It was in May 2004 that retired restaurant manager Einosuke Sumitani first visited a career theme park called Kidzania in Mexico and saw children cheerfully engaged in jobs there.

Feeling strongly that it might be what Japanese children needed, he signed a licensing agreement with the Mexican company Kidzania de Mexico SA half a year later and opened Kidzania in Tokyo's Toyosu district in October 2006.

"Many children here have focused on cramming their heads with knowledge and they have little chance to interact with society. So many kids have no idea what they want to do in the future," Sumitani, 64, president and chief executive officer of Kids City Japan K.K., said in a recent interview with The Japan Times.

Tokyo's Kidzania, which was the first franchise outside Mexico, is full with 50 company-sponsored pavilions, and children can experience jobs of some 70 different occupations, including dentist, comic book writer and electric engineer. Children earn the park's own currency, Kidzos, after every job experience, and they can use it to buy food and drinks in the park.

The career theme park, which accommodates more than 2,500 people per day, drew more than 800,000 in its first opening year, far above its annual target of 500,000. Advance tickets for weekends are already sold out through the end of February and weekdays are busy with students from across the country on school excursions.

"Half the customers now are repeaters who have come here two to 10 times," Sumitani said with a smile. The company will probably see a profit in the current business year that began in April, he said.

The theme park's popularity appears to come from widespread concerns over the nation's educational system, Sumitani said.

"Many children don't get used to making decisions on their own because their parents often tell them what to do. As a result, children unconsciously try to please their parents when they make decisions," he said, adding that there are even cases where parents accompany their children to job interviews.

"Parents also make judgments on their children's marriage partner. So when do children make decisions on their own?" he asked.

Key events in Sumitani's career

1965 — Joined Fujita Kanko Inc., an operator of hotels, resorts and leisure facilities, where he learned the basics of the hospitality industry.

1969 — Founded WDI Corp., which introduced several U.S. restaurant chains in Japan, including Kentucky Fried Chicken, Hard Rock Cafe and Spago. It now operates more than 10 restaurant chains in the U.S. and Japan.

2003 — Left WDI, learned of Kidzania of Mexico.

2004 — Saw firsthand the excitement of children taking part in Kidzania of Mexico, and founded Kids City Japan K.K.

2006 — Opened the first Kidzania outside Mexico.

To give them a chance of self-reliance, Kidzania does not allow parents inside the pavilions. Instead, they can watch through windows.

Sumitani said he also hopes kids learn teamwork by working with others and decision-making as future leaders.

Sumitani landed his first job at Fujita Kanko Inc. in Tokyo in 1965, which operates hotels, resorts and leisure facilities. He learned the basics of hospitality through sweeping the yard, housekeeping, making beds and working as a bellboy, he said.

"Working in a hotel and at the current job (at Kidzania) is the same thing. The bottom line is to satisfy customers, and customer satisfaction starts with cleaning a room. So I value people who have good hospitality and consideration toward others," he said.

In 1969, he quit the company and established WDI Corp. with his friend. He has obtained the licenses of many popular American fast-food and casual restaurant chains and introduced them to the Japanese market.

For example, he brought Kentucky Fried Chicken and barbecue ribs restaurant Tony Roma's in the 1970s, and Wolfgang Puck's famed California cuisine restaurant Spago and Hard Rock Cafe in the 1980s. The company now operates more than 10 restaurant chains in Japan, the U.S and other countries.

Though he has made these big names known to Japanese, all he says about himself is, "I was just lucky."

"What still strongly impressed me is the fact that we could open Wolfgang Puck's Spago (in Japan). Wolfgang Puck (known as the founder of California cuisine) became a star after he catered the official dinner at the leaders' meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations in Williamsburg (Va.) in 1983," he said.

Sumitani said he concluded the Spago licensing agreement with Puck six months before the summit, hinting negotiations could have become difficult if it was after the summit.

"I think I was lucky to conclude a deal in 30 minutes. He had worked with a Japanese employee who faithfully worked for him, so Puck had a good impression of the Japanese," he said with a smile.

In early October, Kids City Japan announced that it plans to open a second Kidzania theme park, in Hyogo Prefecture, in March 2009. It aims to lure 800,000 a year with the same size as Tokyo's theme park. Sumitani also said he is considering opening the theme parks in other major cities, including Nagoya and Fukuoka.

Kidzania is also expanding its presence elsewhere.

Besides the Tokyo career theme park and two parks in Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico, there is also Kidzania in Jakarta. Kidzania will also open in Lisbon and Dubai in 2008 and Barcelona, Spain, Seoul and Taiwan in 2009.

To improve services at Tokyo's Kidzania, Sumitani said the company plans to also offer guidance at all its pavilions completely in English in three years.

Japan's hybrid cars, consumer electronics and video-game machines enjoy big success in the world, but Japan has exported few global leaders, he said.

"I hope Kidzania will be helpful for children to learn to make decisions and take action on their own. And more and more Japanese children will become global leaders in the future," he said.

When asked when he will retire, the athletic Sumitani, who regularly plays squash and water polo, said: "I will be around as long as I can work. If I set a retirement age, my energy would run out."

In this occasional series, we interview entrepreneurs whose spirit may hold the key to a more competitive Japan.