About Yoshinori Hirai
Yoshinori Hirai, President and CEO of AGC, has been promoting the company’s participation in CES 2025, where AGC plans to showcase solutions in next-generation mobility, semiconductors, and energy. In a video message, Hirai stated that “material evolution is the foundation of innovation” and that “without high-quality materials, innovation slows down.” He highlighted AGC’s historical role in developing an alternative to CFCs in the 1980s and its current work in automotive glass, EUV mask blanks, and hydrogen-related technologies.
In interviews, Hirai has discussed AGC’s “ambidextrous management” approach, which he described as having existing businesses support new ventures while keeping new projects “light asset” to avoid excessive costs. He attributed Japan’s “lost 30 years” to a post-bubble focus on cost-cutting rather than pursuing new growth, and said that viewing wages as a cost rather than an investment suppressed innovation. Hirai noted that AGC has raised wages by over 6% for two consecutive years and plans to continue, linking this to investment in talent. He also reflected on his own early career, saying that an initial business failure taught him that “good technology alone does not guarantee business success” and that a customer perspective is essential. Hirai added that he has made a personal rule to never assume something is impossible, stating, “the moment you think it’s impossible, you are 100% not going to succeed.”
Source: AI-verified profile updated from Yoshinori Hirai's recent appearances.
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Transcript (14 segments)
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Yoshinori Hirai0:04
The fact that my first challenge ended in failure was probably very lucky. I became convinced at that time that without failure, the next success won't come. Back then, I had a certain arrogance about technology — I thought that with good technology, the business would naturally succeed. But there's no such easy thing. I learned that you need to look from the customer's perspective about what's actually needed. Developing that viewpoint is what connected to everything that came after, I believe.
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Interviewer0:36
I see. As a current business leader, could you name the person and book that have had the strongest influence on you?
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Yoshinori Hirai0:47
The very first person was Tony Fadell, who recruited me into Apple's business — he's no longer there now. Tony Fadell is an incredible person. He was in charge of developing everything from the iPod to the iPhone. It was quite an encounter, right in the prime of Steve Jobs' era. But the person who actually translated things into concrete products was Tony Fadell, I think. Even now, I still consider Silicon Valley my place for learning. I basically keep weekends off and try not to bring work home. One day I usually go golfing to stay active, and the other day my whole family — including grandchildren, about ten people in total — gets together. There are always parts of life that can't be neatly divided by business logic, and that's where family comes in. I really believe the lessons I learn there may be even greater than what I learn in Silicon Valley.
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Interviewer2:16
Good morning! It's been quite a while, thank you so much for your time today. This program isn't really about corporate management itself — we invite various business leaders and explore who they are as people, the character and personality behind the company. So, to start, could you give a brief self-introduction for viewers who may be seeing you for the first time?
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Yoshinori Hirai2:59
Sure. I'm Hirai, President and CEO Executive Officer of AGC. I assumed the CEO role in 2021, right in the middle of the COVID pandemic. I wondered what would happen, but we ended up recording the highest profits in 2021. I'm a very fortunate person.
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Interviewer3:28
Before becoming CEO, you served as CTO. Could you tell us what you were doing in the field of technology during university and graduate school?
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Yoshinori Hirai3:39
My specialty, going back to high school through university — I wanted to become a physicist. I went all the way through the doctoral program in graduate school, but just before completing my doctorate, I found myself thinking that business might be more interesting. That's when I changed direction from physics to business.
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Interviewer3:59
What field of physics was that?
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Yoshinori Hirai4:05
Fundamental physics — things like quantum mechanics.
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Interviewer4:08
I see. Looking back, what do you think was the reason behind your decision to go into business?
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Yoshinori Hirai4:17
Well, in high school before entrance exams, I was torn between studying natural science or economics and business. At the time, it was the last year of the old entrance exam system for national universities, and my teacher warned me, 'If you take a gap year, you'll be in real trouble.' So I went with the higher probability option and chose physics. I studied physical properties and continued research all the way through the doctoral program, but just before finishing, I made the switch.
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Interviewer5:03
Was there a specific trigger that made you think, 'I want to go into business'?
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Yoshinori Hirai5:07
While at university, alongside my specialization, I studied a wide range of liberal arts — philosophy, history, and many other subjects. I noticed that among those who had mastered the natural sciences, there were people who had gone on to achieve remarkable things in entirely different fields. So I thought, just because I studied natural science doesn't mean I have to stay in it — it could be interesting to try challenging myself in business.
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Interviewer5:47
I'm sure you had various job offers. What led you to choose Asahi Glass specifically?
