J.League Chairman Mitsuru Murai "When two paths present themselves, the choice is always about that heart-pounding feeling." Session 1
Murai Mitsuru
Mr. Mitsuru Murai, the first person from the business world to become Chairman of the Japan Professional Football League (J.League). He has a background as a soccer player during his high school days. As a businessperson, he spent many years in the human resources department at Recruit Center of Japan (now Recruit Holdings), and also served as president of overseas affiliates. He discusses how he will apply the human resources and management skills he honed in the business world to revitalize the J.League, sharing his passionate love for soccer.
Time to feel the irreplaceable "hometown"
Since becoming Chairman this January, I've been traveling nationwide, visiting clubs across all leagues, including the newly established J3. Everywhere I go, I find myself reflecting anew on the significance and value of the J.League, and the appeal of soccer as a sport.
What I feel deeply is the profound meaning of the "community-based" philosophy the J.League has upheld since its founding 21 years ago. For the people in the regions where the clubs are based, match weekends are like reunions. After cheering loudly, they gather for drinks together. Seeing such scenes, I deeply feel, "Ah, soccer really is wonderful."
Until last year, I spent 31 years as a salaryman. The day I left the company, my access card stopped working, and I could no longer use my email account. While this is only natural, it still brings a tinge of loneliness. Being in this position has made me keenly aware, once again, how irreplaceable the shared space and time with colleagues truly is.
On the other hand, in a town with a J.League club, the time spent feeling connected to one's hometown or home ground continues throughout one's life. Supporters may also travel to away games, offering opportunities to interact with those towns and their people. I believe this shared experience, including such exchanges, symbolizes a rich sports culture – a scene of irreplaceable time shared together.
The J.League as Society's "Veins"
If we compare it to the flow of human blood, I believe soccer has a "venous system function." Our daily lives are permeated by a productivity-focused mindset, much like the workings of arteries that carry blood and nutrients throughout the body. In the business world, instructions and orders are issued, meetings are held, and evaluation criteria leading to salary increases are presented – much like constantly sending signals to the 60 trillion cells in the human body. This is essentially an "arterial system."
However, relying solely on the arterial system leads to stagnation. Without the cleansing effect of the heart—comfort, healing, or self-reassurance like saying "Well, the company says that, but..."—the balance between mind and body cannot be maintained. Just as bodily functions cannot be sustained without the veins collecting waste products.
The J.League serves this same venous function. It essentially acts as society's "venous system." Watching soccer on weekends, cheering loudly, grabbing a drink on the way home. Then thinking, "Alright, let's give it our all again starting Monday." Blood flows from arteries through veins back to the heart, where it is renewed. It's the same as that circulatory system.
As a businessperson, I spent many years in HR. Even when I was president of an affiliate company, creating "veins" within the organization was always a crucial theme. Neither society nor organizations can function with arteries alone. They require veins to operate effectively.
If we define "art" as encompassing not just paintings and music, but all things with diverse values, expressions, and interpretations, then soccer possesses an artistic charm. Modern soccer has become scientific in its tactical planning and analysis of opposing clubs, yet it simultaneously produces a constant stream of artistic plays that defy logical explanation. There are countless moments where a goal is decided by a foot moving just 0.1 seconds faster, plays that ultimately boil down to sheer determination. Fans are moved by this artistic world.
In today's business world, fewer people perform what we call "individual artistry" – work that only they can do. This is because systems that codify the most efficient methods as knowledge and share them horizontally have become widespread, making such "artistry" less necessary.
Amidst this societal shift, soccer fans find inspiration in artistic plays and emotionally stirring moments, gaining the energy to think, "I'll do my best tomorrow too." This, too, can be considered one of the functions of the "vein."
Was this article helpful?
Share this article
Newsletter registration is here
We select and publish important news every day
For inquiries about this article
Author
Murai Mitsuru
Born in 1959. After graduating from Waseda University, he joined Japan Recruit Center (now Recruit Holdings). In 2000, he became an Executive Officer (in charge of Human Resources), and in 2004, he was appointed President of Recruit Abric (now Recruit Career). In 2011, he became President of RGF Hong Kong Limited, and in 2013, he became Chairman of the same company. During this period, he served as a Director (part-time) of the Japan Professional Football League from 2008 to 2013, and in January 2014, he was appointed as the 5th Chairman of the J.League.