Growing up in postwar Japan has made me the person I am, but it is not why I do the work I do. It is a very personal thing - everything comes from inside.

I've always said that, growing up in postwar Japan, I never felt any connection to my work through those experiences. The work I do really comes from inside myself. For me, being born in Japan was an accident.

The monsters I thought about are those that don't fit in - those who think differently from the majority, the people of exception, outsiders. I wish that society would place more importance and value on these kinds of monsters.

It's interesting for me to sell Comme des Garcons in places it's never been sold before to people who might not have heard of Comme des Garcons.

I knew I was never going to play professional sport, but I loved playing and I went to all the games I could afford to.

When I don't enjoy it anymore, I'll stop. But I think as long as people want me to be where the action is, I'll be there. I just love to play tennis.

To meet my goals, I couldn't let up when I was playing tennis.

Back in 2011, I was kind of shy. I wasn't as good because that was the year, also, when I started playing basketball.