Hitch your wagon to a star

[jiji]

뜻을 높게(손정의)

Three months ago I visited Korea in a long time. I was invited in Chungwadae and had a press conference. At the end of the conference, one reporter raised his hand and asked.

"I've heard your motto is Aim High. Recently many Korean young people's souls are filled with anguish. What should they do to hitch their wagons to the star? I answered without hesitation because I have thought of it a lot.

"There are infinite potentials for young people. They can make whatever dreams come true. I'd like to say, Don't dream of anything for your own but for the benefits of others. Don't think of having a nice car or house but think of things that you can do for promoting happiness of others. Then the world will be changed in the way you are happy." What a worn-out remark it is! But that's the golden nugget I have cherished in my heart through my life. For this there was a woman. She was my grandmother.

My grandmother emigrated to Japan when she was 14 and she married a 37 year old man the same year. My grandfather was born in Daegu. When he was 17, he crossed Korea Strait. They suffered financial hardship afterwards. The family even drank clay water during World War 2. To think that 14 year old girl was living in Japan without any relatives or anyone she knows around. Besides, her Japanese was not good. My father, as one of 7 brothers, started working in his junior high school days. He did everything possible to support his family. In this trenches I was born. It was August, 1957.

We were better off at this time. We owned an old worn-out cabin in Kyushu where many Koreans lived together. There was a doorplate saying no-house-number because the property belonged to National Railroad.

Since my parents worked from dawn to dusk, I was brought up by grandmother. The memories she doted on me are still vivid. When she said "Masayosi it's time to go." I rode on a cart holding on tight not to fall off from it. It was always slippery because there were several oil drums for carrying garbage to feed pigs from restaurants near the railroad station.

It was fun to ride it and I didn't know anything else. I bent my knees not to slip over on thinking "It smells sour and I may get killed if the wheels of the cart sank into the puddle." when grandma said "Be careful and hold it tight."

I had liked her that much but as I grew up I began to hate her because she was as good as kimchi and Korea which got in my way all the time. They were the causes that have bullied my life against my wish that I wanted to avoid my Korean identity as a Korean who lives in Japan. I hated so much that I tried not to see her as much as possible.

I wanted to be an elementary school teacher but my father told me I couldn't be because I was not Japanese. I asked father to change my nationality. He tried to persuade me that there are a lot of other jobs better around. I didn't talk to him for several days. I finally gave up. There were a lot of other problems I had to deal with everywhere. Discriminations were always hanging around me.

As a boy I had many dreams such as a painter, a poet, a politician and a businessman. I still draw some cartoon characters like Tom and Jerry or Snoopy. It's everyone's dream for 3rd generation Koreans to hope to be politicians due to discriminations they have experienced but for me being a businessman was most practical. In fact I had a talent for business. I had an opportunity to prove it. Due to parents' hardwork we were much better off and my father tried all kinds of businesses.

One day he opened a coffee shop but prospects for the business were not bright because it was far from the railroad station. It was not on the main street. The suppliers of the coffee base materials complained the inconvenience that they might have to come over for delivery. I asked my father to do leafleting but he turned it down. But I went against my father. I had a 1000 free coupons printed and scattered them around. On the day we invited the suppliers, the coffee shop was overcrowded with many people. The suppliers were so surprised that they offered us a lot of discount with high quality materials. Soon we could retrieve the first investment and we sold it at a good price.

But good days didn't last long because my father vomited blood and collapsed. It was a family crisis. My older brother quit school to help for father's medical bills. In the middle of the family crisis, I made up my mind to escape from it without delay. I met Shakamoto Ryoma at this time. Once I decided, I had to move. Then what is my first movement to achieve it? Life is given once. There is no other chance if it is wasted. That's right. I will go to America to study. The feelings that I had would be just like those of Ryoma(龍馬) who experienced Talbun(脫藩; action taken by Japanese swordmen when they left their bosses. Regarded as betrayal)

The drama aired on NHK was so popular. When Ryoma was at the crossroad, his sister said "Ryoma, leave us. You are not a kind of a person who wastes your time here with us. You should be a lot better. Don't mind us. Just go! I cried loudly because we were in the same boat.

I wanted to be an elementary school teacher but my father told me I couldn't be because I was not Japanese. I asked father to change my nationality. He tried to persuade me that there are a lot of other jobs better around. I didn't talk to him for several days. I finally gave up. There were a lot of other problems I had to deal with everywhere. Discriminations were always hanging around me.

As a boy I had many dreams such as a painter, a poet, a politician and a businessman. I still draw some cartoon characters like Tom and Jerry or Snoopy. It's everyone's business as 3rd generation Koreans to hope to be politicians due to discriminations they have experienced but a businessman was most practical. In fact I had a talent for business. I had an opportunity to prove it. Due to parents' hardwork we were much better off and my father tried all kinds of businesses. One day he opened a coffee shop but prospects for the business were not bright because it was far from the railroad station. It was not on the main street. The suppliers of the coffee base materials complained the inconvenience that they might have to come over for delivery. I asked my father to do leafleting but he turned it down. But I went against my father. I had a 1000 free coupons printed and scattered them around. On the day we invited the suppliers, the coffee shop was overcrowded with many people. The suppliers were so surprised that they offered us a lot of discount with high quality materials. Soon we could retrieve the first investment and we sold it at a good price.

