YAZAKI: Past, present, future. We are connected.

On the night of February 26, 1955, a fire broke out in Yazaki Densen’s Oku Factory in Oku, Arakawa Ward. The Oku Factory was the first that Sadami Yazaki had built after going into business on his own.

Flames were seen rising from the upper floor of the wooden two-story structure. It was a Saturday night and few people were in the factory. The security guards and others on hand tried to extinguish the fire by forming a bucket brigade, but their efforts were literally like pouring water on a hot stone. The best they could do was to carry out toolboxes and other items they could see on the bottom floor. Before long the flames were so high they were licking the first-floor ceiling. Someone shouted, “Stay out! It’s too dangerous!” Two fire engines arrived shortly and began spraying water, but still the fire raged on. It took everything they had just to keep the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings.

As everyone regarded the scene hopelessly, Sadami suddenly arrived by car. Then, standing in front of the courtyard’s pond, he silently watched his factory burn. It is said that as he stood glaring at the fire with his arms crossed in an imposing stance, not even bothering to brush off the ash falling on his dark blue three-piece suit, he had the awesome appearance of a fierce god.

The instrument factory’s top officers also began gathering at the scene as the fire was dying down. Sadami issued them a rapid succession of orders, telling some to “Gather all of the carpenters in Arakawa Ward here tomorrow,” and others to “Build an assembly conveyor in the administrative building.”

Some say that it was a good thing the fire happened on a Saturday, as that gave them Sunday to clean up after the fire, which in turn allowed them to resume normal production on Monday. It was also fortunate that a complete set of equipment—set aside for repairs before the move—was still available in the Shibaura Factory.

However, we can be sure that everyone who knew the Yazaki of those days would attribute this success to one thing: an indomitable spirit that is ready to meet any difficulty. Yazaki was able to overcome numerous crises over the years precisely because President Sadami Yazaki was there.