Executives of Japan's top 200 corporations were recently given a survey in which they were asked the following question: "Who in the past millennium of world history would you choose to help Japan solve its present financial crisis?"
Receiving more mention than any other figure was a man who is today remembered as a swaggering swordsman, a pistol-packing outlaw, the leader of a renegade band of riotous samurai who overthrew the shogunate -- and one of the most colorful figures in Japanese history.
This national hero and cultural icon is Sakamoto Ryoma.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.