What is the "Satisfactory Solution," the weapon to win in an era without definitive answers? Cork's Yoshifumi Kakinouchi × Dentsu Inc. Noritaka Obuse (Part 1)

In this era where role models everyone looked up to are crumbling and we're entering a time without "right answers," many people are beginning to seek "convincing solutions" that weave in what we should fundamentally consider challenges and where we should be heading. And isn't that where we need "narrative-driven solutions" that stir the heart? Dentsu Inc. Solution Director and Planning Director Noritaka Obuse interviewed Yoshifumi Kakinouchi, the editor behind numerous bestsellers including Why Doesn't the Bamboo Pole Shop Go Out of Business? (Kobunsha). What constitutes a "convincing solution" that can serve as a weapon to prevail in this era without clear answers?

In an era without clear answers, what kind of "solutions" are needed?

Obuse: My desire to speak with Mr. Kakinouchi stemmed from reading Kazuhiro Fujiwara's "Let's Study to Change Our One and Only Life" (Asahi Shimbun Publications), which Mr. Kakinouchi edited. The book conveys that in today's world, where past correct answers no longer apply, the only thing that remains is the "convincing solution" each person arrives at themselves. Personally, through my work, I often hear executives from various companies say things like, "We don't know where the right answer lies." Consequently, discussions increasingly start with defining the problem itself before we even propose creative ideas.

Kakuchi: It used to be about having a clear problem and figuring out the shortest route to solve it. Like deciding which trailhead to take when aiming for the summit of Mount Fuji. Now, it's shifted to "Which mountain should we climb in the first place?"

Obuse: Exactly. Our solution used to be thinking creatively about how to climb Mount Fuji. But now, the scope of problem definition and solutions has expanded from "Is it even Mount Fuji?" to "Is a mountain even necessary? Maybe it should be the sea?" In other words, the role models we once followed as examples have crumbled, and we've entered an era without clear answers.

Kakuchi: As Masayuki Sugatsuke, who edited the book, points out in his work The Society of Substance (Seikaisha), the reason we've entered this era without clear answers is simply because our choices have multiplied. As society developed, things previously enjoyed by only a few became accessible to ordinary people. Information multiplied, and choices became virtually limitless. Consequently, there can no longer be just one correct answer. Furthermore, advances like the internet have laid bare falsehoods. In the past, even if someone presented "this is the correct answer," we had no tools to verify it. But that's different now.

Obuse: That's certainly true.

Kakui: Work styles are the same. Precisely because there's no single right answer in this era, we've seen so many books on work styles published over the last decade... But personally, I think the question of "how to work" is starting to run its course. Before work comes the foundation: "how to live," "why live," and "how to find happiness." This is an era where each person must consider their own form of happiness. That's truly the individual's "satisfactory solution." Precisely because we live in such a harsh modern world, I believe that's why Adlerian psychology's The Courage to Be Disliked—which argues that happiness or unhappiness is entirely up to us and that all our troubles stem from interpersonal relationships—has sold over 700,000 copies in Japan and over 300,000 in South Korea. I feel like we're moving into an era of philosophy, something far deeper than just work styles.

What is a "satisfactory solution" woven through stories?

Obuse: So, let's revisit the basics: "What exactly is a satisfying solution?" In your book, Mr. Fujiwara, you teach middle and high school students how to arrive at satisfying solutions, right?

Kakui: That's right. Mr. Fujiwara was originally a top salesperson at Recruit and became Tokyo's first private-sector principal at Suginami Ward's Wada Junior High School. When considering what to teach children in the coming era, I think he felt a sense of crisis—a business-minded realization that "things can't continue as they are." In traditional curricula with fixed answers like 1 + 1 = 2, the focus was on reaching the answer via the shortest path. But with questions like □ + □ = 2, the solutions become infinitely varied. Beyond the traditional school education focused on finding the shortest path, he likely concluded that for questions without a given correct answer, a method for arriving at a convincing solution is necessary.

However, a convincing solution isn't just about each person arriving at a different answer and stopping there; it's completed by gaining the agreement of others. For example, to establish a unified view in a class of 30 students, it's crucial for each individual to construct their own theory, present it, and convince the others.

Obuse: So it's about having strong ability to engage others, right? It's not enough for just yourself to be convinced; a "convincing solution" is one that everyone finds convincing.

