This article chronicles how USHIO INC founder Ushio Jiro (牛尾 治朗), while leading a company with mid-sized sales, served as representative secretary of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, as well as an expert member of the Second Provisional Commission on Administrative Reform and a private-sector member of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy.
The heads of Japan's major business organizations are normally executives from companies representing Japan's largest corporations, but USHIO INC founder Ushio Jiro (牛尾 治朗) became representative secretary of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives while leading a mid-sized company with sales of around ¥50 billion. The article details Ushio's unconventional business career and its background. He later became an influential figure in the forums where the government formulated policy.
The article examines the individuals who have served as representative secretaries of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives and cites Ushio as an example of a mid-sized company executive being selected for the position. The heads of Keidanren and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry are customarily executives from large corporations, highlighting how Ushio's case differed from the norm among large companies.
Ushio served as representative secretary of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives for 4 years from 1995, as well as an expert member of the Second Provisional Commission on Administrative Reform and a private-sector member of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. He was regarded as having substantial influence in business and policy-making circles beyond the scale of his company. The article provides an overview of how his roles expanded.