A temporary bridge need not become the purpose of the business.
Idemitsu was designated as a primary oil distributor in 1949 and completed the Tokuyama Refinery in 1957.[4] The job I found after the war and the business I later developed were not the same. It continued with changes.
It's easy to become attached to methods that have been helpful during difficult times. However, continuing even when circumstances change does not always protect people. When you remember why you started, the decision to finish can become a choice that is true to your original purpose.
Idemitsu's fresh start cannot be a method that yields the same results for everyone. The conditions of the times and the connections between people are different. Still, we can inherit the attitude of not thinking that when a job is lost, one's value is also lost.
Even 300 years from now, there will be jobs that will disappear and jobs that will be created. Those who cross the gap don't just need their past titles. It is the wisdom to reconsider the power you and your friends have accumulated in words that will be useful next time.
663highland / Wikimedia Commons/Image source / CC BY 2.5(No modification of photo content)
What you take home from this life.
Even if the shape of the business changes,
Human potential remains.
- I will rediscover the power I can use to make a fresh start.Even after losing our overseas business base, there were still people working. Think about the assets you lost and the power you have left.
- Connect your determination to protect to new work.It was a period of reconstruction when people looked for opportunities in fields other than oil. Maintaining our commitments requires the flexibility to change the way we do business.
- Test your trust in your daily actions.Look at not only employment policies, but also working conditions and roles. An attitude of respecting people is reflected in concrete work.
Even if you change what you sell, you can still choose who you want to build a future with. I'll keep looking for a job for that purpose.
Take the wisdom you read and take a step forward today.
Describe your work with three verbs.
Don't use the title on your business card. Instead, use three verbs to describe what you do on a daily basis, such as ``listen,'' ``fix,'' and ``organize.'' Look for one other situation that might require that power.
Open hint to think about
There's no need to exaggerate what you're good at. If you include the work you have actually done, it will be conveyed to the person you are consulting with. Your next opportunity may start with a small helping hand rather than a grand career change plan.
Historical materials and editing
This is a special feature on people based on publicly available historical materials. Events recorded in the history of the company and discussions by YAMATO DENSHI are separately recorded. New interviews with the individuals themselves and conversations by YAMATO DENSHI are not reproduced.
- National Diet Library "Sazo Idemitsu"
- Idemitsu Kosan "Founder Sazo Idemitsu"
- Idemitsu Kosan "Idemitsu Report 2017"
- Idemitsu Kosan "History"
Confirmation date of historical materials and images: October 11, 2026
Source of portrait photo
Sazo Idemitsu. Portrait published in ``Kizokuin Yokohei'' published in 1940.
Photographer unknown / Wikimedia Commons/Image source / PD-Japan-oldphoto(No modification of photo content)
伝Interpreting YAMATO DENSHI
Some activities must end so the larger purpose can continue.
Just as you need the courage to start something new, you also need the courage to reconsider your work. If you just say ``I've already started,'' you will take away the strength you need for the next step. Is it the number of businesses that we need to protect, or the future where people can work? Judgment changes depending on how the question is asked.