Value Depends Greatly on Perspective and Circumstances

 It all began when my 7-year-old daughter caught a praying mantis on our balcony. And just like that, we became mantis owners... 😢

In the past, we considered stink bugs a nuisance—whenever they appeared in the house, we simply caught them and threw them out. On busy days, we might have to get rid of three of them! But now, with a mantis to feed, these once annoying insects have become valuable "food," and catching them has turned into a fun activity. It has become a new family routine to eagerly hunt for stink bugs and feed them to our mantis. If we don’t, the mantis won’t survive, and if we run out of stink bugs, we have to go to the park to find grasshoppers or dragonflies.




Though it might seem a bit harsh, I believe this experience helps my children understand the circle of life—living creatures rely on other life to survive.

This transformation, where a pest like a stink bug suddenly becomes a treasure, taught us an important lesson: value depends greatly on perspective and circumstances. Even in business, something initially considered worthless can become a valuable asset when re-evaluated to meet new needs. Just as the stink bug became food for the mantis, things that may seem insignificant can unlock business growth or solve social challenges when given a new purpose.

This philosophy ties closely to Hattori Group’s Vision55 project. (Learn more about Vision55: here)

For example, a piece of land that might seem unimportant to us could be highly attractive to a soccer or baseball coach. Similarly, expertise and networks that we take for granted may carry tremendous value for others. One inspiring case within the Vision55 project is the transformation of a simple apartment room into EIS, an international school.

While many new ventures are funded with money, the essence of the Vision55 project lies in collaboration with people who can discover greater value in the assets we already have. Our goal is to co-create value beyond financial investment by tapping into the hidden potential of our group’s resources.

This experience with the praying mantis and the stink bugs perfectly reflects the kind of mindset we aim to foster as a group. Finding value in seemingly trivial everyday moments and identifying new opportunities for growth is undoubtedly the key to future success. Moreover, sharing this value with others in the community allows us to provide high-quality solutions faster and more effectively.

In December, as part of Vision55, we are launching a baseball program for children. We hope to continue collaborating with people who can recognize value in what we offer and work with us to create even greater value. While the selection process is rigorous, we look forward to receiving many applications.

We’re excited about what’s ahead and can’t wait to see what new opportunities will emerge from our shared journey.

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