Olympus whistleblower eyes movie deal with le Carré sons

Wasn't it Andy Warhol who said that in the future everyone will be famous for 15-minutes?

A book, now a movie. What's next , "Michael Woodford, the Musical"? This jackass could be using his influence to expose Japanese corruption at the highest levels. Instead he's cashing in.

milk that cash cow baby!

boo hoo had a falling out with his "ghostwriter"... you don't admit you used / using a ghostwriter... I used to have some credit for MW ... now nothing... what a money grab.

hoserfella

A book, now a movie. What's next , "Michael Woodford, the Musical"?

I'll stake 5,000 yen that next in line is the "Michael Woodford App" - it'll be a soundboard board app with soundbytes covering the following categories for all aspiring whistleblowers: acceptance of CEO title, boardroom discontent, exposure of mass accounting fraud, ruthless criticism to press, fear of being pursued by gangsters, negotiating a book deal, 'cashing in while you can', and getting some mug to make a film for you.

Wow, I wonder if he foresaw pound signs just before, during or after when reflecting on snitching on the dodgy dealings. He probably questioned wether anyone would employ him after blasting such a massive hole in Olympus and realised that the only way forward was a book deal n a film..very boring ones..This fellow has a mighty big ego.

At least he had the courage to do something about it ! How many "whistle-blowers" do you know of in Japan Inc ? I'm sure there are hundreds, if not thousands of "company cover-ups" all over the country but who has the courage to uncover them ? He knew he'd be ousted but that didn't deter him ! I don't know many other people who'd risk their careers to "right the wrong"... He has the perfect right to "tell his story"...

Wow sounds like some jealous folks here. What better way first off to get his story, his version of it anyway, out than through a book and movie? People are harping on him because he has a chance to make money and they don't, nothing more nothing less, as I see it.

This jackass could be using his influence to expose Japanese corruption at the highest levels. Instead he's cashing in.

Everyone outside of Japan, at least in corporate circles, knows about how Japan Inc, and the people who need to know or be exposed to Japanese corruption are within Japan itself, and there are no media outlets here that would dare print or release his story out of fear of retaliation.

Wow sounds like some jealous folks here. What better way first off to get his story, his version of it anyway, out than through a book and movie?

Already pre-ordered, I had respect for this guy but hiring a ghostwriter reeks of a cash in.

Not exactly a thriller....

T'his guy wouldn"t have reached the position he did without knowing the score. He wanted to be top guy, made his play and got kicked out on his ear. What happened next had nothing to do with being a good, honest citizen. It was all about payback, and it still is.

It's all about the money!

First the Olympus fraud was brought to light by the Japanese journalists of the magazine FACTA and not by Woodford. Second there were several other large scandals in Japanese economic post-war history uncovered by Japanese journalists. But these were of little interest to the international press because the story lacked a foreign 'hero' who was savy to market his agenda internationally. That said Mr Woodford deserves praise for his contribution. What makes him much less admirable is the way he portraits himself as the brave executive who selflessly fought the Japanese. His emphasis on the "terrifying" aspects and other exaggerations makes marketable Hollywood copy, but leaves out concern for the local Japanese journalists who didn't stop investigating and fearlessly continued to dig. Woodford's selfserving Hollywood version leaves the real heroes anonymous, belittles their achievement and cements common racial stereo types - as Hollywood versions usually do.

I'm looking forward to it. Or at least the shorts.

Forget about who plays the hero.

The problem is, who is the villain? As far as I know, they still haven't traced the money, let alone recovered it.

Please let me know when it becomes available. Probably the movie wll be banned in Japan. I like to see how corrupt Japanese private sector is.

mu-da: Well said. Here is the dilemma. The Japanese should ideally make this movie themselves to portray the details in sufficient detail and accuracy with an explicit analysis of the Japan Inc specific root cause behind whatever happened, but they would never consider making a movie out of this in lack of a local hero.

alliswellinjapan: As I said: No lack of local heros, only in the perception of the international press. The investigative journalist(s) of FACTA magazin would make a great lead with the Woodford character tripping around as a sub story. Juzo Itami would have been perfect for such kind movie. Think of Marusa no Onna at Olympus...

--Ehmm...excuse me but thats exactly what he DID...and thats lots more than countless others I,m sure who took the money and looked the other way. After all that , if a company approached him about making a movie ( or a book or an app for that matter ) why should he refuse ? Would you ?

marcelito - A book is one thing, but to overtly use the incident for personal financial gain cheapens all that he claims he stands for. Japanese businesses will look at this and say "ahh, the gaijin is just in it for the money" as opposed to standing for something ethical.

