Toshifumi Suzuki, the de facto founder of Seven-Eleven Japan and honorary advisor to Seven & i Holdings, passed away on May 18, 2026, at the age of 93. While Suzuki has often been described as a champion of "moving away from chain store management," at the same time, the foundation of his philosophy was rooted in the concept of thorough "chain management through systems." What did his theories and foresight, refined while facing opposition, bring to Japan's retail industry? This is a retrospective look at his management philosophy.