Kakui: Reaching a consensus solution requires effort, simulation skills, logical thinking, and more. But I believe the final presentation stage—where you convince others—is precisely where you need a compelling story to win them over. Right now, I'm working on an investment manga called 'Investor Z' (Kodansha / Try reading here → Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3 ※Recommended to use the latest versions of IE, Chrome, Firefox). Even stock prices, no matter how much you pursue theory, are influenced by the fluctuations of human emotions and are unpredictable.

For example, even if employment statistics show positive results, stock prices can still fall if that good news doesn't exceed people's expectations. Humans are emotional beings who aren't driven by theory alone. To get them to accept a convincing solution, I believe it's crucial to foster empathy rather than resorting to blunt persuasion.

Obuse: I agree that understanding equals empathy. For many of our solutions, the key is how well we can translate complex concepts into language everyone can grasp. To move the entire company, you need to inspire people across different departments and positions, not just within one. Clear, open storytelling is vital—not high-IQ rhetoric to convince the smartest people, but a way of speaking that makes sense to everyone.

The key to crafting stories lies in returning to the origin!

Obuse: Theory alone isn't enough to get everyone on board, right? Mr. Kakinouchi, how do you craft stories that lead to consensus?

Kakui: In book production, I feel the editor's role has shifted significantly toward determining the "contextual framing." Previously, the focus tended to be on discovering and nurturing talent, or making the content itself interesting, but that alone isn't enough.

When I launched Seikaisha Shinsho in 2011, I started with the question, "What exactly is a shinsho?" I traced back to the very meaning of its existence in society and even considered the reasons behind the birth of Iwanami Shinsho, the pioneer of the format. I realized shinsho had a role: "providing young people with an entry point to knowledge." While it's said young people don't read books anymore, I sensed it wasn't the desire for knowledge itself that was waning, but rather the lack of context connecting them to books. So, I defined the label's concept as "Cultivation as a Weapon," establishing the context that Seikaisha Shinsho = giving young people cultivation as a weapon. I think returning to the origin is a clear approach for determining what context to create.

Obuse: It's about prioritizing the origin of "Why is it needed?" over "What is needed?"—meaning "Why to say" is more important than "What to say." While company management is strongly urged to have a philosophy or visionary words, I feel what's truly demanded is "Why say it?" rather than "What to say." In fact, when talking with business leaders, many are deepening their thinking through introspection about "Who am I?" and "What should this company be?" When we engage with executives, I sense this is an era demanding depth as human beings, not just vast knowledge.

Clear keywords strike a chord

Kakui: I find that clearly articulating the story or context makes it easier to gain allies. For the Seikaisha Shinsho series, explaining it as "a label designed to equip young people with the knowledge they need as a weapon, the knowledge they need to live" made it easier to gain support from many people, including the authors. They become part of the team, or rather, allies. As a result, it sold well to young people.

Obuse: You have this image of Kakuchi-san hitting it big with paperbacks, but I think they sell because you build the context so thoroughly. Phrases like "education as a weapon" are easy to grasp, so they just click.

Kakuchi: Speaking of which, I recently went to a hot spring on a company training trip. Surprisingly, places like Kusatsu where the water gushes out continuously are actually quite rare nationwide. Many places dilute the water with tap water or reheat it because the volume is low. The keyword that became the standard for identifying the real thing there was "source-direct flow." It's precisely because it's a simple, easy-to-understand phrase that it's established itself as the benchmark for a good hot spring.

Obuse: In terms of clarity, are there any other examples that stand out to you, Kakinouchi?

Kakui: The overseas review site "Oyster.com" stands out because it doesn't use photos from official hotel websites. Instead, it posts photos taken by local investigators showing exactly what they saw. Their site copy is also brilliant: "The real thing delights; the fake thing frightens." I feel that in today's world, the power of simpler, more relatable words is crucial, and I think this trend will only grow stronger.

Obuse: In an era without clear answers, it's powerful if you can use stories and words to create a context that says, "This is the right answer."

Kakui: That's right. Take sites like Tabelog, for example. If you can create a solid context around authentic taste, even a small, remote shop can suddenly gain nationwide recognition. There are many places pursuing authenticity, but I get the impression many haven't yet found their context.

(Continued in Part 2 )