14th Year Has Begun

First of all, I’d like to say thank you for all the birthday wishes.


There was a 62nd annual meeting of stockholders on my 59th birthday. It’s been 13 whole years since I was appointed president.

The other day, I found my very first business card I got when I entered ISOWA 29 years ago.

It shows that so many years have gone by.

The company name was “ISOWA Iron Works”
I think it was named after a manufacturer where my father used to work after university.

After 6-month training, I got assigned to the planning department which had 5 members including me.


29 years later. Now I’m 59.


Mr. Shibata, ISOWA’s auditor, visited us for the meeting, which reminded me of past days.

It was 1998 that I first met Mr. Shibata and corporate cultural reform, which means I have spent more than half of the time at ISOWA working on it.

My university friend, Mr. Iwasaki who is currently teaching at Asahi University came to see Mr. Shibata.

I got Mr. Shibata to give him his autograph which he has desired.


Also we had Ms. I from the graduate school of Meiji University who came to interview our staff for her thesis.

Mr. Iwasaki was impressed by Mr. Shibata’s process design method.

His new perspective based on his vast experience impressed me, too.

Mr. Shibata also highly valued him,
“He is nothing like any other university teachers. It would be great if Scholar could do something with him.”


“I always hope I have more chances to come here.”
That’s what Mr. Shibata always says.

And today we discussed how to reduce overtime in each department.

That’s why this time we decided to have him over once a three months so he can check how our overtime reduction is going.

We also want Mr. Iwasaki to be a witness.

Let’s do it!