iPS Cell Research: An Interview with Shinya Yamanaka on the Importance of Having a Vision

Hello. This is Kane from the Kyocera Public Relations Office.

In this series, we welcome guests to discuss their beliefs and professional philosophies with leaders and professionals from various fields.
We will present these interviews while touching upon ideas that overlap with Kyocera's corporate philosophy, the "Kyocera Philosophy." We will also introduce the background stories behind these words and the experiences that shaped them.

Our guest this time is Shinya Yamanaka, Professor and Director Emeritus of the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University.
He announced the creation of iPS cells from mouse cells in 2006, and received the Kyoto Prize (Advanced Technology category) in 2010 and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012.
We spoke with Professor Yamanaka, who continues his research today, about his connection with our founder, Kazuo Inamori, and the importance of having a "vision," which is essential in today's rapidly changing world.

The "Way of Running" and "Altruism" that Left an Impression in Interactions with Kazuo Inamori

—First, please look back on your connection with Kyocera founder Kazuo Inamori.

The first time was in 2004, a few years after I had established my own laboratory at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology. Although it was before iPS cells had been created, I received a research grant* from the Inamori Foundation, and I met him for the first time at the presentation ceremony. I remember that quite a large number of young researchers were receiving grants. At the ceremony, I was moved by how Mr. Inamori shook hands with each person individually and carefully. I remember as if it were yesterday that a business leader representing Japan, whose name even I knew, gave me a firm handshake.

*A program that provides a grant of 1 million yen per project for creative and excellent research activities by young researchers in Japan.

—So you had a connection before you received the Kyoto Prize.

The next time I met him after the research grant ceremony was when I received the Kyoto Prize* in 2010. I myself had not expected that iPS cells would be created within six years of my first connection with Mr. Inamori, so I was happy to be able to meet him again in this way. We spoke very familiarly at the dinner before and after the award ceremony, but Mr. Inamori left his seat in the middle of the dinner. I wondered what was happening, and when I happened to look while I was on my way to the restroom, I saw him intently watching a Kyoto Sanga match on TV. I felt that he really loved Sanga. I have also seen him get very enthusiastic while cheering for the Kyocera women's track and field team, sometimes even shouting encouragement.
I realized that he had two sides: the side that enjoyed drinking and cheering intently for Sanga matches, and the strict side of a business leader and leader.

*An international award originating from Japan, established by a foundation created by Kazuo Inamori. It is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of humanity in the fields of science and technology, basic sciences, and philosophy and arts, and has been awarded annually since 1985.

—After that, you co-authored the book "Instead of Living Smartly, Become a Patient Fool."

I met him for a dialogue project for a book published in 2014. We had a dialogue for several hours over two sessions, and looking back, it was a very precious opportunity. I was 52 years old at the time. Since Mr. Inamori is like a god, it was less of a dialogue and more of me just listening intently to what Mr. Inamori had to say.
What I remember vividly is the beginning of the dialogue. As the leader of the iPS Cell Research Center, I was prepared for the fact that medical applications for iPS cell research would take a considerable amount of time. So, using my favorite marathon as an analogy, I said, "I am thinking about the pace and running so that I don't run out of steam by the end," and Mr. Inamori immediately replied, "I'm different. I'm always sprinting at full speed." And so, I immediately replied, "No, I apologize" (laughs).

—Was there any part of that dialogue that influenced Professor Yamanaka's subsequent approach?

It was definitely the "altruism" that he spoke about repeatedly. When I make decisions, I also think very carefully about whether it is for my own sake, or for the sake of the entire organization or society. I believe I was able to think that way because Mr. Inamori told me about it not just once, but many, many times. As a leader, repeating something over and over because it is important sounds easy, but it is actually extremely difficult, and I strongly felt that he had stuck to that until the end.

The Importance of Having a Vision

—Professor Yamanaka, what do you think we should rely on to live in these rapidly changing times?

Whether or not you have a firm "vision" of what you want to do with your life. I think this is very important. In our case, to put it simply, our vision is to "conquer diseases through the power of science," so whether or not we are doing the right thing in relation to that becomes my standard for judgment. If you forget your vision or if your vision wavers, your judgment will also waver. It is very important for both individuals and organizations to have a solid vision of what they are doing and why. And I believe the role of a leader is to "present a vision that does not waver, and to show it stubbornly, over and over again."

