The peculiar personality of Steve Jobs has left us countless anecdotes over the years. From asking Starbucks management to be fired to a Spanish colonial mansion in California that he tried to tear down. All of these stories are incredible, but few are as unique as the time it was arrested at a Japanese airport for trying to bring ninja weapons onto his private jet. What at the time seemed like an absurd story now makes sense when we analyze it in the context of Jobs’ fascination with Japanese culture and his peculiar way of seeing the world.
One more day of travel in the life of Steve Jobs… or not so much
It was him summer 2010 and Steve Jobs was finishing his vacation in Japan. As was typical of him, he had dedicated part of his time to exploring Japanese culture, a passion that had led him to collect everything from traditional pottery to, apparently, ninja stars. What no one expected is that the latter would cause un considerable problem at the airport Kansai International.
As reported Bloomberg and the japanese magazine SPA!airport security officers encountered a surprise during the Routine scanning of Jobs’ luggage. Among their belongings they detected several ninja stars, those traditional Japanese weapons that are obviously prohibited in carry-on luggage.
Jobs’ response to the situation was, as it could not be otherwise, completely faithful to his character. According to witnesses, the Apple CEO did not hesitate to argue that safety rules should not apply to him. His logic was simple and, in his mind, irrefutable:
Why would I hijack my own private jet?
This reaction would not surprise anyone who knew Jobs. It was typical of him to think that conventional norms did not apply to him. In fact, this mentality was what allowed him to revolutionize entire industries throughout his career. But on this occasion, Not even Jobs’ charisma could convince the authorities Japanese.
Apple denied the news, although it acknowledged that it was (coincidentally) in Japan that day
As expected, the news spread like wildfire on the internet. The image of the visionary CEO of Apple being arrested for carrying ninja weapons was too juicy not to go viral. Apple, aware of the potential media impact, was quick to issue a statement trying to defuse the bomb:
Steve visited Japan this summer for a holiday in Kyoto, but the incidents described at the airport are pure fiction. Steve had a great time and hopes to visit Japan again soon.
However, the speed and tone of the response only served to fuel further speculation. Why so proactively deny something if nothing had happened?
Steve Jobs meeting as a young man with Japanese executives
To really understand this story, you have to know Jobs’ deep connection to Japanese culture. He was not a simple tourist fascinated by the exotic. Jobs had incorporated Japanese elements into virtually every aspect of his life:
- His signature black turtleneck jersey uniform was created by Japanese designer Issey Miyake.
- He was a regular at Jinshō, a sushi restaurant in Silicon Valley where he had his favorite table.
- He collected Japanese crafts with the same passion with which he designed Apple products
At its core, this story of the ninja stars is a perfect example of why Steve Jobs was Steve Jobs. A genius who he lived in his own universewhere conventional rules did not always apply to him. Whether truth or fiction, the incident shows that Jobs was unique.
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