But good days didn't last long because my father vomited and collapsed. It was a family crisis. My older brother quit school to help for father's medical bills. In the middle of the family crisis, I made up my mind to escape from it without delay. I met Shakamoto Ryoma at this time. Once I decided, I had to move. Then what is my first movement to achieve it? Life is given once. There is no chance if it is wasted. That's right. I will go to America to study. The feelings that I had would be just like those of Ryoma(龍馬) who experienced Talbun(脫藩; action taken by Japanese swordmen when they left their bosses. Regarded as betrayal)

The drama aired on NHK was so popular. When Ryoma was at the crossroad, his sister said "Ryoma, leave us. You are not a kind of a person who wastes your time here with us. You should be a lot better. Don't mind us. Just go! I cried loudly because we were in the same boat.

Before my father got sick, I have been to America. I studied English there. America was really big and powerful. The nation was brilliant with the most advanced civilization. My eyes were opened. Ryoma said "I want to go abroad. I want to go to America. I want to see Europe." But he couldn't. How lucky I am to have a chance to go to America where the great man like Ryoma wished to go that much. America was incomparably better than Japan. It was amazing. I was so excited that I didn't know what to do for a while. For the reason I have to go there once again to be a businessman. I will find something to help me start a business. That was what I thought.

As I expected, everybody around me were against my studying in the U.S. Father was still in the hospital. Most of our relatives considered me as a rogue. They said, "You are such a cold-blooded son. We don't even know when your father will die and you are leaving your dying father and poor family to study. You are abandoning them for your own benefits. You are a bloodless fellow." Then out I cried, "That's not it. There are so many people who are discouraged by racialism or discrimination. I will prove that I have ability to be the greatest businessman in Japan and every man is equal under my name.

Mother spent most of time in tears. Grandmother eagerly appealed,

"Mashayosi, don't leave us. There... you will never be able to come back. No, it's impossible... “

I asked the Doctor. He said that my father is not going to die. He will get better. To make my family life better for years ahead, it's better for me to study here but thinking about our family future 10 or 20 years from now, the sooner I leave, the better. I will find a way to break through. It's the best time. I wouldn't change my mind.

I went to school right away to quit. They said "It's better to submit an application for a leave of absence which means I can come back anytime I want. But the decision that I made to leave the school was firm. I didn't want any alternative. I am fragile and weak. I may give up easily. I wanted to myself in a trap not to give up in adversity. There would not be a way to look back. Nobody could stop me. My family and relatives collected some money to help me pay my tuition.

After the decision made, I told my grandma, "Grandma, forgive me for having hated you. Before I go to America, I want to visit your hometown where I have abandoned so far. I want to go to Korea where your ancestors lived. She didn't believe me first and tried to conform many times. She was so pleased that we together visited Korea for two weeks holding hands.

It was a short trip. My grandma's hometown was a small village near Daegu. There were apples that are smaller than those I have seen and everything else was scarce. I thought that the soil there was not good for apples. We ate dinner under the dim candlelight which was not bountiful but devoted. The relatives were so glad to see us and to get some old clothes we brought with. My grandma was smiling with joy.

I remember her saying "Look, dear Mashayosi, we owe what we have to others. There have always been some people near us to help. You should not resent other people. The trip to her homeland inspired me so much along with her statement that it has paved my life with conviction it should be one for the benefits of others beyond racism. I will find something to make others happy whoever they are.

"Make'em all happy" my company's motto was conceived from this trip.

Some people have asked me "What does Korea mean to you? In 1999 one newspaperman asked "Where is your spiritual home, Korea or Japan?" I answered "It's internet." He was a bit astonished at my answer. I thought he would have expected "It's Korea." Son is my last name and I still use it. It is not because Korea is important for me. It was my pride that I couldn't give up. It is not important where you was born, what country you belong to, where you get educated or where you will be buried. Korea is my grandparents, homeland and my roots. That's all. This conviction has been solid ever since I studied in the U.S.A where all kinds of diversities existed in harmony.

It was early 1974. I was sixteen. I left Japan for America. I took ESL taking a part in home-stay program for 6 months. And I was admitted into the 10th year class at Serramonte High School as a transfer student in that summer.

I was in a hurry. I was there to study against my family's will. I wanted to compete in college as soon as possible. For a week I didn't sleep a wink to study. I read all the textbooks but my English was not good enough to understand. However I could understand some context. I went to see the principal and asked him to permit to study 11year class because I have read all the textbooks. It was an unreasonable demand. I knew it but he said okay.

