Eiichi Shibusawa—widely known as the father of Japanese capitalism following the Meiji Restoration in the mid-19th century—died 90 years ago on November 11, but his influence continues today.

An influential entrepreneur and business leader, Shibusawa (1840-1931) was involved in the founding of approximately 500 modern economic institutions in sectors such as banking, insurance, textiles, paper and railroads, as well as 600 social enterprises. Shibusawa embraced the millennia-old teachings of Confucianism, cultivating virtue in economic endeavors, and his firm belief in those principles led him to publish his renowned book, Rongo an Soroban (Analects of Confucius and the Abacus). Today’s speakers discuss how Shibusawa’s philosophy is very relevant to ESG and SDGs in today’s social and business environment.