Japanese Prime Minister thinks country can learn from Super Mario.

Listen, I think we can all learn from Super Mario. Eat shrooms. Trip balls. Grow larger on the Astral Plane. However Japan’s Prime Minister thinks their nation can learn in a different manner from the country.

Nintendo is having a truly difficult year. Things are tough! Yet, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe thinks the country can learn from Nintendo.

Earlier today, a member of the Diet asked him for his growth strategy for Japan.

“Well, for example, there’s a company called Nintendo,” Abe replied. “Over there, they made hanafuda cards, but gradually the people playing hanafuda decreased. However, that company called Nintendo makes hanafuda cards and whatnot, and I believe that only by doing that, it wasn’t able to protect hanafuda.”

So, Abe continued, Nintendo used technical expertise to lead the way in developing home video game consoles. “And at the same time, it is keeping the traditional hanafuda cards. For sure, I think this is something that we can learn from.”

Bad timing to bust out the Nintendo comparisons. But hey, Shinzo Abe is a busy guy! He doesn’t have time to check Nintendo financial statements. He has a country to run. 

That being said, he does make a good point about how Nintendo was able to protect its traditional business and at the same time expand into new areas. Good thing Abe didn’t bring up that failed Nintendo love hotel, huh. [Kotaku]

I’m not saying my method is better but…well. Yeah, it is.