—I heard that the vision is posted in many places within the research institute as well.

Even if you think you understand a vision after hearing it once, you soon forget it, and sometimes the person saying it or the leader forgets it too. That is why it is very important to put it into words and write it down every chance you get. If you only think about it in your head, you might change it when it becomes inconvenient, or sometimes even forget it, but by speaking it out loud or writing it down, you can move forward without wavering.

The Current State of iPS Cell Research

―Twenty years have passed since the announcement of the creation of iPS cells in 2006. What is the current situation?

Research on iPS cells has progressed with two major goals: regenerative medicine and drug discovery, and the current situation is that they are finally reaching patients in both areas. We are at the stage where they are reaching dozens of patients in the form of clinical trials, so we are still halfway there. From now on, I feel that we must continue to work hard so that we can reach hundreds, thousands, and eventually tens of thousands of patients. We have come this far in 20 years since the discovery of iPS cells, but I think it will take another 10 or 20 years before they truly reach many patients.

―In early March, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that it had conditionally approved the manufacturing and marketing of two regenerative medicine products using iPS cells.

This is, of course, a big step. However, if we compare it to high school baseball, it is like finally qualifying for Koshien after somehow passing the prefectural qualifiers. We are currently at the stage where the real work is about to begin. Since the government and the general public have high expectations for the medical application of iPS cell research, the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application hopes to continue to be a driving force for iPS cell research not only in Japan but also in the world.

―What are the important points for promoting practical application in the future?

Patients are waiting, so a sense of speed is important, but safety is ultimately the most important thing. We must never be in such a hurry that we skip what should be done. As the saying goes, 'more haste, less speed,' I believe that steadily accumulating what needs to be done is the fastest way to reach the goal.

Vision and Work Hard (VW)

―Looking at your books, the keyword 'Vision and Work Hard' often appears. Could you tell us about that?

It is a very simple teaching. First, the latter, 'work hard,' refers to working with all your might. I believe that in Japan, both companies and researchers traditionally have this culture. The former, 'vision,' is about what you are working so hard for. Even though people work hard, especially Japanese people, they are not very conscious of what they are working for, what they are studying for, or what they are doing experiments for every day.
For example, I feel that there may be many cases where people mistake immediate goals—such as wanting to pass an upcoming exam, wanting to publish a good paper, wanting a promotion, or wanting a raise—for a vision.

―From your perspective, Professor Yamanaka, you believe that the lack of awareness of vision is a tendency peculiar to Japanese people, don't you?

Since I work in both Japan and the United States, I do feel that Japanese people have a weaker awareness of vision when comparing the two. Americans have grand visions, and from an educational environment perspective, I have the impression that many of them are good at 'talking.' Japanese people have received a modest education, and at least my generation, the Showa generation, was taught not to stand out too much. There was a feeling that 'the nail that sticks out gets hammered down,' but conversely, the American idea is that 'it is better to stick out.' From a young age, they at least clearly state what they want to do.
I think it is not easy to find 'what you really want to do,' but if you can first think about it, find something you can be passionate about that you want to do for the rest of your life, and work hard toward it, I think that is truly a happy thing.
You have to work in some form to live, and I think the happiest thing for a human being is when 'what you want to do' and 'working to live' coincide. Also, I think it is most rewarding when your own vision and the organization's vision coincide.
In Japan, work-style reform is making it difficult to 'work hard' in some ways, but if you have something you really want to do and work hard toward it, it should no longer feel like an obligation or a burden. I think the happiest thing is to be able to think, 'I am just doing what I want to do, so working hard is fun.'

―How do you view the way the younger generation today forms their visions?

It has definitely changed from our generation, and I feel that they are becoming very good at forming and articulating their visions. This is because even in Japan, they can get information from the world through the internet and social media, and even in English education, they can learn living English, which is different from our generation. By receiving an education in an environment where they can truly see living English and the raw state of the world, I feel that the gap between Japanese and Americans is not as large as it used to be.

Correct 'Form' and Correct 'Failure'

―As a laboratory director working on research for many years, what have you been conscious of as a leader in order to produce results?