Michael Woodford is a astute businessman who remained positive and kept his eyes on the big prize by suing Olympus for his dismissal and then continued to think, believe, and focused his action on other money making activities. He was willing to roll up his sleeves and get it done at all cost. Being able to persevere and overcome all obstacles paid off and was the determining factor that led to his success. Now he is financially set for life.

my-da: Agree Itami would have made an entertaining film out of this. FACTA no otoko? Former chairman Kikukawa should be a dream villain role for any veteran actor.

Globalwatcher, yeah the Japanese private sector is so corrupt, but gaijin still buy Japanese vehicles, video games, and electronics.

Globalwatcher, yeah the Japanese private sector is so corrupt, but gaijin still buy Japanese vehicles, video games, and electronics.

Increasingly they do not.

Anyway, I hardly see what the 2 have got to do with each other. Globalwatcher wants to see the film about the corruptness of Japanese companies. The fact that millions of people buy (or rather used to buy) Japanese electronics is neither here or there.

The Olympus scandal is a microcosm of the attitudes of Japanese business that have left the companies increasingly outmoded and inefficient. The Olympus scandal is a parable of modern Japan and Michael Woodford is a hero.

He has a bizarre number of critics here. If I were ever in his shoes, I would be quite happy to release books or films on the topic. I do not accept that he has compromised his principals.

The Olympus scandal is a parable of modern Japan and Michael Woodford is a hero.

The standards for being considered a hero must have fallen quite far if people consider what he did to earn "hero" status. He saved no ones life, he broke no records, accomplished nothing spectacular, and with the exception of a few minutes of fame, did nothing other than what any other Japanese company employee does with just about their entire lives, and those few minutes (figuratively speaking of course) make him a hero?

I think not.

mu-da et al -

Woodfoorde has acknowleged Factas outing of the story on numerous occasions. Again as recently as this past week.

The problem was NO, read NO, mainstream media would pick up on the story until Woodforde's more public display.

And then, and only then - was it taken up at a snails pace after still being initially ignored.

Even the "liberal" Asahi network didn't touch it for days, but it's tv media continued playing full on Olympus CMs.

And what other BIG scandals involving World Wide household name state-of-the-art-blue-chip Japanese companies were ignored by the international media?

Your tilt at racial stero-typing fits just that, with your sly on the "hollywood hero" foreigner.

“I probably will commit to this because I like the way they do things.” And he should say "I like money as well"

After the FACTA article, Woodford had no other choice if he didn't wan't to be accused himself, both under Japanese and UK law. He was hardly a hero, just someone who understands his legal liabilities as a CEO. Going to the press first, before informing authorities was a major mistake as well, compromising investigations.

Elements of his story had to be left out of the book, he says, because of the risk of compromising investigations.

So why not wait a bit with publishing to the benefit of the readers? And now a movie deal? It's all about milking the story...

Milking the story? What's so wrong with him making money off of what he experienced? If some movie maker wanted to make a movie out of my life because of something I did that brought a touch of justice and shined a light on a problem, I don't see what's wrong with it.

The story has fallen by the wayside pretty much here in Japan and it's no longer a daily news item either, so what's the problem? Is he hurting anyone? Is he doing something immoral or illegal? I do not understand the disgust and hatred people are showing him because of this. Is it jealousy?

Yubaru, the issue is that Woodford is constantly putting his personal interests and vanity in front of those of the investigators.

jeff198527Nov. 27, 2012 - 01:30AM JST

Globalwatcher, yeah the Japanese private sector is so corrupt, but gaijin still buy Japanese vehicles, video games, and electronics.

Not Japanese products like we used to. We understand encouraging consumer consumption spending is a key to economic growth unlike Japan with high priced goods, fewer choices of goods and services, a shoe box size house.

My comment above has nothing to do with this topic. Yes, there is a huge corruption in private sector, mainly a moral issue including discrimination against gaijin, women, overtime abuse, privacy and a manipulation of financial statement. The moral issue has to be taught in all levels of Japan.

gonemad - are you suggesting Woodforde is compromising investigations?

Seeking personal compensation, whatever one may think, does not necessarily lead to interference in official procedures.

And as I have a whiff of inside info re this case, there is no spat between Woodfordes actions and those of the authorities. By all accounts they have a very good working relationship, more than could be said of the now defunct Olympus board puppets.

gonemad - are you suggesting Woodforde is compromising investigations?

Yes, that's my impression. First when he went to the press to publish results of the internal investigations before he provided them to authorities, risking that culprits get enough time to cover up. And now it seems again by prematurely publishing his book. Having to scan his book, possibly many times, is taking away precious resources from investigators, who tend to be not overstaffed.