It was 15 years ago in 1987 that I started thinking of producing the ideal pet food. I began after getting suspicious of the pet products in the market. This was due to losing my loving dog ‘Atom’ ,who met his end at age of 11. To this day I wonder how long he could have lived had his been a natural death. He had suffered from dermatitis and felt lot of pain from arthritis. A terrible skin condition prevented me from brushing him. It deeply hurt because I was forced to entrust this dog I loved so much to an unfamiliar veterinarian that cause him much distress due to our separation.　In memory of the loss of Atom, I set out to research dog foods and what I found was astounding. One after another, my findings were altogether depressing. I started to ask several dog food manufacturers whether I might visit to their factories, to give me an idea of how and where dog foods were made. Unfortunately, my attempts were failed.

I wanted answers to my questions. As a change of plan I began researching the ingredients used in the dog food, my findings often foul smelled, unsanitary, oil stained and akin to trash heaps.　With resentment I wondered, “Is this stuff even edible for dogs?” Surprisingly one of the staff members told me, “These are much better than the others on the market. Normally pet food is made of waste meat which people cannot eat because of one health reason or another.” At that very moment, I realized the why the manufacturers barred me from visiting the factories. At that time Japan was in bubble era, I owned a construction company and I lived a largely comfortable life. However, the feeling that I had lost my dog to negligence on the pet food producers filled me with much disappointed. In retrospect, this was the triggering factor which got me to start up a company that produced an ideal dog food.
(To be continued Vol.2)

I decided to go to the U.S.A to get away from the disappointing reality that ‘waste meat’ was used to make dog food. Desperate for help and thinking the U.S.A was a more developed in its production of dog food and was ahead of Japan. I was wrong. What I learnt only disappointed me even more.　Shortly after my arrival, I contacted one of the dog food manufacturing companies who allowed me to visit a factory. In stark contrast to Japan the factory had wonderful facilities and the staff that showed me round was very hospitable. They apparently mistook my visit for a possible business venture, and often tried to conduct negotiation talks with me saying, “We totally expect you to succeed as an agent in Japan.” Well, whatever. I wasn’t prepared for what I came to see later. To my shock all the staff worked wearing gas masks fully clad in safety clothes.

I asked my guide, “Why are they wearing it?” Instantly and with pride he replied ,“We are very proud of this system, it decontaminates the meat to animal consumption. We believe that we are the No.1 pet food makers producing the safest dog food by using most efficient system in the U.S.A.” In addition to this he finally said with a smile and assured manner, “We should make a partnership.”
(To be continued Vol.3)

Through my research, I came to understand what was used to make dog foods. I was very shocked and disappointed at what I had seen in both Japan and the U.S.A. I suffered and tortured myself thinking of my precious memories with my loving dog ‘Atom’ since my childhood. I thought he met his end ‘as a result of my fault’. Actually I began to regret pointing the research. It seemed to disappoint me more. However, it was too late to turn back and it did not take long before I thought, “I should research this to my heart's content, find a solution and change the world on my own.” Without doing so I could not find any way to escape my guilty conscience, I brought forward my research with feeling of semi-abandonedment. “Why in the world are there such bad materials in the marketplace?” “What do public organizations and facilities do?” I was pursuing my investigation of the research institute in the U.S.A, when happened to encounter another jarring fact. One of the national organizations admitted producers use terrible stuffs to make dog food using technical words, such as ‘3D’ and ’4D’. When I knew the meaning of them, I was very shocked.

D could mean
‘DIE’
‘DISEASE’
‘DISABLE’
‘DYING’.
(To be continued Vol.4)

My loving dog ‘Atom’ had gave me many things without reservations. Needless to say, he did not have an ability to speak and he also did not request me to do this and that for him. He just used to look forward to walking around and playing. He supported me very much during my baseball training times that exhausted me both mentally and physically. I can remember very clearly that he believed me and ate what I gave to him without any suspicion … Unawareness I was harming his health. I could not hide these uncomfortable truths under the carpet. Gradually, my anger over ’The incredible facts’ turned over to ‘Myself’, because I felt I could not do anything in the face of this dilemma. “It is no use crying over the problem and I have to find a solution on my own.” I thought, “I should manage my anger at myself and my atonement for Atom by myself.

I must do so.” I am deeply convinced that no one but ‘Atom’ helped me to enter into the research to development stage of one ideal pet food and meet those people. (Dog lovers show a strong feeling of sympathy with me, as do the researchers who are eager to research and the farm producers who taught me the importance of foodstuffs).
(To be continued Vol.5)

The incredible facts I had found made me feel a mixture of awfulness, anger, but also love for Atom. “Except me, does anybody think like that?” “How do other pet owners think about it?” ”Did anybody suffer the death of their loving dog the same way as me?” “Or does nobody know what is happening in reality?” Because I already knew how terrible it was, “I must stop thinking of regarding to someone else and having a sense of security without any reasons.” I thought. “What I should see is not baseless society's norms but facts I see for myself.” “There is no point in doing anything other than research and invent ideal pet foods I trust and believe for myself.”

When I think back now, it was the decision I could come up with to help me to compensate for Atoms death. While I decided to do that, I did not have any knowledge and experience in producing dog food. “How should I do?” ”Can I actually produce ideal dog food although I am not an expert?” “It may ruin my life.” I groped blindly in the dark; my situation 15years ago was just like that. However, I felt it would be better having a crack rather than I hesitated to do it. At that moment, I never knew the troubles I would face in the near future.
(To be continued Vol.6)

Finally, my long journey ‘to compensate for Atom’s death and find myself in agony’ began. The first year, the time flies by, just pursuing the lofty ideal I cherished. The following years, the second, third and fifth years, days and money went away very quickly, as the result of working feverishly. I look back now and think I lived without any income. I am ashamed to say, I sacrificed my family for my aim. In order to achieve ‘man’s persistence’ or ‘simple mission’, it usually brings problem (unhappiness) with your family. Like other people in my situation, it resulted that I caused my family and parents a lot of troubles, although I had to take good care of them most. I lost my family, gave up my parents and got glacial stares from others. It looked as if I was losing everything without any success.

At that time, what sustain me was a lot of Atom’s memory in my childhood and farm producers and former teachers who have supported me till now. They cheered me up and taught me, ‘No honesty does not pay!’ ‘What is right must be paid off!’ ‘Behind the clouds, the sun is shining!’ ‘Nothing has changed unless changing myself!’ ‘We have own lives given from our parents to do something to help others!’ ‘Nothing is more important but to stand up to one's belief!’ In addition to these, I had a more important and warm ‘feeling of thankfulness’ from them. I would like to say thank you for everybody who has supported me.
(To be continued Vol.7)