La Dolce Vita

Hiroshi Okuda Chairman, Nippon Keidanren

Italy beckoned. And Japan's May holidays furnished an opportunity for me to fulfill a longstanding pledge pay a proper visit. Making the journey all the more fulfilling was the companionship of the renowned architect Tadao Ando.

I was determined to gain some insight into the secrets of Italy's transcendent fascination. Here was a land that exercised an undying attraction for people everywhere as a place to visit, as a place to live. And our tentative conclusion about the roots of that attraction was surprisingly simple: the people.

Italy asserts compelling appeal, of course, through its natural scenery, cultural background, historic architecture, and other readily visible assets. But even more appealing are the people who simply live there.

By mere economic measures, Italy's standard of living does not compare especially well with Japan's or with that of the wealthiest European nations. But It alians exhibit an unparalleled knack for living life to the hilt and for enjoying themselves along the way. That joy in living underlies Italy's lasting charm.

Italians' joy in living is precisely that: an enviable ability to discover pleasure in daily existence. People take pride in their work, in their lifestyles, in their neighborhoods. Shop employees pride themselves on providing customers with a memorable shopping experience. Family members savor each other's company over home meals. Friends in cafes, coffee in hand, delight in leisurely conversation. All this before a backdrop of lovingly created and maintained architectural settings.

What Italians enjoy is a spiritual latitude that Japanese long ago sacrificed on the pyre of economic growth. Therein lies Italy's special appeal for Japanese. That appeal is notably apparent in Italy's networks of family-owned businesses. It also reinforces Italy's drawing power as a leading tourist destination.

Italians honor freedom and diversity. They are respectful of each other's work and livelihoods. They share a love for their towns and cities, and that common devotion engenders a spirit of trust.

When I became chairman of Nippon Keidanren, I declared a commitment to the dynamism of diversity, to sympathy and trust, and to spiritual fulfillment. I now find myself serving a very unexpected second term as chairman. Witnessing "la dolce vita" in person has inspired in me a redoubled commitment to those principles.