Hiroshi Sato took the helm of Bookoff Corp., the nation's largest secondhand book store chain, in 2007, when the company's corporate survival was in doubt after weekly magazines broke news that the firm had rigged its accounts.

But Sato, as Bookoff president and chief executive officer, managed to overcome the scandal with the support of branch managers and a thorough shift in employees' mind-set, he recalled.

Now with business booming, Bookoff aims to expand its scope by trading in other secondhand items, including clothing, sports equipment and musical instruments.