Brand Shift: Book Launch
Live Streaming from Tokyo & English Preview of the Book
After two years of research and a few total rewrites, my first book, Brand Shift: The Changing Pattern of Growth in the Age of Trust, officially launches in Japan on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
In December 2025, I submitted the manuscript of my first book to my editor at Toyo Keizai, a preeminent business publisher in Japan, after over two years of research and writing.
It was the hardest professional project to complete with many starts and stops.
While the book is in Japanese, I’ve spent the last few months adapting its core frameworks into an English series exclusively for the readers of this newsletter.
The core premise of the book is that the “center of gravity” for brands is shifting from story to trust, what that is, and how to adapt to it as AI increasingly overtakes society.
📽️ The Launch Event: Live from Tokyo
To celebrate the release, I will be hosting a launch event at Tsutaya Daikanyama in Tokyo.
When: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 @ 19:00 JST
Times: 11:00 AM GMT / 12:00 PM CET / 6:00 AM EST
The Guests: I’ll be joined by Rei Matsunuma (CEO, Human Made) and Takafumi Nomura (Founder, Chronicle Podcast Studio).
How to Watch: You can join the live stream here.
Note: For those in Japan, the online ticket includes a physical copy of the book. For those outside Japan, please consider ordering a copy (of the Japanese edition) via Amazon (USD 14.00 + shipping). I appreciate the support in advance.
📖 Brand Shift: English Edition
Since this community is primarily English-speaking, I am serializing the entire book here to ensure these frameworks reach you. Here is the progress so far:
What’s Inside the Book:
Chapter 1: Understanding Brand
No word is more misunderstood than "brand." We explore why the shift toward Designing Trust is non-negotiable for modern businesses.
Chapter 1 Bonus Content:
A conversation with John C. Jay, Creative Chairman of UNIQLO
Chapter 2: Foundation of Brand
This chapter details how to build a brand as a “structure of trust” using six interconnected foundations (Mission, Vision, Concept, Product, Audience View, Message). It also emphasizes that brand growth requires prioritizing differentiation through positioning and will introduce five key conditions for creating a strong, lasting brand.
… and more.
Chapter 3: Technology and Brand
Chapter 4: Brand Shift™
Chapter 5: Brand in Action
Stay tuned, and I hope to see you in person, on the live stream, or here on Substack.