Born in Fukuoka in Kyushu, Tak came to the UK in 1975. Seeing a gap in the market for Japanese books and imported Japanese goods, Tak established his first business as a small wholesaler. From this small market for Japanese products, Tak moved into retailing directly to customers with the first official Japan Centre. His motivation was to cater and support the Japanese expat community by bringing them a taste of home which he had struggled to find since emigrating. From here, Japan Centre has since grown to be one of the most established and influential Japanese food halls in Europe.

In his spare time, Tak is an avid motorcyclist and loves nothing more than riding around the countryside. Tak also has lived in Hong Kong, has a pilot’s licence and likes golf, sake and spicy food!