I've met Namba-san previously. She grew up in a rather traditional environment, attending an all-female college. What gave her the entrepreneurial ambitions was

I've met Namba-san previously. She grew up in a rather traditional environment, attending an all-female college. What gave her the entrepreneurial ambitions was So-net's CEO suggesting her to get into business online, as the article states. Although HNer bitwize is correct in saying that Japan frowns upon risks, Nanba-san claims the getting an MBA in the states hasn't directly aided her entrepreneurship, and was only a pretext to get a break from her busy career at McKinsey. She is indeed very ambitious; she aims DeNA to become Japan's best technology company. My friend who works there also got to meet her before, and we both agreed that she is a rare female leader not unlike Margaret Thatcher.