First, how do you define results? For example, if you define 'results = papers,' looking at my own laboratory, there are students who work extremely hard but whose research does not progress as expected, and they have trouble getting papers published. On the other hand, there are those who do not put in that much effort but achieve amazing results and can publish papers. Experiments and research have elements of luck and misfortune, so if you judge only by the results of papers, you may misjudge a person's ability and motivation as a researcher. That is why I think it is very important to 'look at the process of effort' rather than just the results.

―What do you think is important in the process of effort?

While there is an element of luck, if you are making a solid effort, I think the chances of leading to great results will increase, but I often tell students that 'whether the way of making an effort is correct' is very important. Everyone makes mistakes once or twice, but I think there are 'correct failures (good failures)' and 'incorrect failures (bad failures).' A correct failure is a failure that occurred after properly following the procedures that should be followed, and there is learning from that good failure. Failures that occur because you skipped control experiments, which are important in experiments, or cut corners, mean that you did not do what you should have done, and it is just a waste of time. That is why the correct procedures are important.

A few years after I received the Kyoto Prize, Kabuki actor Tamasaburo Bando received it, and I had the opportunity to hear his lecture. Mr. Bando is constantly taking on new things, or in other words, 'unconventional things,' one after another and succeeding, but to borrow Mr. Bando's words, if you want to break the form, you must first 'learn the form thoroughly.' If you do something without learning the form, it is not 'unconventional' but 'formless.' At that time, I had a major realization.
Research also has procedures and forms. If even one of these three forms—(1) having a solid purpose, (2) performing solid control experiments every time without skipping, and (3) analyzing the data obtained to the end—is missing, it is 'formless' and a bad failure.
In any job, there is always a 'form,' and learning it is what you do when you are a newcomer, and teaching it is the role of bosses and seniors. Even if you learn the correct form and make the correct effort, there are more cases where results do not come out, but I think it is important for bosses and leaders to recognize that effort and determine whether the results obtained are just luck or the result of effort.

—In that sense, it is necessary for a leader to carefully observe their subordinates and those around them, isn't it?

We submit written applications to receive research funding, but since we can only write about results in documents, it is extremely difficult to evaluate whether a person is truly capable of the right kind of effort. If we only look at the papers they have published, we might miss the potential for a "breakthrough" that could lead to a major discovery.

Research is only complete when it is communicated to others

—As a leader, what are your thoughts on the importance of communicating in your own words?

When I was studying in the United States, the first thing my laboratory director told me was that research is not just about achieving results in experiments; it is only complete when you can communicate those results to others. Since we are in experimental medicine, nothing starts without experiments, but if you think research is finished just because you have good results, that is not the case. It is important to know how to convey those wonderful results to others. I was taught that experiments are 50 percent, and communicating them to others is 50 percent—that is how important communication is.

—We who are interviewing you today work in the communications department. We feel the difficulty of communicating every day.

The people we communicate with are sometimes researchers in the same field, and sometimes researchers in different fields. They can be business people like those at Kyocera, or sometimes elementary school students. Naturally, the way you communicate changes depending on the audience. I believe that always communicating in the same way, in a way that only experts can understand, does not count as "communicating." That is precisely why a great deal of training is required to communicate effectively. I still have many opportunities to speak to various people, but it is a challenge every time; sometimes it goes well, and sometimes I have things to reflect on. Even when talking about the same iPS cells, I use completely different words and change the content of the talk significantly. Preparing for a one-hour lecture takes several times that amount of time, which is difficult, but I believe that communicating is just as difficult and just as important.

For the sake of as many patients as possible

—Please tell us about Professor Yamanaka's future goals.

In research, I have two goals. One is to advance the clinical application of iPS cells and act as a "bridge to industry." I will reach the mandatory retirement age in two years at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University, where I serve as honorary director and professor, but I will continue my activities at the Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Foundation, which I started six years ago. We cannot reach tens of thousands of patients on our own, so one goal is to ensure that we can pass the baton of iPS cells to companies in Japan and overseas in the correct way.
The other is research into solving the mystery of a gene called "NAT1," which I am focusing on at my laboratory in the United States. This is a theme I have been working on since before my iPS cell research, and I hope to shed some light on it, even if only a little.