EXTRAORDINARY TALE OF SEIJI KAWAJIRI: MAN DEDICATED TO PEOPLE, ART, AND CULTURE

IT'S HARD TO PUT A SINGLE LABEL ON SEIJI KAWAJIRI. IS HE AN ENTREPRENEUR, AN INVESTOR, OR AN ART CONNOISSEUR? PERHAPS ALL OF THEM. YET, THERE'S A LOT MORE TO HIM THAN MEETS THE EYE.

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With over 180 innovative ventures backed, including several in India, and investments hovering above USD 300 million, one may assume Kawajiri comes from a life of privilege. However, his journey did not begin with such an advantage. And his secret sauce is a mantra that will instantly resonate with everyone - you create opportunities, not something you inherit.

“I grew up in a modest household in Japan, surrounded by parents who instilled in me the values of perseverance, humility, and an almost stubborn sense of curiosity,” recalls Kawajiri, who today owns 100 per cent of Samurai Securities Co., Ltd., a licensed financial institution in Japan. He also leads Kawajiri Investment Holdings PTE. LTD., his wholly owned family office headquartered in Singapore.

“As a child, I was fascinated not only by books but also by people. How communities worked, why some businesses thrived, and why others failed.

I did not come from wealth, so I had to learn early on that opportunity was something you create, not something you inherit.” This philosophy transformed him into a billionaire entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and cultural patron. Today, Kawajiri is known across Asia and beyond for his investments, and philanthropy.

LESSON FROM HIS FIRST VENTURE

At 36, he sold his first company, which was a financial services venture that sought to democratise access to investment tools for everyday people. “That company was founded with little more than a laptop and a restless belief in possibility," he says. "At the time, fintech was still in its infancy in Asia, and we took bold risks. It was far from smooth sailing, there were moments when we nearly collapsed but it was precisely those trials that forged my resilience. When we eventually exited, it was not just a financial victory but proof that even someone from ordinary beginnings could build something extraordinary."