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Small But Global
TG recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. It has also been nearly 30 years since I myself joined Taiyo Giken Kogyo. Much of my time here, particularly over the last 10 years, has been focused on globalization of the company's operations. While there are still a number of obstacles we must overcome in achieving "TG, the global company," I'd like to take a moment to say a bit here on the company website about some of my own experiences leading up to the present time.
In my youth, I was deeply involved in music, and my life centered on musical activities. The seeds of this interest were sown when I was in grade school and the Beatles came to Japan, but it was in high school that I started playing in bands and fell in love with the rock and roll and blues genres. When I turned 20, a desire compelled me to take the style I had developed through my work with music and try applying it in my life on a daily basis. I was especially curious about foreign countries, and that drove me to put away money I made from my part-time job so I could travel abroad.
Unlike conditions here in present-day Japan, back then the country was not an economic world power, and information and material from overseas weren’t readily available. For that reason, everything I came in contact with for the first time had a tremendous impact on me. Because of that, the images and experiences had a profound effect on me. Later on, too, when I had the opportunity to join Taiyo Giken, I had been studying in the U.S. when I was asked about taking up the post of manager for a subsidiary in the Philippines. Since the urge to see what working overseas would be like was stronger than any desire to pursue a degree, I returned to Japan without a second thought. Six months after joining the company, at the age of 23, I headed off to the Philippines as vice president. On my first day on the job, my task was checking pits in casting, found after processing of YF-8 ring nuts. This was my first experience in manufacturing. Of course, I knew absolutely nothing about mechanical structures, principles, and the like, but with a lot of sweat and determination, I spent each day getting a greater feel for manufacturing. I remember that despite my unscheduled beginning in a completely different culture, I would head to work every day with the idea that my mission was to transform the business into a great factory and make a profit. Thinking back now, I remember having to work through the night at the plant twice a week, but I also gradually came to gain a mutual understanding with the local employees. I was also deeply touched when I caught a glimpse of tears in the eyes of these employees as I shook each of their hands when we reached our target two years later. Reaching this level of success, I was able to experience in my gut a true sense of mutual emotion that transcended nationality and race.
The economic environment has undergone a massive evolution in the 25 years since then, yet TG continues to take on the challenge of becoming the "Small but Global" enterprise. When I think about it now, I see that my own life has been a series of challenges, challenges to which there is no end. But instead of trying to lead an easy life, I'd say that staying curious about how much I can accomplish makes me much stronger, so when it comes to managing projects, I hope to create a corporate climate where both development of business and individual self-fulfillment go hand in hand. Once all individuals become unified in realizing the same goal, we will surely realize our goal of becoming "TG, the global company."
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