"Louis Vuitton does not make neckties" is what Louis Vuitton said in its first newspaper advertisement in Japan. This served a dual purpose of 1) solving the imitation product problem and 2) starting direct communications with customers in order to build a strong relationship between the customer and the brand.
In 2003, Hata wrote the widely read book, Louis Vuitton Japan-The Building of Luxury, which was initially published in Japanese but later translated into French and English. The book covers the twenty eight years of Hata's experience from the time he joined Louis Vuitton to take over a brand that, at that time, lacked an identity and was little developed in Japan. He turned it into the most sought after brand in Japan. This development was instrumental in giving Louis Vuitton a "new breath of life". This book is full of creative and practical ideas.