I got all the books and covered them in another three days. I went to see him again in no time and declared "I am ready to study further. Another three days later, I rushed in the principal's office. "Now I want to take the qualification examination for college entrance." He was floored by my enthusiastic determination but didn't withhold me from taking it. I figured he might think "Go ahead but you will fail,"

In the examination room, however, I didn't know what to do. There were too many words beyond my understanding. After a while I raised a hand. "Sir, I am from Japan and I don't know much about English. As far as I know, this is the test to find out the qualities to study in a college but not to find the ability of English. Allow me to use my dictionary. I think it's fair.

The proctor refused but I didn't give up. I continued to claim I had a right to be considered in this case. He want out and came back some time later. He said " All right, I got the permission from the school board. The test was to be ended at five. I finished it at midnight overcoming another adversity to ask him

"Please!". Finally I passed it.

But it was not easy to get in the first rate school. I didn't know there is SAT test for getting in a college till I finished high school. So I chose a vocational school where I didn't need SAT to get in. It was HolyNames College. I got all As for two years.

And I transferred to University of California, Berkeley. I majored in economics. I was 19. I drew a big picture of 50 years of my life from 20 to 60. I was to complete my goals through challenging. After that I gave myself body and soul to this cause to come to pass the vision. Be cautious but once it is decided, make it done no matter what. This is the principle I have kept for my lifetime.

I had no other choice but cutthroat study. I dare to say there wasn't anyone who studied more than I did. What I did was beyond human's ability. I never missed any classes. The front seat was reserved for me because I always made a dash toward it. In the first row, I stared into lecturer's eyes. I never put my book down. I read it holding on my left hand and put any food into mouth with a fork at random. I couldn't enjoy food which I liked. At this time I had pneumonia but I didn't know it. I was constantly coughing. I stood up against it for studying. I had a splitting headache but I had to reduce the time spending on sleep and rest. I had no money. My English was still not good yet. Father was seriously sick.

I thought "I am here in America to study against my family's will. I can't complain anymore. Of course I was just like others when I was in Japan. But now I am doing what I like. I will never cry. I have to put my whole into study, otherwise I will be punished" I pushed myself.

One day I saw a picture in a science magazine "Electronics" It was a colorful picture, something like a blue print of a future metropolis. "What is this? I've never seen something like this."

It was a microprocessor that Intel developed. However it changed my life. Tears were dropping from my eyes without checking while I read through the following pages. My four limbs were numbed. "Oh, what a feat we, human, have accomplished!" I was shocked. "How will the world be changed by this?" I had goose pimples all over. "Computer is the future."

That was the moment the seed of SoftBank was sawn.

I began to study economics at UCLA Berkeley at the age of 19.

I decided to spare my time for inventing while going to school. I always carried the picture of the microprocessor with me. I even put it under my pillow at night. "This small chip will change the future world. I will bet my life on it."

Every month, I received 200.000 yen from the family in Japan. It was a lot of money for my family. My father was still sick. I wanted to make money. I made it a rule to spend five minutes to come up with a new idea everyday so I would make ten million yen out of it. Everyone laughed. "That's not a practical idea," they say "you'd better get a part time job at a cafe around the school." "No." I was firm. The owner of Matsushita Electric, Matsushita Konosuke, found the company based on invention. "Yes, if he could, I can."

I put my idea into practice. I listed one new idea everyday. For the efficiency of the job, I set up three principles.

1. Try to find solutions from the surroundings.

2. Try to think larger ones into smaller ones and circles into squares.

3. Try to combine things conventionally existed.

The days went on, 100 days and 150 days... One day I checked all the ideas. Most of them were trifles but there was one worth considering it. It was the idea to make the electronic display dictionary with sound transmitter. I was not a engineer. After sorting the idea, I went to see the professor, Forrest Moders. He was an authority in the sound transmitting field. I dashed him with neither rhyme nor reason. "Forrest, I need your help. I have no time, no money, no knowledge. Make a team for a project. I will hire you" He was perplexed but I didn't care.

"Look, I don't like negotiations. You can get what share you'd like to take. When we sell this patent, I will pay you right away. But if we fail, that's it. Nobody takes anything. What do you think? Will you accept it?" He laughed and said, "Yes, I think that's fair." They sometimes joked, "Hey, boss, what's next? What shall we do today?" I spent as much time as I could on it.

When I studied English, the most difficult thing was how to pronounce. I always felt something lacking in pronunciation. That was the idea I wanted to solve in the view of users. I wanted to make a device. It was not the matter of technology but a matter of convenience; I focused my attention on simplicity. Finally a patent was granted in 1977. A year after we made samples and Luhoongryang and I set up a venture business "Unison World". I went to Japan to sell the patent.

I visited Matsushita Electric but they were in the process of developing the same device. They turned it down. So did Sanyo and other companies. Finally I went to see Sasaki Dadasi. He was the head of the Central Research Center of Sharp. He encouraged me a lot. At that time many countries like Japan, England, were developing the similar devices. He readily gave me 20million yen.