After graduating from Tokyo university of Foreign Studies, Sawako Oiwa joined Nikkei Inc. in 1996. She was first assigned to the Marketing News Department and reported on the retail industry especially on stores, restaurants, convenience stores, and consumer products companies for a long time. When Oiwa was a desk editor of Nikkei MJ, she widened her coverage range to Net business, service industry among other areas. After an editorial board member, currently a Senior Staff Writer. A part-time lecturer at Doshisha University.