After his tavern went bust, Tadakazu Kachi had nowhere to turn until he had a chance conversation with the elderly owner of a drinking establishment that was thriving.
The encounter opened his eyes to a new twist in the business of running an "izakaya" pub: have retired corporate warriors aged 60 or older work in the kitchen, greet customers and handle the bookkeeping.
Kachi, 58, decided to take another stab at being a pub proprietor in July 1998. He launched Kokoro-no-Izakaya (Heartfelt Pub) in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward and staffed it with seniors.