Shining an Intense Spotlight on the 'Here and Now' | 'Courage to Be Happy' 1 Million Copies Pop-up #2

Hello! I'm I, a new employee at Diamond Inc.🐣
In the previous article, I introduced the pop-up event currently being held in the first-floor entrance.

Why 'The Courage to Be Happy' now?
Why was it held at the Diamond Inc. entrance?
And why did it become such a bright red space—?

This time, I went to ask O-san, the person in charge of 'The Courage to Be Happy' pop-up (the mastermind—or rather, the creator—behind this shocking space!), all about the behind-the-scenes of the project!

I want to make 'The Courage to Be Happy' the star at the 1 million copy milestone

──To start off, why did you decide to use the company entrance so boldly to create a pop-up this time?

The biggest reason is that 'The Courage to Be Happy' surpassed 1 million copies. Until now, most of the initiatives for the 'Courage' duology have inevitably focused on 'The Courage to Be Disliked'. It is the first work, and the number of copies is large (in fact, 'The Courage to Be Disliked' has surpassed 3.45 million copies in Japan!).
However, 1 million copies is an incredible record when you think about it normally. A million-seller in business and practical books is a great achievement that happens maybe once every few years.

──That's enough people to fill the Tokyo Dome 20 times over. Thinking that so many people have picked it up, I realize once again what a tremendous book it is.

That is precisely why, at this major milestone, I wanted to do a project that puts 'The Courage to Be Happy' at the forefront for once.

──A long-awaited starring role! By the way, I heard that this campaign specifically focuses on the age of '23'.

That's right. Looking at the purchaser data for the 10 years since the release of 'The Courage to Be Happy', the most common age was 23. (*February 2016 – March 2026 / Source: CDP CANTERA / 'The Courage to Be Happy' purchaser analysis)

For many people, 23 is a time when they transition from being a student to a working adult, and it is also a period when they start choosing their own lives for themselves. It is truly moving that it continues to resonate even now with a generation where confusion and hope intersect.

──23, that's the same generation as me right now. I can well understand why so many people are encouraged by this book at a turning point in their lives.

Shining an intense spotlight on the 'here and now'

──So that's the reason for that pop-up.

That's right. Since we decided to carry out a 1 million copy commemorative campaign, I wanted to make it a project that had a festive feel and was physically impactful. I thought, 'Let's just do something that stands out'. That's why the decorative design also pushed 'red', the symbol of 'The Courage to Be Happy', and 'famous quotes' to the forefront.

──It certainly does have an overwhelming presence (laughs).
But why did you dare to choose your own company's entrance as the location?

As has already been announced publicly, our headquarters will be moving this August. Since Diamond Inc. moved to Jingumae, Shibuya-ku in 1999, we have spent about 30 years in this location. Leaving that place is a big event for the company as well. That is precisely why I strongly wanted to do something that can only be done in this place, something that can only be done now.

──The relocation of the headquarters was news that surprised me too. It's also a project that adds a grand final touch to this place where we've spent so many years, isn't it?

That's right. In the first book of the duology, 'The Courage to Be Disliked', there is this phrase:

I think this project of 'pouring all our efforts into what we can only do now' overlaps with these words. In the book, it is compared to saying, 'If an intense spotlight is shining, you won't be able to see the back of the audience (the past or the future)'. Instead of being pulled by the reluctance to leave 30 years of history (the past) or the relocation (the future), we are putting all our efforts into the pop-up right in front of us. I think that is exactly what it means to live in the 'here and now'.

──I see! Without being caught up in the past or the future, you are concentrating energy into 'this very moment'. That bright red space is also the embodiment of Adler's philosophy, isn't it?

That might be true. I'm not sure if I said that well (laughs). Also, many young people and tourists from overseas pass by in front of our headquarters on Meiji-dori. There is no place more suitable as a venue to promote the 1 million copies sold of 'The Courage to Be Happy'. A big part of the goal is to have people walking down the street be drawn in as if they were being sucked in.

──I often see passersby stopping and staring, wondering 'Oh?'. I hope it catches the eyes of as many people as possible.

The first and last challenge

──Is it rare to hold a pop-up at this entrance?

When I checked, it seems this is the first time such an initiative has been carried out. I coordinated with the general affairs staff within the company and the staff of the affiliated company that manages the building, and I started everything from scratch, including which event construction company to ask. That part was tough.

──It really was a challenge from zero. Was there any opposition from within the company when getting the project approved?

There was absolutely no opposition. Everyone shared a positive stance of 'That's interesting! It'll be the first and last time, so let's do it!' and worked on it together. I was really grateful.

──That's wonderful! When I came to work on Monday, the scenery had completely changed, so I was very shocked. Was the setup done over the two days of the weekend?

I was there for part of it, but work started at 9:00 AM on Saturday, and by around 1:00 PM, the decorations inside the entrance were nearly complete. It was faster than I imagined, and I thought, 'That's professional work!' The walls are covered in stickers, and watching the walls turn redder and redder was a masterpiece.
Work that required consideration for the surroundings, such as exterior decorations and interior construction that involved sound, was done late at night, and final adjustments were made on Sunday to complete it.

──Looking at the photos side-by-side, it really looks like a different place!
Finally, through this pop-up, who do you want to deliver 'The Courage to Be Happy' to?

I would be happy if not only those who have read 'The Courage to Be Disliked' and 'The Courage to Be Happy', but also those who haven't read them yet, would take an interest in this opportunity. I believe that this book, which deals with the unchanging theme of 'interpersonal relationship worries' in life, will surely become a 'life-changing book' for many people.
We have put a lot of effort into this pop-up so that you can enjoy the charm of the book, so I hope you will enjoy it!

──I would love to hear more about the details of the exhibition! So, in the next installment and beyond, I would like to dive deeper and grill O-san about the "specific creative touches of the exhibition"! Thank you for sharing such valuable insights today.

To shine a light on "The Courage to Be Happy," which has had fewer opportunities to be featured in the shadow of the massive presence that is "The Courage to Be Disliked," at the milestone of reaching 1 million copies sold.
And, to do "something that can only be done in this place" at the entrance of the Jingumae headquarters before it relocates.
This pop-up was born from the intersection of those two goals.
After hearing the background of the project from O-san this time, I felt that I hope many more people will be able to experience this intensity of the "here and now."

In the next installment and beyond, we will continue to introduce each section along with interviews with O-san! Stay tuned✨

This has been new employee I reporting to you📮