Kawai has a bachelor of Business Administration from Meiji University. He started his career at Tokyo Electron in April 1986, becoming VP & General Manager of numerous business units. He was named President and CEO of the company in 2016, after some time as the representative director and COO. He sought to accelerate the company's product strategies and balancing Tokyo Electron's development with environmental impact. He also focused on maximizing company profit and ensuring Tokyo Electron stays a strong competitor in the semiconductor industry.