YAMATO DENSHI FEATURES

YAMATO DENSHI Features

Look at work and everyday choices from a slightly different angle. Ideas and insights from YAMATO.

Articles by YAMATO

20 stories

Konosuke Matsushita, 1929. Photographer unknown. Historical photo published on Wikimedia Commons.

Keeping the workforce through a winter of falling sales: the strength Konosuke Matsushita sought to preserve.

Sales fell by half. Inventory grew. Yet the workforce was retained. Compassion alone did not explain Konosuke Matsushita’s decision. This story examines the winter when he decided what to protect and reorganized how the work was done.

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Sei Yoshimoto. Portrait published in the October 27, 1948 issue of Asahi Graph.

MEIJI PORTRAITS

Creating a place for laughter from behind the scenes: Sei Yoshimoto's work began with a single theater.

At the center of laughter is a comedian. Whose job is it to open that stage every day? From Sei Yoshimoto's journey, we will decipher the power to create a place where talent can reach people and continue to do so.

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Tokuji Hayakawa (right) testing crystal radio in 1925. Photo from the Sharp History Collection.

MEIJI PORTRAITS

After devastating loss, his skills remained: Tokuji Hayakawa's new beginning and the workplaces he created.

What was left of Tokuji Hayakawa, who lost his family and factory in the earthquake? From metal processing to radios and creating workplaces. Don't use sadness as a prelude to success, read about the specific strengths that supported a fresh start.

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Shojiro Ishibashi. Portrait published in the December 1, 1952 issue of Mainichi Graph.

MEIJI PORTRAITS

Beyond the tire business lay an art museum: Shojiro Ishibashi turned wealth into opportunities for the future.

Why did the pioneer of domestic tires leave behind a museum? We will decipher Shojiro Ishibashi's challenges through the combination of technology and sales channels, and his work that transforms private wealth into an entry point for people.

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Sazo Idemitsu. Portrait published in ``Kizokuin Yokohei'' published in 1940.

MEIJI PORTRAITS

Losing the business, keeping the people: how Sazo Idemitsu created work for a new beginning.

What kind of work did a company that lost its business base in defeat in the war start to retain its people? From radio repair to agriculture. I read Sazo Idemitsu's fresh start not as a psychological theory, but as a ``judgment to create a job.''

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Young Momofuku Ando. Published on Commons as a photo from the 1930s. Source: Photo published on nippon.com.

MEIJI PORTRAITS

A new container opened up the world: Momofuku Ando's invention began with the people who would eat it.

When Momofuku went to sell noodles, he saw 'how to eat them.' A cup that reaches even those who don't have a bowl will eventually travel to space. We trace the invention of Momofuku Ando from the user's perspective.

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Shinjiro Torii, before 1946. Photographer unknown. Historical photo published on Wikimedia Commons.

MEIJI PORTRAITS

Nurturing a product before it won recognition: Shinjiro Torii's eight years from Shirofuda to Kakubin.

The first step towards domestically produced whiskey did not receive the acclaim we expected. Eight years from white tags to square bottles. Read about the difference between continuing to believe and continuing to change from Shinjiro Torii's challenge.

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Ichizo Kobayashi. "Mainichi Graph" September 20, 1951 issue, Mainichi Shimbunsha. Photographer unknown.

MEIJI PORTRAITS

Building a life beyond the railway: how Ichizo Kobayashi gave people a reason to go out.

Even if there is a train, people won't come unless they have a reason to ride it. What was Ichizo Kobayashi, which connected residences, theaters, and department stores, looking beyond the route map? We approach the perspective of thinking about business from the perspective of daily life.

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Kiichiro Toyoda, before 1952. Photographer unknown. Historical photos taken from the 75-year history of Toyota Motor Corporation.

MEIJI PORTRAITS

Responsibility continues after production: Kiichiro Toyoda, a broken-down car, and a founder's decision.

A car leaves the factory and stops on the road. At that point, will manufacturing be finished? Read about Kiichiro Toyoda's responsibilities, from his response to breakdowns to his resignation in 1950, without ending with a story.

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Soichiro Honda, 1954. "Asahi Graph" 1955 New Year's edition, Asahi Shimbun.

MEIJI PORTRAITS

Going abroad to see the gap firsthand: Soichiro Honda's challenge began where winning seemed out of reach.

After declaring myself number one in the world, I realized the difference between me and the rest of the world. My first attempt at the Isle of Man TT was not a win, but a 6th place. However, we can understand why it was a big step forward from Soichiro Honda's ``How to Measure Your Dreams''.

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