学“提升了我的心智，丰富了自身的修养。这种思想的升华有助于我重振日航”。