hiː wʌz pˈɑːɹt əvə dʒˌɛnɚɹˈeɪʃən ʌv dʒˌæpənˈiːz kɹiːˈeɪɾɪvz bˈɔːɹn dʒˈʌst bᵻfˌoːɹ ðɪ ˈaʊtbɹeɪk ʌv sˈɛkənd wˈɜːld wˈɔːɹ, hˌuː ɑːɹ kənsˈɪdɚd tə hæv tɹænsfˈɔːɹmd ðə wˈeɪ dʒəpˈæn wʌz vjˈuːd baɪ ðɪ aʊtsˈaɪd wˈɜːld.
He was part of a generation of Japanese creatives born just before the outbreak of Second World War, who are considered to have transformed the way Japan was viewed by the outside world.