Satoshi Nakajima, the software engineer known for his role in the basic design of the Windows 95 operating system, is warning that Japan faces an "AI defeat" unless software engineer pay improves. Nakajima points to the poor treatment of software engineers at Japanese companies as a key factor eroding the country's international competitiveness. He says the environment surrounding Japan's IT talent remains largely unchanged from nearly 40 years ago, with engineers in the "3K" category—kitsui (demanding), kyuuryou ga yasui (low pay), and kaerenai (can't go home). Nakajima previously led development of Windows 95 at Microsoft, which boosted 1995 PC shipments to 1.7 times the previous year's level. He reflected on Bill Gates' decisiveness during development, when Microsoft was divided between the next-generation OS team and the older Windows platform team. After hearing both sides, Gates stepped out and returned about five minutes later with his verdict: "Windows ships as planned, and the next-generation OS team is disbanded." Nakajima analyzes that Gates realized early on that "the next wave is the internet," prioritizing speed and shipping what was ready. Nakajima's critique highlights structural challenges facing Japan's IT industry, with improving the treatment and social standing of software engineers likely to become an urgent priority.