Inamori Foundation President: Kazuo Inamori

Dr. Inamori was born in 1932 in Kagoshima, Japan. He graduated from Kagoshima University in 1955 and has received honorary doctorates from several universities in the U.S., the U.K., and Japan. In 1959 he established Kyocera Corporation, which has grown into a well-known international firm supplying a wide range of products from electronic components to consumer goods – such as cellular phones, office document equipment, and solar energy systems. In 1984, quickly responding to the deregulation of Japan's telecommunications industry, he founded DDI Corporation (now KDDI, the second largest common carrier in Japan.) He established The Inamori Foundation in 1984 using his own funds, and the Kyoto Prizes, international awards that honor significant contributions to humanity in the fields of Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Arts and Philosophy.

Dr. Inamori is a member of several international civic and professional organizations, including the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. His many publications include A Passion for Success: Practical, Inspirational, and Spirtiual Insight from Japan's Leading Entrepreneur; and For People and For Profit: A Business Philosophy for the 21st Century

Kazuo Inamori Official Web site