Founder of the foreign liquor industry in Japan, and founder of Suntory (later, Suntory Holdings). He entered Osaka Commercial School in 1890, then joined Konishi Gisuke Shoten (later, Konishi) in 1892, and learned the technique of blending imitation whiskey. He started his own business in 1899 and opened Torii Shoten, and in 1907 he launched Akadama Port Wine. In 1921, he founded Kotobukiya Co., Ltd. (later, Suntory), and in 1923 invited TAKETSURU Masataka to build a whisky distillery in Yamazaki, Osaka Prefecture. Here, Japan’s first domestic whisky, Suntory Whisky Shirofuda, was released in 1929. He assumed the position of chairman of Suntory in 1961 and received the 3rd rank of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.