Morinosuke Kawaguchi

“As we age, it’s crucial to make the effort to see the world with a child’s eyes, as happiness and creativity are closely related to being a kid: having curiosity and designing fantasy.”

Morinosuke Kawaguchi is an innovation and competitive strategy consultant and designer. Throughout his career, he has consistently illuminated new pathways of design, technology and societal evolution. In 2006, Kawaguchi founded Morinoske Co. Ltd. and is presently CEO of the creative future laboratory based in Tokyo.

As Japan’s foremost futurist, Kawaguchi boasts a keen eye for emerging patterns and future trends. He serves as a strategy advisor to the Japanese government and to some of the world’s largest multinationals. A global thought leader, Kawaguchi stands among 20 others – including two Nobel Laureates – whose research, analysis and ideas are shaping the Japanese government’s 2030 strategy.

Kawaguchi is the inventor of the “Morinosuke Subculture-driven Innovation Model”, which he applies to both his consulting work and educational activity. The fundamental concept establishes the importance of subculture as a seed for innovation. While defining its parameters, it also proved that it is a value creating, viable solution for both industrial and national strategies. Today, Kawaguchi helps businesses embrace diversity and engage with unconventional perspectives to uncover valuable insights and ideas for creating new products, services and experiences.

Another concept Kawaguchi introduced is called the “Gross National Talent”, which is a way to evaluate a nation or company’s “coolness” and brand value. In 2016, Kawaguchi published these findings in a book titled “Gross National Talent: Quantitative Analysis of Amazing Japanese Soft Power“. An award-winning author, Morinosuke Kawaguchi’s books have been translated into four languages and they influence thinking and practice not only in Japan but in other countries as well.

Morinosuke Kawaguchi is a highly sought-after keynote speaker at innovation forums and international conferences both in Japan and abroad. His ability to discern the subtle currents of change and distill them into coherent narratives sets him apart. His clarity and foresight also wins him kudos from audiences around the globe. Yahoo Japan listed Kawaguchi’s TEDxTokyo Toilet Talks as one of the world’s Top 5 presentations.