The author has spent his career in Kyoto—a complex city where diverse cultures intersect and it is said that 'if you can succeed here, you can succeed anywhere.' He has immersed himself in business, government, and local community settings, facing situations that have become deadlocked.

Through numerous conflict-ridden cases involving business regulations, landscape ordinances, building codes, and resident disputes, he has honed the 'skills' required to help stakeholders move forward while feeling satisfied with the outcome. He introduces the essence of these skills, stripping away technical jargon to present them as techniques that anyone can use.

'Ikezu' (a subtle, indirect way of communicating), as used by the people of Kyoto, is an art of harmony that conveys difficult intentions without stating them explicitly. By adding 'strategic nemawashi' (the art of laying the groundwork) to this—which respects the other party and avoids conflict—you can transform friction into co-creation. This is the 'cunning yet skillful art of consensus.'

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Author Profile Masakazu Hattori Born in Kyoto in 1979. Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Chuo University. Administrative Scrivener. Representative of Hattori Administrative Legal Office. Advisor to the Kyoto Prefecture Administrative Scrivener Association. An expert in 'bridging' the gap between administrative procedures/law and the field, he has supported the creation of over 1,500 new businesses in Kyoto, a city known for being difficult to launch a startup. In particular, he has successfully led numerous projects as a mediator, reconciling the opinions of residents, business operators, and the government in 'high-friction' areas such as landscape, urban development, private lodging (minpaku), and signage regulations. He has a reputation for his 'technique for organizing conflict-ridden situations and building consensus,' and has achieved a 100% consensus-building rate across 300 private lodging cases he has handled. Author of books including 'An Introduction to Administrative Law as Liberal Arts' (Nihon Jitsugyo Shuppansha).

Book Information Title: The Art of Consensus: Cunning Yet Skillful, Taught by a Kyoto Native Author: Masakazu Hattori Release Date: April 1, 2026 Price: 1,870 yen (tax included) ISBN: 978-4-413-23433-7

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