COMPANY PROFILE Corporate overview
- Established
- March 23, 2007
- Company Name
- ILI Inc. (Inter Literacy Institute)
https://www.ili.inc - Head Office
- Jingumae Corporas 1302
-6-25-8 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
Tel: +81-3-6712-5450
Fax: +81-3-6712-5036 - Representative
- DK Sugiyama, Founder & CEO
Kotaro Okazaki, Diretor - Employees
- 15 (including 2 dispatched staff)
- Business Scope
-
Business production and consulting, including the design and implementation of communication methods that solve complex organizational and market challenges.
- Paid Employment Placement
License No. 13-YU-313590 - Real Estate Transaction Business
Tokyo Governor (1) No. 106609 - Secondhand Dealer License
Tokyo Metropolitan Public Safety Commission No. 303322119644
- Paid Employment Placement
- Capital
- JPY 50,000,000
- Banks
- MUFG Bank, Shibuya Chuo Branch | SMBC, Shibuya Branch | Mizuho Bank, Shibuya Branch
- History
-
- 2004 — Launched as the Visual Creation Division of Creating Communications Ltd.
- 2007 — Established Inter Literacy Co., Ltd. in Shibuya, Tokyo, following business expansion
- 2010 — Office relocated to support further growth
- 2020 — Company name changed to ILI Inc. (Inter Literacy Institute)
- 2024 — ILI Publishing established
-
- 2004
Launched as the Visual Creation Division of Creating Communications Ltd.
- 2007
Established Inter Literacy in Shibuya, Tokyo
- 2010
Office relocated to support business growth
- 2020
Renamed ILI Inc. (Inter Literacy Institute)
- 2024
ILI Publishing established
- 2004
Selected Clients Over the years, we have built trusted relationships with many distinguished brands and institutions.
The Coca-Cola Company Japan / Sony / Cartier / Honda / L’Oréal Japan / Suntory / Toyota / Kirin Holdings / Yomiuri Shimbun / Seiko Group / AFLAC / Apple Japan / U.S. Embassy / OMRON / ADK / NAVITIME JAPAN / JMAM / BizReach / Benesse / Hakuhodo / Tokyu Community / Quantum Leaps / Komazawa University / Taisei Corporation / Daimaru Matsuzakaya / Tokyu Corporation / TOPPAN / Hosei University / Keio University / GREE / Yahoo Japan / Wunderman International and others
FOUNDER Leadership
DK Sugiyama
ILI Inc.
Founder & CEO
Global Business Producer
DK Sugiyama
DK Sugiyama
ILI Inc.
Founder & CEO
Global Business Producer
DK Sugiyama
Born in Tokyo in 1979 and raised in New York, Sugiyama launched his first business at the age of 19. He graduated from Keio University and earned his MBA from Keio Business School. In 2007, he founded ILI to solve communication and strategic execution challenges for organizations operating in a complex world.
He later served as President of Quantum Leaps, the firm founded by the late Nobuyuki Idei of Sony. Guided by the principle of trying new technology before others do, Sugiyama has consistently practiced a DO-first philosophy. Under the corporate slogan “Do Today for a Better Tomorrow,” he helps organizations unlock under-realized value and turn it into meaningful business growth. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the long-running interview series My Philosophy.
- Education
- 1982–1995 — Lived in New York from age 3 to 15
1995 — Graduated from The Japanese School of New York, Middle School Division
1998 — Graduated from Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School at Oizumi
2002 — Graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Policy Management
2004 — Completed MBA at Keio Business School -
- 1982–1995
Lived in New York from age 3 to 15
- 1995
Graduated from The Japanese School of New York
- 1998
Graduated from Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School at Oizumi
- 2002
Graduated from Keio University
- 2004
MBA, Keio Business School
- 1982–1995
- Specialization
- Behavioral economics and global marketing
- Qualifications
- MBA | Eiken Grade 1
Completed Oxford Teacher Training Program - Strengths
- AI / DX / ICT project direction
Native-level business English
Practical support for overseas expansion
English presentation support
Executive hosting for international visitors - Books
- 2014 — Courage to Act
2015 — Move Your Luck
2019 — DDDD: Action Creates Miracles
2023 — Global Standard AO Parenting
2025 — The Power to Bounce Back -
- 2014
Courage to Act
- 2015
Move Your Luck
- 2019
DDDD: Action Creates Miracles
- 2023
Global Standard AO Parenting
- 2025
The Power to Bounce Back
- 2014
Kotaro Okazaki
ILI Inc.
Director
AIOps Strategist
Executive Researcher
Kotaro Okazaki
Kotaro Okazaki
ILI Inc.
Director
AIOps Strategist
Executive Researcher
Kotaro Okazaki
Okazaki graduated from the University of Tokyo and earned a Ph.D. in Informatics from the National Institute of Informatics. He built his career in communication planning, strategy, and production at Dentsu, where he worked across strategy, content production, and media integration.
He has conducted research in AI and blockchain, contributed to concept development around Tokyo 2020 and ESG disclosure support, and received academic recognition through his published work in Frontier in AI. He brings a rare combination of research depth and strategic execution to ILI.